GUST REDUX

Saute pans sizzled and pressure cookers hissed as eight chefs went whisk to whisk Sunday at the Restaurant Expo and Culinary Arts Show at The Broadmoor's Colorado Hall. They were in an Iron-chef style contest to win the coveted Chef de Cuisine trophy from the two-year-in-a-row winner Jason Gust of the Ritz Grill.

There were four rounds where chefs were expected to prepare three dishes using a secret ingredient. The first round of chefs was given eggplant as the secret ingredient. Four of these chefs were voted off the stage and the remaining four were given Thai black sticky rice to work wonders with. Two of these chefs were eliminated.

The final two chefs, Chester Wright of Memorial Hospital North and Jeff Knight of Craftwood Inn, were left to duke it out with Gust. Their secret ingredient was bison flat iron steak. The points were close for the finalists, but Gust -- subject of our Food section cover story last week -- reigned supreme. The trophy will remain at the Ritz Grill for a third consecutive year. The good news for his competitors: This is the last year Gust can compete.