Local Chef Seeks Best in West Title

Local resident and chef Eric Kopelow will go head to head with three of his peers early next week for the title of Western Region Chef of the Year.

The annual judged cooking competition, held by the American Culinary Federation, is taking place March 12-14 at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada.

A graduate of the American Culinary Institute, Kopelow has been cooking professional since 1978 and currently works as corporate executive chef of NBC Universal Studios Hollywood.

In 2010, he was named Chef of the Year by Chef's Magazine and is no stranger to cooking competitions.

Kopelow said jokingly that he is more worried about the drive to Reno than how he performs in the contest.

"If you look at it as another day on the job, then you keep all the nerves in and all the mistakes that could happen out," he said.

But that doesn't mean the chef hasn't been practicing. For next week's competition, contestants have to prepare a dish using arctic char, a type of chef Kopelow said is similar to baby salmon.

Chefs have an hour to prepare four portions, 10 minutes to plate the dish and 15 minutes to clean up.

Kopelow says steps like de-boning the fish are part of the timed contest, so he's been timing himself in the kitchen.

"When you're doing it for a restaurant you really don't monitor your time," he said.

A Calabasas resident in 2003, Kopelow said entering such competitions mean more to him than just another stripe on his jacket.

"I do it for me, it's my self-pride to be the best I can be," he said. "I do it more because I'm proud of the profession I'm in."

When not working at NBC Universal, Kopelow occasionally cooks for private parties with proceeds being donated to charity.

Judges will name the Western Region Chef of the Year during an awards gala on March 14.