Dozens of wild Alaskan salmon fans descended on Anchorage Saturday to help Copper River Seafoods celebrate the start of Copper River’s commercial salmon season, complete with a chef competition, music and plenty of fresh sockeye delights to sample.
After many enthusiastic nods, event attendees awarded the People’s Choice Award for Best Chef to Executive Chef Greg Hough of the Petroleum Club of Alaska based on creativity, taste and presentation. Their winning entree was Copper River Asian cured wild sockeye salmon and a salmon tartare with pickled ginger vinaigrette with radish and coleslaw.
The offerings in a clear plastic spoon accentuated the flavor of fresh wild sockeye salmon, which Hough said was exactly what he set out to do. His prize included a plaque and a 50-pound wild Copper River king salmon.
Chef Theresa Groeneweg of Great Land Events created the Blackened Sockeye Salmon Sliders, which featured sockeye salmon rubbed with a house blackened seasoning on a house roll with slaw and aioli with pickles or olives. Chef Troy Tupper of Sullivan’s Steak House offered Korean salmon bites, a creation made of gochujang-glazed salmon with pickled red onion with cucumber, wasabi crème fraiche, sesame and chives.
Two chefs from the Bridge Seafood restaurant also competed. Chef Patrick Hoogerhyde grilled wild Copper River sockeye salmon with grilled street corn relish. His entree included sockeye salmon with cilantro, citrus vinaigrette, cojita cheese, and grilled street corn.
Bridge Chef Lexa Joy Gokey prepared a simple Grilled Copper River Wild Sockeye Salmon with Matanuska Potato Salad. Toppings included Alaskan red potatoes, fresh arugula, pickled red onions, fresh green beans, lemon, and stone-ground mustard vinaigrette.
The annual celebration hosted by Copper River Seafoods also featured music, drinks and door prizes, including a 50-pound Copper River King Salmon, Alaska Airlines tickets and gift certificates to the Petroleum Club and Sullivan’s Steak House.
