Local chef places in regional competition

Joshua Simpson

Chef Joshua Simpson recently placed first runner-up in the in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Jeunes Commis Rôtisseur Competition held in Ashville, N.C. Simpson is the executive chef for the Hilton Garden Inn and the BancorpSouth Conference Center.

Each competitor is given an identical mystery “market basket” containing a few key ingredients, and must design and prepare a three-course meal to serve four people using those ingredients — all in four hours time. One of the dishes Simpson prepared from his basket was a crisp sunburst trout over butternut squash raviolis.