The winning recipe: FIU takes top prize at AIWF’s 7th Annual BBQ Cook-off

Michael Moran ’86, MS ’03 is no stranger to finding success in the kitchen, be it through his work at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management or out on the beach at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Moran and his students recently added another feather to the school’s proud cap when they competed in the seventh annual American Institute of Wine and Food BBQ Cook-off held at Flamingo Gardens in Davie.

Back row: Daniel Richeal, AIFW co-chair; Max Albano; Team FIU leader Christian Poole; Andrew Kutz; and and Billy Schall, AIWF board member and event chair (far right). Front row: Laura Mannon; Chef Moran; Catherine Pugh; Elie Fornier; and Barchi.

Rodney Barchi ’04 was among the seven Panthers in Team FIU, which entered and won the competition for the third year in a row.

(As well known as FIU has become for its students and alumni’s cooking skills, the School of Hospitality does not boast a culinary program. Yet.)

“I actually joined the team just a few days before the competition,” Barchi said. “I was walking by the kitchen at school and they asked me to make a dessert – a pumpkin pie.

“This being a competition I thought we should do something more special, so I did a spiced pumpkin crème brulée.”

Barchi said his decision was one his teammates embraced. (Team FIU’s menu consisted of a “lil heat & lil sweet” in the form of cranberry barbecue sauce or roasted chili caramelized apple barbecue sauce, a fall slaw and a beef brisket that cooked for 10 hours and was then smoked on site.)

“We all worked together very well,” he said. “We trusted each other.”

His sweet touch helped Team FIU earn top marks by the competition’s judges, who thought the Panthers’ menu was best overall – from among five top South Florida culinary schools – in creativity, taste and look.

All participants walked away winners (the AIWF awarded each school scholarship dollars), but in the end it was FIU who walked away with the barbecue cook-off’s coveted Cow Trophy. Check out some event photos here.

“Every year that FIU has entered the competition we’ve brought something else to the table,” Barchi said. “The first year, they brought a smoker. Last year, they added dessert. This year, we had a homemade stout.

“We’re always one step ahead of everyone else.”