SAN DIEGO, Calif.— The social hall of Ohr Shalom Synagogue has hosted innumerable events since its first incarnation in the 1920s  as the Temple Center of Congregation Beth Israel.  But I'll bet none smelled nor tasted as good as the one I attended the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 14.  It was a "kosher cook off" sponsored by the local trans-border chapter of the Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO).  

As the ladies prepared dishes that immediately activated my salivary glands, they laughingly gave their kosher dairy competition such other names as "The Iron Chef Competition" after the grueling competition of well-known chefs televised from Japan, and the "Yente Chef Competition" which I assumed was an example of  self-deprecatory humor. Barbara Kucinski and Linda Waisbord as co-emees kept the event moving along at a quick pace.

Three separate cook stations, spread across the full width of the social hall in front of the stage, were the scenes of frenetic action.  

Each team of chefs wore different color chef outfits.  Becky Krinsky, captain of The Black Team, located at the north side of the hall, was working on the salmon kebobs to place on skewers.  I stopped to kibbitz and she enthused about her team members and how well they all worked  together. We  also shared some cooking tips about good marinades for salmon.  

The Red Team was in the center with the captain being Silvia Galicot  president of one of four groups of women comprising this WIZO chapter.  The Green Team was located at the far south end of the hall next to the kitchen. Their captain was Emma Romano.  

All three teams were given the same set of ingredients, attractively laid out on round tables next to their workstations. These tables and work areas were organized in a very efficient manner.  Proper kitchen decorum was practiced at all times and as the busy chefs ran back and forth between the preparation area and the kitchen,  I think I finally understood the Spanish term for behind you.  At least I was not aware of any accidents.  Such scenes of organized confusion  I have witnessed many times (albeit in English) and have come to view such movements as the "kitchen ballet."  Here, in fact, the  players, at times, worked on point (a ballet term, which means on their toes) to get through the crowded work areas.  That Tuesday, I decided the event should be known as the “Ballet de Cocina” by WIZO.  .

No recipes or recipe cookbooks were allowed in the hall. On the day of the competition, the names of three "secret" ingredients were given: Butter, Walnuts and Cran-raisins. The teams were required to integrate all three ingredients into at least three of their dishes.

Judging was in the categories of  flavor, presentation and originality.  They had to prepare a main entrée, a vegetable side dish,  a second side dish of their choosing, as well as a dessert. A fourth category, how well they all worked together, was observed by the judges, who sat on the stage four feet above the action. Some of the dishes created that day were salmon ceviche, salmon and vegetables on skewers with a special sauce, green beans rolled in phyla dough, vegetables and rice tossed with fruit and nuts, green rice and mushrooms in a tangy chipotle sauce.

I was impressed by the caliber of the ten judges.  They were all highly regarded members of WIZO.  In addition, some had been trained in the more prestigious culinary institutes and schools. Rosy Galek graduated, with honors, from the National Culinary & Baking School.  She is now chef at the Americana restaurant in Del Mar, and will soon be opening her own restaurant.  

.Max Slomianski graduated from the world renown Le Cordon Bleu in Paris..  He created his own brand of kosher salsas called “Max Black Gold” and also served as the official chef for the past president of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo.  I also had the pleasure of visiting with Jenny Stepensky, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (the other CIA). This school is now the American equivalent to the Cordon Bleu. I can remember back to the 1950s when this school had been functioning as a training school for military cooks and was just starting its ascent to the lofty heights it later attained.

Mari-Juana Cohen and Dale & Karen Gross sponsored the event, which was a fundraiser for the Castro-Limon Foundation to raise money for cancer treatment. Five WIZO presidents, Hannah Galicot, Silvia Galicot, Linda Waisbord, Barbara Kucinski and Esther Buchwald,  contributed  much  of their time and effort to insure the event's success. 

"Yente?" I asked one of the participants.  "Doesn't that mean blabbermouth or gossip in Yiddish?" Yes, she said, but WIZO has turned it into an acronym that translates roughly as "Female Entrepreneurship as a Vehicle to Sustainable Development."

The Green team, with Emma Romano as captain, won in all three categories. For their main entree they created a salmon ceihe. The side dish was spinach and cream sauce and for dessert they prepared a mixture of sautéed bananas blended with cajetas, a rich sauce composed of evaporated milk, whipping cream, sugar and lemon juice.