Osborn Hill School Chef to Participate in 'Iron Chef' Contest

[Editor's Note: This announcement was originally published on Oct. 19.]

Fairfield’s Osborn Hill School’s Chef to Participate in Iron Chef Contest                                                        

In recognition of “Food Day”, Chef Wayne Uccellini will compete against local chefs with students serving as judges.

(Fairfield, CT) Chef Wayne Uccellini, the head chef at Fairfield’s Osborn Hill School, is participating in an “Iron Chef” competition sponsored by Fairfield’s Whole Foods store and Fairfield Fuel for Learning Partnership. In recognition of Food Day, the event will be held on Monday, October 24th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Warde High School in Fairfield.

Chef Uccellini will be facing off against Chefs Michelle Ryan of Whole Foods and Shawn Russell of Cinch gourmet meal market who will be competing to see which one of their recipes will end up on the Fairfield Public Schools' December menu. In celebration of Food Day (www.foodday.org) the recipes will be vegetarian and seasonal. The winning recipe will be chosen by Fairfield Public School students and parents are encouraged to take them over to Warde High School to try all three recipes and choose their favorite.

Prior to working as Head Chef for Osborn Hill School in 2003, Uccellini worked for thirty years at his family’s restaurant, Allen’s Clam and Lobster House in Westport. While preparing seafood has always been Uccellini’s favorite culinary interest, he has never limited himself to one side of the food experience. Working at Osborn Hill School, where he serves meals to over 500 students each day, has allowed Chef Uccellini to develop many new, healthy recipes and he loves the fact that the students are always willing to try new food items.

Uccellini and his wife Karen have two daughters, Jennifer and Tollie, who live in Fairfield with five grandchildren. Three of Uccellini’s grandchildren attend Fairfield public schools. Uccellini is grateful to his wife for the support she gave him as the demands of the restaurant business often kept him away from their family. 

“This Iron Chef contest offers a terrific experience not only to the participants but to the town in general because of the desire to improve our children’s food experience,” Uccellini said. “It affords me the opportunity to create a new healthy recipe and use my culinary skills in a unique cook off.”

Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life—parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes—to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.

Who: Chef Wayne Uccellini, Fairfield’s Osborn Hill School, Chef Michelle Ryan, Whole Foods, Chef Shawn Russell, Cinch gourmet meal market and Fairfield Public School Students

What:   Fairfield Iron Chef Competition, sponsored by Whole Foods and Fairfield Fuel for Learning Partnership

Where:  Warde High School, 755 Melville Avenue, Fairfield.

When:   Monday, October 24, 2011, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.