- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Second-year chef Ursula Elfman had the performance of a career during the Mock "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest on Tuesday, scoring 77 NCA points and leading a 71-chef pack. Elfman and other low-tier, newer chefs ruled the Dress Rehearsal, which is often a bellwether for how performances will go on Thanksgiving. For the past ten Feast Fests, all but nine chefs have had their Thursday NCA point total fall within 10 points of their Tuesday tally, meaning we probably can expect huge things from Elfman again over the next forty-eight hours.
Elfman's late surge in which she assembled 31 NCA points in the Dress Rehearsal's final hour combined with the tapered-off action of rookie Skarlett Uhaajhaiyjesen, who led with 42 points at the Rehearsal's midway point but only scraped together 19 in the final three and a half hours, sliding to 61, still an incredibly respectable number that the new hire was not expected to come close to.
Five-year chef Daniel Mettling came second in points scoring, at 74, and the first hierarchical chef to show up on the scoreboard was Jim McAllister, at 73. The Mason Duo had respective totals of 42 and 37 in a Rehearsal in which they saw low Times of Action due to juggling other commitments, but will obviously be devoting their full attention Thursday. Because the Dress Rehearsal does not receive an NCA score, chefs are freer to have low Times of Action, which can result in deductions during scored events such as the real Feast Fest Cooking Portion on Thursday.
The full top 20 placers:
*(H) denotes one of the seven hierarchical chefs.
ELFMAN - 77
METTLING - 74
MCALLISTER - 73
CHOI - 68
AVI - 67
STEPHAN - 67
LAW - 67
JURRJENS - 66
MATFLILIA - 65
PASIK - 63
OKOWORTH - 62
WHOLEHREH - 60
JAHSWHEICH - 59
YIIVITITIMAEV - 57
DUMAS - 57
BARTLETT - 55
MORIMOTA PATTON - 52
STEVENSON - 51
CRELLAS - 51
MONDE - 50
Other notables:
MCNEESE - 43
MASON - 42
OLSCHMEIRE - 40
MASON - 37
YMYKATERINA - 33
ROSS - 26
STILLWORTH - 21
CHU - 12
AIBER - 11
MOTHILY - 10
NacGNISSECORP - 7
PERSONN - 6
Alexei Aiber and Eric NacGnissecorp both spent most of their floor time conducting messenger roles to and from the Elevated Table, accounting for their low point totals. Fredrik Personn complained of complications at his kitchen station, as did 10-point Kevin Bough Mothily. Both stations were being examined for technical difficulties late Tuesday, and repairs will attempt to made on them before Thursday.
"The pilot light on my stove refused to work," Mothily said.
FF Wire Service
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Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Elfman Tops in Dress Rehearsal Points -- Full List Pending
Continuing her breakout year with Feast Fest, sophomore chef Ursula Elfman led the pack in the nonscored Dress Rehearsal with 77 points.
Full list pending of point totals.
Full list pending of point totals.
Uhaajhaiyjesen Leads in Points Through 3 1/2 Hours
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Halfway through the Mock Dress Rehearsal Feast Fest, a new hire is being the most productive.
Skarlett Uhaajhaiyjesen had 42 NCA points through three and a half hours of the seven-hour Dress Rehearsal, earning them partly on the back of 7 2-point triple flips or higher, which adds 14 points to her count. Her regular point count is 25, with the 14 triple flip or higher points, 1 double flip point, 1 speed point, and 1 style point.
Second in points at the halfway mark was Jim McAllister, with 40.
And Adam McNeese seems fully recovered from his hamstring scare last week; on the floor, he's earned 39 points, tied for third with Jan Stephan.
FF Wire Service
- Halfway through the Mock Dress Rehearsal Feast Fest, a new hire is being the most productive.
Skarlett Uhaajhaiyjesen had 42 NCA points through three and a half hours of the seven-hour Dress Rehearsal, earning them partly on the back of 7 2-point triple flips or higher, which adds 14 points to her count. Her regular point count is 25, with the 14 triple flip or higher points, 1 double flip point, 1 speed point, and 1 style point.
Second in points at the halfway mark was Jim McAllister, with 40.
And Adam McNeese seems fully recovered from his hamstring scare last week; on the floor, he's earned 39 points, tied for third with Jan Stephan.
FF Wire Service
Cooking Portion Bell Rings At Mock "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- The cooking portion bell officially rang at 1:15 p.m. and the Mock "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest XX is officially underway, with all 71 chefs participating.
The Dress Rehearsal is an exact carbon copy of the actual Feast Fest, only moved an hour and fifteen minutes later and with an abbreviated PrepFest. The Mock "Dress Rehearsal" PrepFest began three hours prior to the start of the "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest; on Thursday, it will begin five hours prior to the Official Cooking Portion. The "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest's cooking portion runs from 1:15-8:15 p.m.; the actual Feast Fest will run from 12-7.
Adam McNeese, who pulled a hamstring during a Core Skills Runthrough last Thursday, is moving well around the floor and should be good to go for Thanksgiving. Just in case anything should go awry between now and Thursday, however, relief chef Johan Mavliscev, who has never seen the Feast Fest floor on Thanksgiving, is getting valuable time here in the Dress Rehearsal.
FF Wire Service
- The cooking portion bell officially rang at 1:15 p.m. and the Mock "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest XX is officially underway, with all 71 chefs participating.
The Dress Rehearsal is an exact carbon copy of the actual Feast Fest, only moved an hour and fifteen minutes later and with an abbreviated PrepFest. The Mock "Dress Rehearsal" PrepFest began three hours prior to the start of the "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest; on Thursday, it will begin five hours prior to the Official Cooking Portion. The "Dress Rehearsal" Feast Fest's cooking portion runs from 1:15-8:15 p.m.; the actual Feast Fest will run from 12-7.
Adam McNeese, who pulled a hamstring during a Core Skills Runthrough last Thursday, is moving well around the floor and should be good to go for Thanksgiving. Just in case anything should go awry between now and Thursday, however, relief chef Johan Mavliscev, who has never seen the Feast Fest floor on Thanksgiving, is getting valuable time here in the Dress Rehearsal.
FF Wire Service
Monday, November 24, 2014
Olschmeire, Yiivititimaev Picked by McAllister, Mason Duo, Avi As "Highest-Level Go-Tos" Among New Chefs
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Feast Fest's nine offseason additions on Monday afternoon participated in the New Chefs' Orientation session on the Feast Fest floor. Despite the title, it's not about orienting new chefs with Feast Fest--they've been practicing all week and some have appeared already in offseason exhibitions following their signing--as it is about orienting hierarchical chefs with the new hires and how they can be best used.
Co-Head Chefs Jim McAllister and the Mason Duo, and Head Sous-Chef Lynn Avi, the event's four most powerful chefs, identified Kevin Olschmeire and Ondrej Yiivitimaev as the "highest-level go-tos" out of the nine.
It essentially means that if a direct order is placed on a chef by one of the Big Four, they'll trust Olschmeire and Yiivitimaev the most to carry it out.
It's especially important for Lynn Avi, who as Head Sous Chef plays something of a messenger's role between the Elevated Table and the rest of the chef body.
"All nine are spectacular chefs and all will have chances to shine on Thursday," said Avi, "but from a tactical standpoint, when we need to call on something specifically to get something done, Kevin and Ondrej look like the most competent ones to be able to deliver on demands."
As for the seven other new hires, she said, "We'll let them get their feet wet this year, performing menial tasks as most first-year chefs do. This group is loaded with potential for the future, however. The new chef orientation is just our way of getting acquainted with the newbies so that we can know what they're most skilled at and so that we don't task them with something in an area in which they can't excel. That's really all it's about. We want the best chefs working on the areas of the dinner that they can perform the best in."
FF Wire Service
- Feast Fest's nine offseason additions on Monday afternoon participated in the New Chefs' Orientation session on the Feast Fest floor. Despite the title, it's not about orienting new chefs with Feast Fest--they've been practicing all week and some have appeared already in offseason exhibitions following their signing--as it is about orienting hierarchical chefs with the new hires and how they can be best used.
Co-Head Chefs Jim McAllister and the Mason Duo, and Head Sous-Chef Lynn Avi, the event's four most powerful chefs, identified Kevin Olschmeire and Ondrej Yiivitimaev as the "highest-level go-tos" out of the nine.
It essentially means that if a direct order is placed on a chef by one of the Big Four, they'll trust Olschmeire and Yiivitimaev the most to carry it out.
It's especially important for Lynn Avi, who as Head Sous Chef plays something of a messenger's role between the Elevated Table and the rest of the chef body.
"All nine are spectacular chefs and all will have chances to shine on Thursday," said Avi, "but from a tactical standpoint, when we need to call on something specifically to get something done, Kevin and Ondrej look like the most competent ones to be able to deliver on demands."
As for the seven other new hires, she said, "We'll let them get their feet wet this year, performing menial tasks as most first-year chefs do. This group is loaded with potential for the future, however. The new chef orientation is just our way of getting acquainted with the newbies so that we can know what they're most skilled at and so that we don't task them with something in an area in which they can't excel. That's really all it's about. We want the best chefs working on the areas of the dinner that they can perform the best in."
FF Wire Service
Bartlett, Uhaajhaiyjesen Chosen for Pie Thawing
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Feast Fest expert commentator Mike Vilshire has an in on who's getting to do Wednesday's ceremonial pie thawing: and for the first time, two chefs have been chosen.
"2 chefs for pie thawing: 5-year chef Gerald Bartlett and newbie Uhaajhaiyjesen."
- Mike Vilshire (@ffmikeyvilshire) 02:36 UTC November 25; 2014
Uhaajhaiyjesen refers to offseason signee Skarlett Uhaajhaiyjesen, a Swedish-born and trained chef.
No word on why two chefs were chosen instead of the usual one. Chefs are chosen for the pie thawing by random draw.
FF Wire Service
Merrssff: "Elated" to Receive Ceremonial Turkey Yet Again
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Feast Fest officials revealed Monday that Lindbergh Merrssff will yet again be honored with the Ceremonial Turkey, the first turkey placed into the ovens by the Head Chefs at the beginning of the Official Cooking Portion.
The love just doesn't run out for the septuagenarian Merrssff, a Feast Fest chef from its 1995 beginnings to 2008. Merrssff received the Ceremonial in 2011 and 2012; last year, Suzy and Jan Jenkins, the L.A. Wild owners, got the honorable bird.
Toward the middle and end of the 2000s, the Ceremonial was usually handed out to prominent celebrities, but in recent years has returned to its earlier form of being bestowed upon past Feast Fest dignitaries.
Merrssff, who would have been present at Feast Fest anyway as he has since taken on the less demanding job of critiquing Feast Fest, released this statement:
"For the third time in the last four years, I am exceedingly honored and humbled to receive the Ceremonial Turkey. Sometimes you wonder if you will begin to lose relevancy, if newer chefs won't remember you the way older ones do. After all, this Thanksgiving will be my sixth since I left the event due to aging in 2008. But I am made so glad to witness that Feast Fest has again chosen me. Countless other chefs and dignitaries are equally eligible to have this gracious honor bestowed upon them, and I can only step aside and issue the most profound of thank yous for the fact that I have again been chosen as the Ceremonial Turkey recipient."
An anonymous Feast Fest official said that there had been no other contenders giving Merrssff a run for the honor. "We knew for a long time that Lindbergh was going to receive the Ceremonial this year," said the official, speaking anonymously because she was unauthorized to speak publicly. "He deserves it more than anybody else. He is legendary."
FF Wire Service
- Feast Fest officials revealed Monday that Lindbergh Merrssff will yet again be honored with the Ceremonial Turkey, the first turkey placed into the ovens by the Head Chefs at the beginning of the Official Cooking Portion.
The love just doesn't run out for the septuagenarian Merrssff, a Feast Fest chef from its 1995 beginnings to 2008. Merrssff received the Ceremonial in 2011 and 2012; last year, Suzy and Jan Jenkins, the L.A. Wild owners, got the honorable bird.
Toward the middle and end of the 2000s, the Ceremonial was usually handed out to prominent celebrities, but in recent years has returned to its earlier form of being bestowed upon past Feast Fest dignitaries.
Merrssff, who would have been present at Feast Fest anyway as he has since taken on the less demanding job of critiquing Feast Fest, released this statement:
"For the third time in the last four years, I am exceedingly honored and humbled to receive the Ceremonial Turkey. Sometimes you wonder if you will begin to lose relevancy, if newer chefs won't remember you the way older ones do. After all, this Thanksgiving will be my sixth since I left the event due to aging in 2008. But I am made so glad to witness that Feast Fest has again chosen me. Countless other chefs and dignitaries are equally eligible to have this gracious honor bestowed upon them, and I can only step aside and issue the most profound of thank yous for the fact that I have again been chosen as the Ceremonial Turkey recipient."
An anonymous Feast Fest official said that there had been no other contenders giving Merrssff a run for the honor. "We knew for a long time that Lindbergh was going to receive the Ceremonial this year," said the official, speaking anonymously because she was unauthorized to speak publicly. "He deserves it more than anybody else. He is legendary."
FF Wire Service
Foster Lands Sextuple Flip
-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Welcome to Feast Fest, Germaine Foster.
The July offseason acquisition showed incredible talent with a sextuple flip during a Core Skills Runthrough on Monday, as vouched for by NCA Critic Mayfield Brunehauser, who was observing the chefs' practice. Sadly, no video was taken of the incredible event.
A sextuple flip has only been landed once before in competition, during Feast Fest XVI in 2010, by Jack Mark.
Foster (3/24/83) is a promising young Austrian chef who moved from Vienna to New York to attend culinary school there. In 2012, he became Head Chef of the Swaling Rock Inn in Isle Royale, Mich. He signed to a $198,344 per year one-year deal in July.
Foster is NCA rated at 88.9.
FF Wire Service
-Welcome to Feast Fest, Germaine Foster.
The July offseason acquisition showed incredible talent with a sextuple flip during a Core Skills Runthrough on Monday, as vouched for by NCA Critic Mayfield Brunehauser, who was observing the chefs' practice. Sadly, no video was taken of the incredible event.
A sextuple flip has only been landed once before in competition, during Feast Fest XVI in 2010, by Jack Mark.
Foster (3/24/83) is a promising young Austrian chef who moved from Vienna to New York to attend culinary school there. In 2012, he became Head Chef of the Swaling Rock Inn in Isle Royale, Mich. He signed to a $198,344 per year one-year deal in July.
Foster is NCA rated at 88.9.
FF Wire Service
Nonstop Coverage Monday through Thursday
Keep hitting refresh this week for the latest updates on practices, runthroughs, Tuesday's Mock Dress Rehearsal, and all other elements of the run-up to Feast Fest on Thursday!
On Thursday, look for half-hourly updates on projected scores and other statistics as well as updates of all the happenings on the Feast Fest floor.
Expert analyst Mike Vilshire will run a three-part Expert's Editorial Monday through Wednesday, offering his predictions for the Feast Fest 2014 Most Valuable Chef, Official Score, and 2015 Scouting Preview.
On Thursday, look for half-hourly updates on projected scores and other statistics as well as updates of all the happenings on the Feast Fest floor.
Expert analyst Mike Vilshire will run a three-part Expert's Editorial Monday through Wednesday, offering his predictions for the Feast Fest 2014 Most Valuable Chef, Official Score, and 2015 Scouting Preview.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
L.A. Wild Owners Answer No Questions About Possible Handover Upon FF Arrival
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Jan and Suzy Jenkins arrived at Feast Fest Sunday from their North Carolina home, but didn't let on any clues about a possible power transfer to be announced Thursday.
FF Wire Service
- Jan and Suzy Jenkins arrived at Feast Fest Sunday from their North Carolina home, but didn't let on any clues about a possible power transfer to be announced Thursday.
FF Wire Service
Choi Wins NCA's Most Fiery (With A Pan)
- Feast Fest's Lisa Choi won the NCA's Most Fiery (With A Pan) 2014 honor, it was revealed late Sunday.
Bigger news would be if Choi hadn't, as the chef with the seventh highest NCA rating out of Feast Fest's 71 has won the honor for the past seven years and for nine of the last ten. The last time a chef other than Choi won was in 2007, when her FF colleague Lynn Avi cradled the trophy.
Choi had a narrower path to victory this time, though, as she only beat out second-place chef Suzanne Fishel, formerly of Feast Fest (2002-2008), by 21 votes, her slimmest margin of victory for the award since 2006.
FF Wire Service
Bigger news would be if Choi hadn't, as the chef with the seventh highest NCA rating out of Feast Fest's 71 has won the honor for the past seven years and for nine of the last ten. The last time a chef other than Choi won was in 2007, when her FF colleague Lynn Avi cradled the trophy.
Choi had a narrower path to victory this time, though, as she only beat out second-place chef Suzanne Fishel, formerly of Feast Fest (2002-2008), by 21 votes, her slimmest margin of victory for the award since 2006.
FF Wire Service
Saturday, November 22, 2014
L.A. Wild's Jenkinses Rumored to Potentially Announce Handover During Feast Fest
- Marina del Rey, Calif.
- Word began circling around Feast Fest Saturday that L.A. Wild owners Jan and Suzy Jenkins may want out of the organization that has grown hundredfold in their 27 years at the helm, and which provides 95% of the locally grown produce used for Feast Fest.
The Jenkinses, expected to fly on Monday from their second home in Ingleside, N.C. to Los Angeles, were rumored to announce during Feast Fest on Thursday a handover of L.A. Wild, according to Alan Johns, a Feast Fest chef who knows the Jenkinses personally:
"Talked to @SuzyJenkinsLAW and @JanJenkins who want to appoint Evelith Thursday."
- Alan Johns (@feastfestalanj), 02:46 UTC 23 November 2014
"Evelith" refers to Mary Evelith, the current head of L.A. Wild's Los Angeles County operations and a chief higher-up. At a time when the Jenkinses, respectively 70 and 67 years old, were already considering stepping down and/or taking on a lesser role, Johns' tweet further fueled an already well-stoked fire.
Lana Loumee, a Feast Fest spokesperson, said, "if the Jenkinses do indeed have a plan to publicly announce a change of personnel during Feast Fest, we are not aware of it at this time."
Feast Fest Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister called Thanksgiving "the time to do it, if it's going to be done." McAllister added, "Doing it now will allow us to properly give a farewell to the Jenkinses, who have thrown their sweaters in the mud for this event countless times across twenty years, and it would also allow for the maximum amount of time to get the relationship between Feast Fest and the prospective new leader Evelith right before next Thanksgiving."
The Jenkinses themselves could not be reached for comment Saturday, and neither could Evelith.
FF Wire Service
Friday, November 21, 2014
McNeese Injury "Shouldn't Keep Him Out of FF"
-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Feast Fest held its collective breath Friday when youthful wunderkind Adam McNeese was diagnosed with a pulled hamstring after an incident on Thursday during a Core Skills Runthrough, but Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister, who has been monitoring McNeese's condition, calmed fears via social media late Friday:
"McNeese reporting pain is subsiding, was walking of own accord Friday night. Injury shouldn't keep him out of FF."
- Jim McAllister (@jumpinjimmyff) at 06:48 UTC November 22, 2014
McNeese joined Feast Fest in 2013.
Relief Chef Johan Mavliscev filled in for McNeese during Kitchen Equipment Runthroughs Friday afternoon. Mavliscev is Feast Fest's only relief chef, first hired in 2005 in case of injury or illness, but his services have never been required on Thanksgiving itself, only in a total of nine exhibitions across nine years.
-Feast Fest held its collective breath Friday when youthful wunderkind Adam McNeese was diagnosed with a pulled hamstring after an incident on Thursday during a Core Skills Runthrough, but Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister, who has been monitoring McNeese's condition, calmed fears via social media late Friday:
"McNeese reporting pain is subsiding, was walking of own accord Friday night. Injury shouldn't keep him out of FF."
- Jim McAllister (@jumpinjimmyff) at 06:48 UTC November 22, 2014
McNeese joined Feast Fest in 2013.
Relief Chef Johan Mavliscev filled in for McNeese during Kitchen Equipment Runthroughs Friday afternoon. Mavliscev is Feast Fest's only relief chef, first hired in 2005 in case of injury or illness, but his services have never been required on Thanksgiving itself, only in a total of nine exhibitions across nine years.
McNeese Has Pulled Hamstring
-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-The word is back on Adam McNeese, who tripped over the outstretched leg of Ronald Lays and took a painful looking tumble during a Core Skills Runthrough Thursday night, and it's not good, as reported by Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister:
"McNeese pulled his hamstring, doctors say. Status not known for Thursday. Will keep you updated."
- Jim McAllister (@jumpinjimmyff) 21:58 UTC 21 November 2014
FF Wire Service
Correction
A post regarding an injury to Adam McNeese mistakenly identified rookie first-year chef Ondrej Yiivititimaev as Konstaatyn Yiivitimaev.
FF Wire Service
FF Wire Service
McNeese Injured During Fast-Paced Core Skills Runthrough
-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Adam McNeese reportedly sought medical attention Thursday night after an evening core skills runthrough in which he took a hard tumble after he tripped over Ronald Lays.
31 Feast Fest chefs were going fast and furious on the floor at the Beachview during a vital practice one week before the Big Day Nov. 27. McNeese was part of practice group A, which was conducted its second Core Skills Runthrough of the ten-day preparation session Thursday night from 6 to 8 p.m.
McNeese and other chefs were preparing off-Feast Fest dishes in a practice intended to focus on speed and efficiency in getting meals out of the kitchen quickly, in an effort to stamp down on late endings in recent years, when he tripped over the outstretched ankle of the 49-year-old Lays and tumbled into the wall. The accident happened about fifteen minutes before the end of the runthrough, and he complained of ankle pain and looked considerably slower afterward as he did complete the practice.
"Adam went to the Hotel Doctor tonight and we are awaiting word on whether he was injured in any significant fashion," tweeted Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister around Midnight Thursday into Friday.
McNeese (6/25/86) is in his second year with Feast Fest following a previous tenure with its main rival, the New York City Thanksgiving Feast (NYCTC). He recorded 37 NCA points at Feast Fest 2013.
Lays could not be reached for comment on the tumble.
"They just ran right smack into each other rushing around," said Chef Patrick Kermell, who observed the incident. "This is why we're having this special runthrough to focus on speed, so that this stuff won't happen on the floor on Thanksgiving when it counts, because it has before."
Practice Group A will be back in action with a Kitchen Equipment Runthrough Friday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., an activity that will not require much in the way of moving around. They will return to Feast Fest foods with a Core Skills Runthrough Saturday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Notable chefs in Practice Group A include McAllister, Kermell, Lays, McNeese, Daniel Mettling, Jan Stephan, Lynn Avi, Jawrodly Jurrjens, and Ursula Elfman.
Practice Group B will hold a fast paced off-Feast Fest foods Core Skills Runthrough Friday afternoon from Noon to 2 p.m., and will return to Thanksgiving care with a Sunday Core Skills Runthrough from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., taking Saturday off. Practice Group B consists of, among many others, the Mason Duo, Andruw Stephan, Joe Pasik, Jarolde James, Eric NacGnissecorp, Aleck Monde, Jon Chu, and Konstaatyn Yiivititimaev.
Practice Group A will have Sunday off.
FF Wire Service
-Adam McNeese reportedly sought medical attention Thursday night after an evening core skills runthrough in which he took a hard tumble after he tripped over Ronald Lays.
31 Feast Fest chefs were going fast and furious on the floor at the Beachview during a vital practice one week before the Big Day Nov. 27. McNeese was part of practice group A, which was conducted its second Core Skills Runthrough of the ten-day preparation session Thursday night from 6 to 8 p.m.
McNeese and other chefs were preparing off-Feast Fest dishes in a practice intended to focus on speed and efficiency in getting meals out of the kitchen quickly, in an effort to stamp down on late endings in recent years, when he tripped over the outstretched ankle of the 49-year-old Lays and tumbled into the wall. The accident happened about fifteen minutes before the end of the runthrough, and he complained of ankle pain and looked considerably slower afterward as he did complete the practice.
"Adam went to the Hotel Doctor tonight and we are awaiting word on whether he was injured in any significant fashion," tweeted Co-Head Chef Jim McAllister around Midnight Thursday into Friday.
McNeese (6/25/86) is in his second year with Feast Fest following a previous tenure with its main rival, the New York City Thanksgiving Feast (NYCTC). He recorded 37 NCA points at Feast Fest 2013.
Lays could not be reached for comment on the tumble.
"They just ran right smack into each other rushing around," said Chef Patrick Kermell, who observed the incident. "This is why we're having this special runthrough to focus on speed, so that this stuff won't happen on the floor on Thanksgiving when it counts, because it has before."
Practice Group A will be back in action with a Kitchen Equipment Runthrough Friday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., an activity that will not require much in the way of moving around. They will return to Feast Fest foods with a Core Skills Runthrough Saturday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Notable chefs in Practice Group A include McAllister, Kermell, Lays, McNeese, Daniel Mettling, Jan Stephan, Lynn Avi, Jawrodly Jurrjens, and Ursula Elfman.
Practice Group B will hold a fast paced off-Feast Fest foods Core Skills Runthrough Friday afternoon from Noon to 2 p.m., and will return to Thanksgiving care with a Sunday Core Skills Runthrough from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., taking Saturday off. Practice Group B consists of, among many others, the Mason Duo, Andruw Stephan, Joe Pasik, Jarolde James, Eric NacGnissecorp, Aleck Monde, Jon Chu, and Konstaatyn Yiivititimaev.
Practice Group A will have Sunday off.
FF Wire Service