Third Annual Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge Turns up the Heat with Celebrity Chefs Emeril Lagasse and Michael Mina during Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit

Scholarship Funds Totaling $25,000 Awarded to Le Cordon Bleu Students, Courtesy of Chase Sapphire Preferred, to Further their Culinary Education

Culinary students Elsa Sabellano Jenstad, left, and Krista Burdick, pose with chefs Emeril Lagasse, left, and Michael Mina at the Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge during Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit on Saturday, April 25, 2015 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision for Chase Sapphire Preferred/AP Images)

LAS VEGAS--()--Chase Sapphire Preferred®, a premier travel and dining rewards card from Chase, in partnership with Bon Appétit hosted the third annual Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge, Saturday, April 25, during the ninth annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit. Celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, Emeril Lagasse, chef / proprietor of Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico Steakhouse and more, and Michael Mina, James Beard Award-winning chef and Founder of MINA Group, faced off in the ultimate live grilling challenge. The acclaimed chefs partnered with two students from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, Elsa Sabellano Jenstad and Krista Burdick, during Emeril’s New Orleans Seafood Extravaganza at the MGM Grand.

With the chefs cooking alongside the lucky students, the teams prepared Bouillabaisse, a traditional French dish. Emcee Andrew Knowlton, Restaurant and Drinks Editor at Bon Appétit, turned up the heat when he announced black garlic as the “culinary curveball.” Impressing the judging panel, Chef Mina and Krista Burdick took a classic approach preparing Bouillabaisse with seared scallops and snapper. While Chef Lagasse and Elsa Sabellano Jenstad served the dish with lemongrass for a Filipino flare.

“The Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge is an exciting event for Vegas Uncork’d and the local culinary community,” said Chef Emeril Lagasse. “It is a great opportunity to work alongside the future of the culinary world with the students from Le Cordon Bleu.”

“I am thrilled to be part of this culinary challenge with my fellow chefs,” said Chef Michael Mina. “The Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge is a fun and unique way to further the education of talented culinary students in Las Vegas.”

The sizzling competition came down to the palettes of three judges, including:

  • Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief, Bon Appétit
  • Alison Roman, senior food editor, Bon Appétit
  • Rochelle Billow, associate web editor, Bon Appétit

After much deliberation, the panel named team Emeril the winning team of the Grill Challenge. Elsa Sabellano Jenstad received a $20,000 scholarship and runner-up, Krista Burdick, was awarded $5,000 to fund their culinary educations, courtesy of Chase Sapphire Preferred.

“It’s exciting to be a part of an event like this, which matches up-and-coming talent with seasoned celebrity chefs,” said Lisa Walker, General Manager at Chase Sapphire. “Chase Sapphire Preferred is proud to provide scholarship funds to further these students’ culinary educations, and delighted to work with chefs Emeril Lagasse and Michael Mina to deliver such a unique experience - fueled by rich, culinary passion.”

The ninth annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit and Las Vegas, in partnership with ARIA, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand and Chase Sapphire Preferred ran April 23-26. The food festival features top chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Julian Serrano, Emeril Lagasse, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and more.

As a presenting sponsor of Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit, Chase Sapphire Preferred offered cardmembers the ability to redeem Ultimate Rewards points or purchase tickets to select Vegas Uncork’d events – and enjoy exclusive perks, such as VIP lounge at the Grand Tasting featuring bites from Emeril Lagasse and a special Master Series Dinner demonstration from chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.

About Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Preferred is a premier rewards credit card for people who are passionate about travel and dining. With Sapphire Preferred you enjoy premium travel rewards and benefits with no travel restrictions or blackout dates on airfare booked through Ultimate Rewards; double points for every dollar spent on dining and travel; the Chip and Signature for international travel; no foreign transaction fees; 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs; 24/7 live customer service; access to exclusive card member experiences; and more. More information is available at www.Chase.com/Sapphire.

About Chase

Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.5 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves nearly half of America’s households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, small business lending, mortgages, credit cards, auto financing and investment advice. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: 5,600 branches, 20,000 ATMs, online, mobile and by phone. For more information, go to www.chase.com.

About Bon Appétit

Bon Appétit is where food and culture meet. The award-winning No. 1 food lifestyle brand covers food through the lens of cooking, fashion, travel, design, and home. Under editor in chief Adam Rapoport, the brand has been nominated for 18 National Magazine Awards, including wins in 2014 for General Excellence and Photography; 12 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards; and more than 50 Society of Publication Designers (SPD) nominations including design, photography, and Magazine of the Year. Under Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Pamela Drucker Mann, the magazine was named the Advertising Age A-List Magazine of the Year in 2013 and “One to Watch” in 2014, and has been Adweek’s Food Magazine of the Year in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

About Le Cordon Bleu

Le Cordon Bleu is a leading provider of quality culinary arts education worldwide. The network of 16 schools in the United States offers culinary and baking students a hands-on training alongside faculty dedicated to providing students with the necessary skills, knowledge, support and guidance to pursue career opportunities in the culinary and hospitality industry. Find disclosures on employment rates, student financial obligations and more disclosures at www.chefs.com.disclosure. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Le Cordon Bleu is a member of the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) network of universities, colleges and schools. For more information about Le Cordon Bleu, visit www.Chefs.edu. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation.

Contacts

Chase Card Services
Erin Smolenski, 302-282-8460
erin.smolenski@chase.com

Contacts

Chase Card Services
Erin Smolenski, 302-282-8460
erin.smolenski@chase.com