California Strawberry Festival hosts annual “Berry Blast-Off” recipe contest

The California Strawberry Festival hosted its annual “Berry Blast-Off” recipe contest on Tuesday.

Five chefs were chosen out of a field of about 45 recipe entries.

They had one hour to make their non-baked dishes in the kitchen of the Courtyard by Marriott in Oxnard.

Judges chose two finalists who will compete for top honors on Saturday, May 19, on the first day of the weekend festival at Strawberry Meadows of College Park in Oxnard.

The Finalists include Jake Hagen, who was a runner-up last year, and first-timer Lizet Melgoza.

Hagen, 22, is set to graduate from Cal State University Northridge the day after the festival.

He prepared coconut shrimp served with a strawberry chipotle dipping sauce and coconut rice.

Lizet Melgoza of Oxnard created “strawberrylicious” BBQ wings that she called “Wangs.”

Hagen and Melgoza’s creations went up against: BLT wraps with strawberry tamarind chutney made by Deepti Gupta, Pan seared salmon with strawberry salsa made by Kimberly Hardy and Strawberry French toast sandwiches with ancho chile peppers and strawberry glazed bacon made by Brenda Wong from Los Angeles.

Judges included Chuy Renteria and Mike Lodi, chefs at the Courtyard by Marriott in Oxnard, Lisa McKinnon, food columnist at the Ventura County Star, Tracy Lehr with KEYT-TV and Sharon Giles, California Strawberry Festival board member.

They said its a “blast” tasting all the original recipes.

The winner of the contest will receive a Welk Resorts vacation getaway and Cutco chef knives.

The California Strawberry Festival is celebrating its 35 th Anniversary.

For more information visit, CAStrawberryFestival.org