UPDATED: Mar 15, 2018
The American Culinary Federation has honored Shadow Lake Golf & Racquet Club’s Certified Executive Chef Sean Flaherty as the Rochester Area Chef of the Year.
The ACF informed Chef Flaherty of their selection on Monday, May 1. Ceremonies are slated to honor him on Monday, May 22 at Shadow Lake Golf Club.This honor was Sean’s first, also being nominated in 2014 and 2015. Chef Flaherty began his tenure at Shadow Lake in 2008.
Chef Flaherty was educated at the culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Upon his return to the Rochester area, Sean assumed executive chef positions at Eagle Vale Golf Club, as well as Cutlers at The Memorial Art Gallery and Thendara Inn in Canandaigua.
The battle for Chef of the Year involved creating an entrée using a mystery protein. The contestants then had 15 minutes to create a menu, one hour to cook, and five minutes to plate for the judges. Chef Sean Flaherty's winning dish consisted of ginger infused pork belly crusted sea scallops, local cheddar grits, batonet of carrot and asparagus, roasted red pepper sauce, pork belly twine and watercress.