Firefighter Keeps McCormick & Schmick’sFirefighter Seafood Cook-Off Title

On October 10, 2006, San Jose Firefighters gathered in the kitchen of McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant in downtown San Jose to show off their culinary talents and compete in the Second Annual Firefighters Seafood Cook-Off, presented by McCormick & Schmick’s.

The group of five Firefighters prepared their favorite seafood dish for a panel of judges consisting of local media and San Jose Fire Chief Darryl Von Raesfeld. Dishes were evaluated on the basis of presentation, taste, texture, aroma, and concept.
After tasting all five dishes, the judges declared defending champion, Firefighter Robert Herrera, as the winner. Herrera’s Sauteed Dayboat Scallops with Truffled Mashed Potatoes will be featured on McCormick & Schmick’s menu during the remainder of October, beginning Monday, October 16, for the public to enjoy.
Other participants were Captain Tom Conry, Deputy Chief Dana Reed, Fire Inspector Nestor Lopez, and John Pavloff of the Urban Search & Rescue Team. In addition to Chief Von Raesfeld, the judging panel consisted of John Newlin, editor-in-chief, The Wave Magazine; Julie Kaufmann, food editor, San Jose Mercury News; Bob Redell, reporter, NBC11 News; and Sal Pizarro, columnist, San Jose Mercury News.
The event was presented by McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant in downtown San Jose in cooperation with the San Jose Fire Department in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week and National Seafood Month. The message of this year’s National Fire Prevention Week is “Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What you Heat.”


Posted by; Captain Alberto Olmos, SJFD, PIO