Cooking Up Community: Scenes from The Great Gretna Plate 2026

by Stacy Schroeder

On March 29, more than 100 people gathered at the Mount Gretna Fire Hall for a new, sold-out, Chopped-inspired cooking competition hosted by Mount Gretna Magazine. Amateur chefs Nate Godfrey, Alex Kinzey, and Shelby Larkin were given access to a full pantry, professional equipment, chef’s jackets, and one hour to create a handheld dish. Each creation had to incorporate mystery basket ingredients — orange soda, tomatillos, and quince paste — before being judged by a panel of local judges.

Guests could watch each chef in action, nibble from the Alice-in-Wonderland-themed refreshments, and enjoy running commentary and video content provided by emcee Janice Balmer and her team. Bryan Smith of Lebanon County Christian Ministries (LCCM) was also on hand to share information about the organization’s work to address food insecurity in our area.

The cash bar featured a signature event drink, Zest in Show, along with beer generously donated by Brian Mills, owner of Inspiration Brewing Company in Ephrata. Readers may remember Brian’s brewing talents from his years at Mount Gretna Brewing.

Drawing on his own cooking competition experience, Guido Michael assembled the extensive pantry items, equipment, and mystery baskets after consulting with the chefs.

Our judging panel was an impressive one: Kerry Royer (Mayor of Mount Gretna), Nicole Borrell (Lebanon Valley Food Critics), Karen Hendricks (host of WITF’s Morning Edition), and Michael Vyskocil (former editor and contributor to multiple cooking magazines). Karen and Michael also serve as a writer and assistant editor of Mount Gretna Magazine, respectively. Advisory Team member Steve Toler stood ready as our backup judge. Together, this group surveyed the pantry and took in every dash, drizzle, and dollop of kitchen drama — from focused culinary artistry to playful shenanigans — before gathering to deliberate over the final dishes.

Winning chef Nate Godfrey (sous chef Joe Lento) created a Vietnamese chicken bánh mì with a fresh vegetable salad, dressed with fish sauce and finished with a garlic aioli drizzle. Judges’ comments included: “Maintained confidence and cooking flair throughout the event,” “great flavor and texture combination,” and “this is something I would photograph for a magazine.”

The other two chefs tied for second place with their tasty dishes.

Chef Alex Kinzey (sous chef Jeff Spangler) prepared what he calls a “power tuna sammich”: tuna salad with a curry twist, complemented by the crunch of grapes and celery, topped with minced candied pecans — all sandwiched between buttered, toasted rye bread with melted cheese. Judges said: “Great use of simple ingredients in a different way,” “I would order this,” and “fun showmanship throughout the event.”

Chef Shelby Larkin (sous chef Grant Williams) crafted a savory breakfast pop-tart filled with scrambled eggs, pork sausage, and caramelized onions, served with a quick-pickled tomatillo relish. Judges said: “Simple but elegant,” “so unconventional and fun!” and “the quick pickling was fantastic.”

A team of over 30 pulled this event together. Our deep gratitude to:

• Competitors: Nate Godfrey and Joe Lento, Alex Kinzey and Jeff Spangler, Shelby Larkin and Grant Williams

• Judges: Kerry Royer, Nicole Borrell, Karen Hendricks, Michael Vyskocil, Steve Toler

• Emcee: Janice Balmer

• Pantry and Chef Supplies: Guido Michael, Caroline Lawson

• Guest Food: Susanne Balmer, John Balmer, Hazel Nestleroth, Mark Nestleroth

• Bartenders: Megan Toler, Steve Toler

• Greeter: Julia Steckbeck Krause

• Photography: Shannon Fretz Photography (with contributions by Kristin Kissell and the chefs)

• Tech and Filmography: Brett Balmer, Logan Balmer, Cody Hassler, Jack Wuori

• Award Design: Max Hunsicker, Cory Wanamaker

• Event Logo Design: Shelby Larkin

• Planning Team: Janice Balmer, Meagan Cassel, Stacy Schroeder (in consultation with Guido Michael)

• Onsite Assistance: Leslie Buchanan, Anna Cassel

STILL TO COME ...

Recipes and chef commentary in upcoming blog posts

Video interviews by mid-April on our YouTube channel

An event photo album on our Facebook page