Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series Announces 2015 Schedule for North Carolina Regional Tournaments

    RALEIGH, NC, November 27, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series, a tournament highlighting the best of the state's food, agriculture and culinary talent, is blazing into 2015 with regional chef competitions heating up starting in January. The single-elimination culinary tournament will kick off the New Year with the Triangle series, followed by the City battles in Charlotte and then the Triad series, which will be hosted in Winston-Salem for the first time. Tickets to the interactive dinner events will go on sale in late November at http://www.competitiondining.com - just in time for holiday gift giving.

Applications for chefs interested in competing are currently being accepted for all regions. Chefs throughout the state can apply for any of the three series, regardless of restaurant location.

Each Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series regional tournament includes 15 interactive dinner experiences in which two chefs each prepare three courses centered on a secret or featured ingredient that comes from a North Carolina farmer or artisan producer. Featured ingredients are revealed to the chefs the morning of the dinner battle and must be used in every course.

"We're thrilled to continue showcasing the extraordinary culinary talent and agriculture in North Carolina with the 2015 Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series," said Jimmy Crippen, Competition Dining Series founder and host. "The support we've received from regional communities has always been outstanding and we look forward to bringing some exciting new things to the table for our guests next year. Because we are all chefs, farmers or diners, our mission is to connect and celebrate with foodies across the state through this dynamic, entertaining culinary experience."

The 2015 North Carolina schedule includes:

Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series - Triangle
• Preliminary battles: Jan. 19 to Feb. 3
• Quarterfinal battles: Feb. 9 to 17
• Semifinal battles: Feb. 23 to 24
• Final battle: March 2

Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series - City
• Preliminary battles: March 23 to April 14
• Quarterfinal battles: April 20 to 28
• Semifinal battles: May 4 to 5
• Final battle: May 11
Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series - Triad
• Preliminary battles: May 26 to June 10
• Quarterfinal battles: June 15 to 23
• Semifinal battles: June 29 to 30
• Final battle: July 7

At the dinner events, ticketed guests get in on the action, savoring the combined six courses without knowing which chef prepared which plate. Alongside culinary and guest judges, diners rate each dish using an interactive app, ultimately determining who moves on to the next round and who goes home.

At stake in each regional series is a grand prize of $2,000, a handmade chef knife by Ironman Forge and the coveted "Red Chef Jacket" provided by ALSCO. Additionally, all regional winners move on to compete in the battle of champions at the end of the year.

Tickets to attend a preliminary and quarterfinal battle dinner in any region start at $59 excluding beverage, tax and tip. Community members are encouraged to attend as many dinners as they like. Reservations open later this month at http://www.competitiondining.com.

About The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series
The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series is sponsored by the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Pate Dawson-Southern Foods, Certified Angus Beef , Pepsi Bottling Ventures, the NC Wine & Grape Council, Hits Technology and local partners in each region of the state. The goal of the series is to celebrate local North Carolina products and agriculture, and to showcase the culinary ingenuity and talent across the state. For more information, visit http://www.competitiondining.com or get in on the conversation at http://www.facebook.com/competitiondining and @CompDiningNC on Twitter or Instagram.

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