Yiivititimaev: "I ... happy"

- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- After signing final papers and undergoing a basic health check Sunday afternoon which cleared him to make his Feast Fest debut at the Oct. 26 exhibition in Punta Gorda, Fla., late-offseason add-on Ondrej Yiivitimaev conveyed in broken English his ebullience.

"I['m] ... happy. Very happy [to be] here, very happy [to] know [that] I [can] go [to] Florida [for the Oct. 28] exhibition ... Very happy [to] know [that] I [can have a] chance [to] prove my skill[s]. Very happy [to be] here [with all of these other] prestigious chef[s] ... [I am] ready [to] learn [about the] Americana tradition [that is] Thanksgiving ... Ready [to] help [Feast Fest achieve a score of] 100. Very happy. Very happy."


FF Wire Service

Yiivititimaev Submits Final Papers, Cleared for Oct. 26 in Punta Gorda

- Ondrej Yiivititimaev has been cleared as of Sunday afternoon for the Oct. 26 Edelyn Cooking Arena stand. He signed final papers cementing his contract Sunday, and underwent a thorough health evaluation that cleared him for two Sundays from today.

Fellow October signee Kevin Olschmiere is in the process of clearing final papers.

FF Wire Service

Wilkin: "I'm happy where I am"

- New York

- Feast Fest defector Hillary Wilkin, current Head Chef of the event's main rival, the New York City Thanksgiving Contest, apparently told Competitive Cooking Magazine's Joel Brennan that she had no misgivings about leaving Feast Fest to head chef the nation's second most prominent cooking competition.  Joel Brennan announced a snippet from his interview with Wilkin on Twitter Sunday:

"Wilkin: 'I'm happy where I am, I loved my time at Feast Fest but have no desire to leave the NYCTC. Feast Fest helped me get here.'"

- Joel Brennan (@ccmjoelbrennan) 21:07 UTC 12 October 2014

Wilkin left Feast Fest in 2013 after five years with the event after she was hired as the new Head Chef of the New York City Thanksgiving Contest.

FF Wire Service

McAllister on Shelstinnia: "She was limp ... she basically did nothing."

- Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister admitted Saturday to having had problems with FF chef Rina Shelstinnia, who will not be returning to Feast Fest.

In a interview with an issue of Competitive Cooking Magazine yet to be published, McAllister reportedly admitted that "we, the chef body, had numerous problems with Rina Shelstinnia and felt that she wouldn't be compatible with us for 2014, and some of us actually told that to the scouters when we heard they were about to make a decision on the level of energy they should invest in pursuing re-signing her.  We said, 'Well, you know, if you sign her, it's not the end of the world, not like Stephen Dreim [a chef regarded as highly conceited who chefs wanted scouters not to try to lure back after he left in 2012], but she'll just sit in the back and not do much, not contribute.'  We tried to tell them they'd be throwing their money away on her."

It's unlike McAllister to stir a controversy pot, especially now that he's one of the three Head Chefs.  But McAllister seemed to know that that observation would be coming, adding in the interview: "People will say about what I've said regarding Rina, they'll say, 'Whoa, Jumping Jimmy?  He never says anything negative about anyone, he never stirs controversy.'  But I don't see it as controversy because the consensus among the chef body was a unanimous decision and that unanimous decision was that she wasn't a contributing factor in any of our efforts here at Feast Fest.  She was limp, she was there, but she just hung around; she did basically nothing."

McAllister's comments came in an issue of CCM planned to be released in November, as part of a plethora of interviews of Feast Fest chefs.

Shelstinnia had no comment to McAllister's remarks.

FF Wire Service

Aiber Wins Best Above-50

-New York
-Feast Fest chef Alexei Aiber has won the NCA's Best Above-50 Chef Award for 2014, the first active FFer to do so in the award's second year of existence.

Aiber received 1,764 votes to the 1,688 of former Feast Fest chef Marc Monde, who won the award last year. Monde, however, left Feast Fest in 2004.

Former FF chef Lindbergh Merrssff finished fifth, but is considered a better shot at the NCA's Above-70 award, which he won in 2013 and results for which will be released on Sunday night.

Aiber had not yet been notified of his award, but Monde congratulated Aiber: "As someone who won this award last year, I know that this is one of the widest fields of chefs for a single award in the NCA and that the selection process is very, very rigorous. I couldn't be more joyful for Alexei."

FF Wire Service

Crellas Wins Most Diverse

-New York
-Laelech Crellas has won the NCA's 2014 Most Diverse award for he third straight year.

Reactions are pending.

If was the first night of the NCA's six week award period.

FF Wire Service

Dall: "2015 is a better time to explore those options" for re-signing Rina Shelstinnia

-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Up against the clock last week with the end of the scouting offseason approaching and with some scouters and chefs still voicing concerns and opposition, Head Scouter Jim Dall announced Monday that his team had broken off, but not officially closed, negotiations with intermittent two-time Feast Fest chef Rina Shelstinnia.

Shelstinnia, a Briton, only participated in 2 hours 15 minutes of floor action during her first Feast Fest in 2006, and only amassed six NCA points. Feast Fest and NCA rules require that a chef spend at least four and a half hours on the floor, or else the event can be docked points in its NCA rating. Feast Fest's 2006 score actually dipped by 0.2 because of Shelstinnia. Shelstinnia was promptly fired days later.

In 2012, Feast Fest re-negotiated with Shelstinnia and signed her on for a one-year deal. At Feast Fest XVIII, Shelstinnia accumulated 4:38 of floor time--the bare minimum--and stitched together a more respectable 24 points. Shelstinnia and Feast Fest broke down in renegotiation talks in 2013, but she left the door open for a possible 2014 return. In July, she came to the table with scouters to try to get her back in for this Thanksgiving.

But the two sides remained oceans apart on issues such as the length of the contract and the line of power Shelstinnia would be placed on. Also looking was growing dissension from chefs. Some said that even in her 2012 performance her heart and work ethic didn't seem to be in it. "She was taking it all in like she was on a red carpet, but the workmanship wasn't there, and that's what gets you good ratings," said an unidentified chef. "I don't know why you'd throw money away on her when you have equally talented chefs in the wings who will give you much, much more bang for your buck. Shelstinnia enjoyed the glamour. I know she's a good person at heart and never had any intentions of dragging us down. But she did."

Last week, Feast Fest announced they'd be taking a survey of chefs to determine how they'd feel about Shelstinnia returning, but time ran out with the end of the scouting offseason approaching.

Dall on Monday announced that negotiations would resume in 2015. "We still have many options left on the table for Ms. Shelstinnia... 2015 is a better time to explore those options."

Executive Assistant Marty Bergen added that "The Shelstinnia negotiation is ongoing but Ms. Shelstinnia will not be a member of Feast Fest for Thanksgiving 2014. We hope we can add her to the event in 2015. Her bungled performance of 2006 is far behind her, and she is ready and wants to contribute out on the floor in a meaningful fashion."

FF Wire Service

2015 Exhibition Schedule Released

-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Feast Fest Sunday released the 2015 exhibitional schedule, adding one exhibition next offseason to bring the total to nine. Lynn Avi, who gave up her exhibition in 2013 and 2014 to achieve an empty slot to accommodate the addition of a new exhibition in Switzerland, will get it back in 2015 as the added exhibition. The new schedule will also have be back-weighted, with a higher concentration of exhibitions in the fall months to prepare for Feast Fest in November.

Edelyn Cooking Arena will also host only one exhibition in 2015 instead of the usual two, and the open slot will be picked up by Feast Fest chef Jon Chu's Washington, D.C. eatery, Laoa.

Wed., Jan. 7 - The Dining Room, Yosemite National Park, CA
Fri., Apr. 17 - Notes, Long Beach, CA
Wed., Jul. 1 - Nø, Boston, MA
Sat., Sept. 5 - Kitchen Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
Sat., Oct. 3 - Myskvåard Cooking Arena, Zurich, Switzerland
Sat., Oct. 17 - Laoa, Washington, D.C.
Sun., Oct. 25 - Edelyn Cooking Arena, Punta Gorda, FL
Tue., Nov. 3 - Windows on the Water, Morro Bay, CA
Tue., Nov. 10 - LaLa, Lower Manhattan, NY

FF Wire Service

Monde Confirms in Interview He Threw Up, Had Panic Attack in Hotel Room in 2011 Before First Exhibition

-New York

-Aleck Monde has confirmed in the November issue of Competitive Cooking Monthly that he did indeed have a panic attack and throw up late in the night in his Punta Gorda, Fla. hotel room on October 31, 2011, hours before his Feast Fest debut at the annual Edelyn Cooking Arena exhibition.  Monde is the son of 1995-2004 Feast Fest fixture Marc Monde, and it was believed that the prospect of having to live up to expectations from other chefs that he would perform exactly like his father provoked the attack; the story went that he was heard mumbling, "They want me to be Dad.  I can't do this."

Monde, now a fixture at the event, told Yvette Bridges of Competitive Cooking Monthly: "Rumors swirled that I'd had this massive panic attack, was running around the hotel room at two in the morning pacing and saying, 'I can't do this, I can't do this,' and I denied those rumors at the time because I wanted to seem strong and I didn't want to let anyone in on any vulnerabilities, but now that I know my place here and now that I'm accepted for who I am and not just because of who my father is, I feel I can disclose that those rumors were true.  I did have a panic attack.  I did throw up.  I did pace around saying things to that effect.   I suppose it woke up the person in the next room and they complained."

The occupant of the next room placed a call to the front desk about 2:45 a.m. Oct. 31, 2011, complaining that her neighbor was retching, pacing, and mumbling things to himself.  The hotel maintained a record of the complaint.  The guest apparently wondered if the hotel should call police or an ambulance.  A hotel worker knocked on Monde's door at around 3:15 a.m. to find him lying in bed quietly, and Monde said he had had a panic attack but was feeling fine at that point, details Monde corroborated in the magazine interview.  The worker asked if Monde wanted medical attention and Monde declined.  Monde checked out of the hotel the next morning at 11 a.m., and there were no further reports of any incidents during Monde's stay.

"I didn't sleep at all that night, but after the manager came up and said someone complained, I just lay quietly," Monde said.

Monde admitted the incident was not unusual for him, saying he often has stomach issues when anxious.  

Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister, who has thrown up a couple times prior to major competitions, came to Monde's defense, saying in response to the interview, "We go through a lot of stress, a lot of nerves.  These things happen.  We shouldn't be judged for them."

FF Wire Service

Yiivitimaev, Olschmeire Both Signed Before Friday Night Deadline

-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Feast Fest announced at 11:30 p.m. Saturday that they had successfully signed Ondrej Yiivititimaev and Kevin Olschmeire for 2014 before Friday night's 11:59 p.m. deadline a day earlier.

The Scouting Department was following policy that states a 24 hour waiting period must elapse before a signing is publicly announced.   Yiivititimaev was signed at 11:24 p.m. Friday, and Olschmeire was signed six minutes later.  The signings were announced jointly as scouters had been working with both chefs late into Friday night to get deals worked out.   The Scouting Offseason officially ended at 11:59 p.m. Friday night; Feast Fest still could've signed them afterward, but they wouldn't have been eligible to participate until November 2015. 

Head Scouter Jim Dall called the dual signings "a fantastic note with which to end our ten months of arduous work."

Yiivititimaev and Olschmeire become the eighth and ninth chefs signed to Feast Fest this offseason.  Four chefs left or resigned, making for a net gain of five chefs and a total roll call of 72 for Thanksgiving, the first time the event has cracked seventy chefs.

Olschmeire's signing was conducted "pleasantly," Dall said, with minimal arguments or rebuttals.  Olschmeire signed a $196,045, two-year contract for the eighth line of power, staggered in 2015 for $199,874 and a potential promotion to the seventh line.

Yiivititimaev, the more prized of the two chefs, held out more along with his persistent agent.  Negotiations nearly came to a halt over how to divide travel expenses, which will be heftier for the Russian-based Yiivititimaev than they are for most American chefs.  Feast Fest insisted that Yiivititimaev's camp pay 45% of the travel expenses, instead of Yiivititimaev's proposed 40%, and the two sides compromised by giving Yiivititimaev a $482,000 contract, the highest amount Feast Fest was willing to fork over.  The Russian will start out on the fifth line of power and is signed on a two-year deal through Feast Fest 2015.  He will receive anywhere from $482,000 to $496,000 in 2015; those details will be sorted out, and the travel expenses revisited, in December.  "This was about getting Ondrej signed for this November, and we have that done now.  He's happy, we're happy," Dall said.  "We have both agreed to return to the little details after Thanksgiving and to fine-tune this contract in a way that will make him eligible for many future years here."

Both Yiivititimaev and Olschmeire were declared rostered and eligible for the Oct. 26 cooking exhibition in Punta Gorda, Fla.

EXPERT'S EDITORIAL: YIIVITITIMAEV NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY -- WHAT HE BRINGS TO FEAST FEST, AND HIS PRICE

Expert Analyst MIKE VILSHIRE
from Marina del Rey, Calif.

- If Feast Fest scouters can sign him successfully before 11:59 p.m. PDT tonight, Ondrej Yiivititimaev will become the finishing touch of a monstrous launch into the Russian culinary scene this offseason, one in which scouters signed two other Russian chefs, Konstaatyn Medvalaev and Katerina Ymykaterina, and negotiated massive extensions for existing Russian or Russian-American chefs Petr Jones (7 years, $521,881 staggered to $610,038), Andri Jones (5 years, $477,809 staggered to $549,626), and Alexei Aiber (4 years, $731,880 staggered to $777,571). So it's clear that Feast Fest has made a long-lasting commitment to Russian chefs, one that will likely continue in the coming years. But what's the reason for the pivot to Moscow? Two words: work ethic. In recent times where many hardworking chefs have ended their careers graciously, when some younger, newer chefs have been perceived as lazy, and when exhibition scores have dropped (and it's something of a small miracle that actual Thanksgiving Day scores haven't dropped off by more than a percentage point too), the strict work ethic that is instilled into Russian chefs when they train has become increasingly attractive to Feast Fest scouters. A similar case can be made for French chefs, who are known for their diligence and often considered the finest chefs in the world. It didn't happen this year, but now that Feast Fest has invaded Russia this offseason, look for them to take increased ganders at French chefs in the coming years. It's all a part of Feast Fest's general plans for international expansion, especially into Europe, where competitive cooking has more popularity than in the U.S.

Yiivititimaev is a dream signing for Feast Fest, with a sterling resume: graduated from Cordon Bleu Schools 2010; appointed in 2012 to Head Chef of Yellow Room, one of Moscow's top restaurants; gained NCA membership in 2010 during his time in New York and podiumed (top 5) in NCA's Best Russian Award four times; ranked fifth in NCA's All-Around Best European in 2013, behind several other prominent Feast Fest chefs; trained with breakout young Feast Fest chef Andri Jones and has also had extensive relations with his brother, Feast Fest fixture Petr.

Yiivititimaev and his agent have agreed to a core, nonstaggered deal of 3 years, with somewhere between $475,000 and $482,000 (the exact amount needs to be determined tonight). More pressing about today and tonight's negotiations are bread and butter issues that include:

- Travel expenses: This has often been an area of contention between Feast Fest and chefs it signs from overseas. Jet fuel costs alone could reach an estimated $124,561 a year for as many as twenty yearly transatlantic flights. Andri Jones, who still lives in Russia, worked out a 65%-35% deal over travel expenses, with Feast Fest paying 65%, and Jawrodly Jurrjens of Amsterdam currently pays 30% of travel expenses to Feast Fest's 70%. But Feast Fest is giving more money to Yiivititimaev than they did to Jones or Jurrjens when they first signed, so Feast Fest scouters may want Yiivititimaev's camp to chip in more, closer to a 55%-45% deal. Alternatively, Feast Fest could give Yiivititimaev a salary lower on the $475K-$482K spectrum and use the savings to pay for more of the travel expenses and work out a 60%-40% arrangement. Feast Fest would be willing to do either, as long as they don't have to pay more money than they've already pledged they would. So the travel expenses maelstrom is in Yiivititimaev's hands: it'll come down to whether he wants to receive less money or spend more, even though his net income would be pretty much the same for either option. To get in Feast Fest's good graces, it'd probably be best to agree to 55%-45%. He should really only fight against that division if FF wants to give him something on the low end of his already agreed range, in which case he should argue for 60%-40%. Both sides are in this to make a profit.

- Healthcare: Feast Fest's international healthcare policy for chefs states that they must maintain healthcare within their country of residence. In other words, Feast Fest is willing to pay for healthcare costs if they come under the often-shoddy Russian system. If he comes to America for Feast Fest related events on a frequent basis, he may wish to pursue dual citizenship and then purchase American healthcare, which FF wouldn't be as willing to pay for. But that's a long term issue: tonight means sorting out the provider and rudimentary issues such as costs.

- Line of power: Yiivititimaev and Feast Fest will probably be in agreement on a fifth line spot, but his agent, who's not quite as humble as he, might try to jockey for a fourth line spot. Granted, if Yiivititimaev could be made into a fourth line spot under fifth line money, it would be good value for Feast Fest, but the likelihood that Yiivititimaev would be declared ready for the fourth line of power, which includes such powerhouses as Lisa Choi, Peter Dumas, Aleck Monde, and Jacqueline Pierce-Mulleone, is low. He has star potential for the future, but should get his feet wet at the fifth line of power (where he'd work among highly competent and talented chefs including Kevin Bough Mothily, Keith Wholehreh, Lakeland Donavert, and fellow countryman Alexei Aiber) before moving up.

FF Wire Service

Yiivititimaev, Olschmeire Hoped to Be Signed Before End of Scouting Offseason Tonight

-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Just a little over eleven hours remain before the Feast Fest Scouting Offseason officially ends, and that means only eleven hours remain to successfully sign Ondrej Yiivititimaev and Kevin Olschmeire for this Thanksgiving.

The Russian wunderkind, 29, and all-American chef, 34, will be the eighth and ninth chefs added this offseason if both can be signed before 11:59 p.m. PDT. Yiivititimaev is one of Russia's most promising young chefs, and has trained extensively with Feast Fest chef Andri Jones, a fellow Russian. If Yiivititimaev is signed, he'll be the third Russian chef added this offseason, following Konstaatyn Medvalaev and Katerina Ymykaterina. Milwaukee-based Olschmiere has connections with Feast Fest chef Keith Wholehreh and former Feast Fest chef Jane Jockell.

Both chefs were late discoveries this offseason; neither were presented offers until late August, and the signing process usually takes about four to seven weeks, which is why scouters are up against the clock today on the final day of the scouting offseason. After today, scouters can continue working to sign returning chefs and chefs for 2015, but not new chefs for 2014. The negotiations process could technically continue after today, but if so the two chefs wouldn't be allowed to participate until Feast Fest 2015.

"These are two prime additions to our arsenal that we want to be able to utilize this November," Dall said. "We want to sign them tonight."

Both Yiivititimaev and Olschmiere have agreed to core contracts. But with many meat-and-potatoes issues such as travel expenses, health benefits, and other utilities still in the air for both, negotiations could go late into the evening tonight before deals are announced. Yiivititimaev has remained in Russia today, but his agent has traveled to Marina del Rey; both Olschmeire and his agent have made the trip to Southern California.

FF Wire Service

Feast Fest Snaps Up Arencía In Effort to Recoup Latin Flair After Loss of Jámes

-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-On the second-to-last day of the scouting offseason, Feast Fest scouters have officially signed Mexico City-based chef Pablo Arencía in an effort to regain critical Latin appeal lost with the departure of Jarolde Jámes in April.

Latin America is one of the most underrepresented areas of the globe at Feast Fest, and with people of Latin American descent a critical demographic, Jámes quickly became a star figure at Feast Fest who brought more people of Latin American descent to Feast Fest in 2012 and 2013 than ever before.

But Jámes and scouters butted heads during contractual negotiations this offseason. Jámes wanted a $525,000 per year, three-year deal, but scouters instead pushed for a $446,000 per year, four-year deal. Jámes eventually got his requested offer down to $500,000, but FF refused to budge, and after months of strained talks, Jámes announced Apr. 22 he wouldn't be returning.

Scouters began looking at Arencía in May, and quickly found him a viable candidate. He was brought to Marina del Rey last month for preliminary negotiations, and confirmed via email Thursday that he had accepted a $227,304 offer for two years.

"Tell the media I'm thrilled," he wrote to scouters at the end of the missive.

Arencía will travel to Marina del Rey for a new chefs introductory press conference scheduled for next week.

FF Wire Service

Ruscoso to Make Turkey Tetrazzini

-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Italian-specialist Vermont-based chef Tony Ruscoso was given the green light by the NCA on Wednesday to prepare his signature turkey tetrazzini this November during Feast Fest, as an exhibitional, non-scored dish that will be available to revelers to sample but otherwise be uninvolved in the event's performance.

It becomes the third time a chef has had their own unique dish approved by the NCA to be prepared in a non-scoring role. Lisa Choi will prepare her famous "pumpkins flambé" at Feast Fest for the first time this Thanksgiving, and Parker Payton has prepared caramelized mashed potatoes as a non-scored dish for years.

"We're trying to allow Feast Fest chefs to present more of their personal flair to the masses through their own unique dishes," said an official familiar with the situation.

Feast Fest scored foods--turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pie, and appetizers, among others--follow rigid, strict recipes and allow for little experimentation or personal touches by the individual chefs.

FF Wire Service