A DASH OF HORSERADISH. CVTC Culinary Management students were challenged to dream up the official Eau Claire sandwich. Kenya Gomez, pictured, crafted a sandwich inspired by an old fashioned cocktail, earning first prize in the competition.

While Chippewa Valley Technical College is host to over 100 programs, foodies likely have their eye on just one: the Culinary Management program. Even folks who aren’t enrolled at the local school can reap the rewards – CVTC culinary students frequently serve delectable eats out of the culinary food truck and on-campus restaurant, 620 West – and soon, those rewards will be delivered in sandwich form.

On Tuesday, April 8, 24 student chefs went head-to-head to whip up a sandwich so delicious, so iconic, that it deserved to be known as Eau Claire’s Sandwich. It could be made up of anything, and “sandwich” was a pretty loose term – some students used waffles to hold everything together while others used a traditional fluffy bun – but there was one catch.

“Each student was challenged to come up with their own recipe, using at least one Silver Spring Foods condiment,” CVTC Culinary Management Professor Kevin Brown said. “More than that, to use horseradish or another item as part of the recipe; not just slathering it on a bun, but actually integrating it, alongside other iconic Wisconsin ingredients.”

EAU CLAIRE CHEESE AND DELI AND KP CATERING WILL SOON ADD THE WINNING SANDWICH TO THEIR MENUS.

Eric Rygg, president of Silver Spring Foods, has yearned to see a staple Chippewa Valley sandwich come to life for years. “Just like you have the Maine lobster roll, the Cubana sandwich in Miami, and the Po’ Boy in New Orleans; What is our original sandwich?” Rygg said. “It’s something that we could be proud of and, ideally, incorporate something from the region.”

For Rygg, that “something” is horseradish. Silver Spring Huntsinger Farms is the world’s largest grower and processor of horseradish — and as an avid supporter of CVTC’s culinary program — the collaboration just made sense.

Eau Claire-based Silver Spring Foods, the world's largest producer of horseradish, partnered with CVTC for the culinary competition.

The college's culinary students have access to a state-of-the-art kitchen (which is quite fun, clearly).

Silver Spring team members and a few CVTC administrators acted as judges of the competition, with the ultimate prize – besides bragging rights and a tip of the chef hat – being real-world application: The winning sandwich will be featured on the menu of Eau Claire Cheese and Deli and KP Catering.

For first place winner Kenya Gomez, one thing came to mind: old fashioned cocktails. Gomez, whose mom is also a chef, is a second semester culinary student. She has a particular interest in mixology, so it was a no-brainer for her to draw inspiration from the iconic drink.

“I call this the Wisconsin Old-Fashioned Sandwich,” Gomez said in a quick interview during the competition. “It’s served on a croissant bun and I have a dijon mustard crusted chicken in the oven right now. I have cherries soaking in brandy, and I’m going to cook those down into a reduction and throw in some roasted pecans. I’m also serving that with brie cheese and a horseradish mayo, made with Silver Spring. I also have a little bit of the cranberry horseradish in my apple salad as a side.”

Eau Claire Cheese and Deli (1636 Harding Ave., Eau Claire) and KP Catering (5775 20th Ave., Eau Claire) will soon add Gomez’s winning sandwich to their menus in the near future.

Keep up with the Chippewa Valley Technical College online for more information about the Culinary Management program and other student happenings.

Brown, who co-created the Culinary Management program at CVTC, had a personal tie to the student competition beyond his role as an educator. Back in his culinary school days in Vermont, he too was the winner of a student-versus-student competition. I jokingly asked if he would share that winning dish’s recipe, and he did. Here’s the recipe for Brown’s Smokehouse Mac and Cheese:

SMOKEHOUSE MAC AND CHEESE

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of elbow macaroni 
• 40 oz. of chicken velouté or béchamel
• 3 cups of shredded smoked gouda or smoked cheddar
• 1 cup of diced red onion
• 3 cup cooked, chopped bacon
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Cooking instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Boil salted water and add pasta, cooking until al-dente. Drain and set aside in a prepared baking pan.
• Sauté red onion in oil or butter. Stir frequently and cook for three minutes or until tender. 
• Add in velouté or béchamel. 
• Once the sauce is hot, add in the cheese and mix until well incorporated.
• Sprinkle in two cups of the bacon and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. If it dries out before service, add in some warmed heavy cream or milk until creamy.
• Finished product should be thick and glossy. Garnish with remaining bacon before serving.

Kevin Brown, pictured, co-founded CVTC's culinary management program and continues to teach there.