Alla Spina to host a ‘culinary cage match’

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, Italian restaurant Alla Spina will host a unique four-course dinner that is also a cooking competition.

Amis executive chef, Brad Spence and Osteria head chef, Jeff Michaud, will compete against each other using  a list of “secret” ingredients to prepare a decadent feast for guests.

While we couldn’t get any info on the menus being prepared, Michaud gave us the following clues as to what he’s cooking with in terms of ingredients.

“The menu is top secret – can’t give my opponent a leg up! As for the secret ingredients – this battle is all about ‘sugar & spice’ with the secret ingredients being blood orange, maple syrup, honey and cinnamon,” he says. 

Tickets are $85/person plus tax and tip, which includes a beverage pairing.

The ‘culinary cage match’ is not the first between Spence and Michaud. Both competed before when Spence was victorious following his dessert course. Will Michaud win this time? It’s up to the people eating as their votes crown the winner.

What’s even more interesting is that both chefs have been in the food scene for over 10 years and both enjoy competitive fighting in their downtime: Spence boxes and Michaud does Jiu Jitsu.

Michaud notes that cooking and Jiu Jitsu have one striking similarity when it comes to technique.

“You stay simple with the technique and the result is perfection,” he reveals. 

If you’d like to attend the event, you can book your reservation here.

For more information, visit: allaspinaphilly.com.