Food Fight

On October 6th, AT&T field will become a battleground. Business owners, bankers, restaurateurs and other professionals will hit the turf for the first ever Savor, The Scenic City's Cook-Off, hosted by the Junior League of Chattanooga.

Matt Lewis' team composed of staff from Terminal Brewhouse, The Honest Pint and Hair of the Dog includes John Payton, Charlie Akin, Mike Pettengill and Erica Faubert.

These ladle-wielding contenders will be vying for the coveted title of "Best Stew in Town," chopping, dicing and simmering their way to glory with nothing more than a 10x10 tent to protect them from the elements. Competition will be fierce, and there's no room for error. A dash too much of this or a pinch too much of that and they'll be left stewing in the juices of defeat.

A secret panel of judges will sip the soups, chili and other broth-based delicacies to determine the winner, but the crowd's voice will also be heard with a People's Choice award. A $10 entry fee will grant you access to this stew scrimmage, allowing all the spoonfuls of stew and chili your belly can handle as well as live musical entertainment.

We caught up with three competitors to find out what makes them bubble and how they plan to win the "Battle of the Best Stew."

MATT LEWIS

Restaurateur

Organizer for teams from his three restaurants Hair of the Dog, Terminal Brewhouse and The Honest Pint

Recipe for Success: Matt Lewis plans to follow the same recipe that made him successful in his many restaurant ventures: hearty food and beer. Barley and hops will be key ingredients in all three recipes including Guinness Chili from The Honest Pint, chicken chili from Terminal and a chorizo-based chili from Hair of the Dog.

The Secret Ingredient: Ironically none of Lewis' restaurants offer chili on their menus, but he says that actually bodes well for them. "Oddly enough that's normally when we win," he says. "The staff gets really excited about creating something new and that's sure to make it special."

Why they'll win: Professional kitchen experience will no doubt prove useful in this pressure-cooker competition. "I feel like this is right up our alley since we do well with hearty food," says Lewis. "This is our kind of event."

VANESSA MCNEIL GUIN

Director of Marketing, SunTrust Banks, Inc.

Team member of the SunTrust Stew-per Stars

Recipe for Success: SunTrust's soup du jour remains top secret but Guin did reveal it comes from her grandmother's recipe, perfected over four generations.

The Secret Ingredient: Guin admits her team of bankers may be better at crunching numbers than dicing onions, but they've got a secret weapon stashed up the sleeve of their matching T-shirts: Guin's husband, Sam. He learned to cook at a young age and as a firefighter is always simmering something at the Signal Mountain firehouse.

Why they will win: As a JLC member Guin has served on the Savor committee, allowing her months of preparation. However, she didn't need it. "When I found out SunTrust would have a team I immediately knew which recipe to make," she says. "With so many years to perfect it, there's no way it can't win."

DONALD MCKENNA

Sales representative for Hullco Exteriors

Captain for Team Hullco

Recipe for Success: Still in the testing phases of recipe development, McKenna says he's leaning toward a Brunswick Stew, chosen for its complex flavor profile and open-ended ingredient list.

The Secret Ingredient: This won't be McKenna's first JLC cooking competition. As husband to JLC past president, Missy, he participated in the first iteration of this contest called Stews and Brews, meaning he's had years to perfect his strategy.

Why they'll win: As a self-taught chef with a distaste for recipes, McKenna prefers cooking by flavor, leaving room for unexpected twists. His ability to think, and taste, on his feet will be crucial on the big day.