Collingswood Businesses Named Finalists For State Culinary Awards

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — Four Collingswood businesses have been named finalists for 2018 Garden State Culinary Arts Awards.

Hearthside has been named a finalist for the Best New Restaurant Award. The eatery owned, by Chef Dominic Piperno and Lindsey Piperno, is up against Princeton-based Cargot Brasserie and Marcel Bakery & Kitchen, out of Upper Montclair.

The award goes to a restaurant opened in the previous calendar year (2017) in New Jersey that displays excellence in food and service, already has established a distinctive voice and promises to set high standards for years to come.

Zeppoli has been named a finalist for the Best Restaurant Award, along with Elements out of Princeton and The Red Store, of Cape May Point. Zeppoli is owned by Chef Joey Baldino.

This award goes to a restaurant that has been in existence in New Jersey for at least five years that displays overall excellence and consistency of quality in food, atmosphere and service and has set high standards in the industry.

Shigeru Fukuyoshi, a chef at Sagami, is up for the Outstanding Chef Award. Fukuyoshi is up against Ariane Duarte, of Ariane Kitchen + Bar in Verona, and Dan Richer, of Razza Pizza Artigianale in Jersey City.

This award goes to a chef in a professional capacity in New Jersey for at least five consecutive years whose accomplishments have served to inspire, educate and set standards in both the state and the industry.

Valentina Fortuna, of Constellation Collective, is a finalist for the Rising Star Chef Award. Fortuna is up against Robbie Felice, of Viaggio in Wayne, and Martyna Krowicka, of Restaurant Latour, in Hamburg.

This award goes to a chef who is 30 years old or younger as of the previous calendar year whose accomplishments and talent already have served to inspire and impress and promise to set standards for years to come. They must have worked in a professional capacity as a chef for a minimum of three years, including the two most recent years in New Jersey.

The top three vote-getters in each category were named finalists. Following a second round of voting, the winners will be selected and announced during a ceremony and reception by The Garden State Culinary Arts Foundation on Sunday, April 29 at Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Road in Holmdel, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Winners will be announced at 6 p.m.

A gala reception, with dishes that focus on New Jersey ingredients, will follow from 7:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. under the direction of 2017 Outstanding Chef winner Drew Araneo, of Drew's Bayshore Bistro in Keyport, and 2017 Rising Star honoree AJ Capella, formerly of the Ryland Inn, Whitehouse Station.

Students from New Jersey culinary schools will assist the chefs and their culinary captains with prep work, cooking, plating and serving the dishes.

A limited number of tickets to the ceremony and reception are on sale at Brown Paper Tickets. If purchased by Friday, April 20, tickets are $75 per person; if any tickets remain available after that date, they will be sold for $100 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.comcom/event/3395757.

Image via Shutterstock