---
title: 2019 Chef Invitational | California Giant Berry Farms
---

![California Giant Berry Farms and 2019 Chef Invitational logos](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2019-chef-invitational/logo-cg-and-chef-invitational-2019.png?width=318&height=451&name=logo-cg-and-chef-invitational-2019.png)

# June 23-25, 2019 | Tehama Golf Club, Monterey, CA

We invite our foodservice partners to submit entries from their chefs to showcase their skills and ingenuity in the 2019 California Giant Chef Invitational.

## Congratulations to the winners of the California Giant Chef Invitational! Thank you for making this event a success!

## 2019 Chef Invitational Top Chef

## Travis Peters

[![Sweet Tea Quail](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sweet%20Tea%20Quail.png?width=600&height=600&name=Sweet%20Tea%20Quail.png)](https://www.calgiant.com/recipes/blueberry-sweet-tea-quail)

[Blueberry Sweet Tea Quail in Raspberry Barbecue Sauce](https://www.calgiant.com/recipes/blueberry-sweet-tea-quail)

## 2019 Chef Invitational People's Choice Winner

## Jonathon Merrick

[![Gluten-Free Mochi Korean Street-Style Donuts](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(10)-2.png?width=600&height=600&name=Untitled%20design%20(10)-2.png)](https://www.calgiant.com/recipes/gluten-free-korean-donuts)

[Gluten-Free Mochi Korean Street-Style Donuts](https://www.calgiant.com/recipes/gluten-free-korean-donuts)

![Adrian-Day-Murchison](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Adrian-Day-Murchison.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Adrian-Day-Murchison.jpg)

## Adrian Day-Murchison

“I’ve always had an appreciation for our ingredients as every chef does, but with the tours, meeting the farmers, seeing the production first hand and the care that is put into the product, my mind was blown. California Giant Berry Farms truly loves what they do and it reflects in everything.”

# 2019 Chef Invitational Finalists

## Meet the finalists and their foodservice distributor representatives, and discover their signature berry recipe

---

![Israel-Ortiz](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Israel-Ortiz.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Israel-Ortiz.jpg)

## Israel Ortiz

Recipe:  
 Berry Bomb Fish Taco 

![fresh-concepts-logo](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/fresh-concepts-logo.png?width=250&height=81&name=fresh-concepts-logo.png)

![Adrian-Day-Murchison](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Adrian-Day-Murchison.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Adrian-Day-Murchison.jpg)

## Adrian Day-Murchison

Recipe:  
 Blackberry Harissa Pork Tenderloin w/ Roasted Strawberry Beet Salad 

![RFG-logo-2](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RFG-logo-2.png?width=150&height=102&name=RFG-logo-2.png)

![Travis-Peters](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Travis-Peters.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Travis-Peters.jpg)

## Travis Peters

Recipe:  
 Blueberry Sweet Tea Quail in Raspberry BBQ Sauce over Black & Blue Brussels with Toasted Pecans & Strawberry Oils 

![markon-logo](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/markon-logo.png?width=100&height=115&name=markon-logo.png)

![Patty-Long](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Patty-Long.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Patty-Long.jpg)

## Patty Long

Recipe:  
 Blueberry Mole Chicken with Berry Habanero Salsa and Masa Corn Cake 

![RFG-logo-2](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RFG-logo-2.png?width=150&height=102&name=RFG-logo-2.png)

![Christian-Kearns](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Christian-Kearns.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Christian-Kearns.jpg)

## Christian Kearns

Recipe:  
 Berry Halibut 

![Sysco-Logo](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sysco-Logo.png?width=150&height=57&name=Sysco-Logo.png)

![Jonathon-Merrick](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Jonathon-Merrick.jpg?width=500&height=500&name=Jonathon-Merrick.jpg)

## Jonathon Merrick

Recipe:  
 Blackberry-Blueberry Filled Korean Street Style Mochi Donut 

![markon-logo](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/markon-logo.png?width=100&height=115&name=markon-logo.png)

# Highlights from the 2018 Chef Invitational

The selected chefs traveled to the Tehama Golf Club in Monterey, California for a Chef Showdown, where they served a signature berry recipe in the first culinary cookoff of its kind.

Guests in Tehama were delighted by bite-sized samples from the chefs, and Chef Shane Henderson's Strawberry Jalapeno Pancakes with Mixed Berry Syrup and Duck Wings were selected by the crowd as People's Choice. Our panel of judges selected Chef Luis Reyes and his Berry, Tomato, and Beet Salad as the first Top Chef winner of the annual Chef Invitational.

![Monterey Bay](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images-cg/ci-pic-monterey.jpg?width=427&height=314&name=ci-pic-monterey.jpg)

## Good Luck to Our Competitors

For more information, please reach out to: Tom Smith, Director of Foodservice [tsmith@calgiant.com](mailto:tsmith@calgiant.com)

## Thank you to our local sponsors for providing product to be enjoyed by attendees to make this event a true, memorable culinary experience.

[![logo-odonata](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images-cg/logo-odonata.png?width=196&height=105&name=logo-odonata.png)](http://www.odonatawines.com/)

[![logo-alfaro-family-vineyards](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images-cg/logo-alfaro-family-vineyards.png?width=131&height=141&name=logo-alfaro-family-vineyards.png)](http://alfarowine.com/)

[![santa-cruz-mountain-brewing-logo](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/santa-cruz-mountain-brewing-logo.png?width=197&height=189&name=santa-cruz-mountain-brewing-logo.png)](http://www.scmbrew.com/)

[![Lulas Chocolate_Brown](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Lulas%20Chocolate_Brown.jpg?width=1384&height=768&name=Lulas%20Chocolate_Brown.jpg)](http://lulas.com/)

[![300x190_baconlogofFINAL-232x162](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/300x190_baconlogofFINAL-232x162.png?width=232&height=162&name=300x190_baconlogofFINAL-232x162.png)](https://bakersbacon.com/)

[![logo-b-and-r-farms](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images-cg/logo-b-and-r-farms.png?width=120&height=120&name=logo-b-and-r-farms.png)](https://www.brfarms.com/)

[![Marich_Logo-Flyion](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Marich_Logo-Flyion.png?width=1685&height=881&name=Marich_Logo-Flyion.png)](https://marich.com/)

[![Sumanos-new-logo-1](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sumanos-new-logo-1.png?width=320&height=399&name=Sumanos-new-logo-1.png)](https://sumanosbakery.com/)

![Logo_Foustmans_Salami](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_Foustmans_Salami.jpg?width=2784&height=1324&name=Logo_Foustmans_Salami.jpg)

![logo2](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo2.png?width=280&height=156&name=logo2.png)

[![Cal Giant Logo](https://promos.calgiant.com/hs-fs/hubfs/berry-winter-games/calgiant_logo_white.png?width=300&height=113&name=calgiant_logo_white.png)](https://www.calgiant.com)

<https://www.instagram.com/calgiantberries/> <https://www.pinterest.com/californiagiant/> <https://www.youtube.com/user/CalGiantBerryFarms> <https://twitter.com/calgiantberries> <https://www.facebook.com/calgiantberries/>

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