Chefs show how to use pantry staples to cook during disasters - Chron.com

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Chef Silvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, and Chef Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, prepare their dishes at the Chef's Challenge where Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, won the event. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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The dish of Chef Silvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, in progress at the Chef's Challenge where Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, won the event. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Chef Silvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, and Chef Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, put the finishing touches on their dishes at the Chef's Challenge where Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, won the event. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Houston chefs Slvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, from left, Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, and Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, prepare their dishes for Chef's Challenge. They worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Geoff Hundt was the winner. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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The dish prepared by Chef Silvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, at the Chef's Challenge. Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, won the event. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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The winning dish prepared by Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, at the Chef's Challenge. Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Thuy Le and her three-year-old son, Troy, wait at Market Square Park for the beginning of the Chef's Challenge, with Houston chefs competing on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Chef Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, and Chef Silvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, start to prepare their dishes at the Chef's Challenge. Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, won the event. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Houston chefs Slvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, from left, Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, and Harold Wong of The Fish, Bovine and Barley, prepare their dishes for Chef's Challenge. They worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Geoff Hundt was declared the winner. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Judges Jonathan Martin, left, and Jeff Lindner at the Chef's Challenge prepare to make a decision. Houston chefs worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Chef Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, won the event. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Houston chefs Slvia Covarrubias of Edgar's Hermano, from left, Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, Geoff Hundt of Local Foods Downtown, and Harold Wong of The Fish, Bovine and Barley, prepare their dishes for Chef's Challenge. They worked on-site to create the best dish from non-perishable food items typically found in a disaster preparedness kit. Geoff Hundt was the winner. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, April 29, 2018) less

Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Photo: Gary Fountain, For The Chronicle / For The Chronicle

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Caramelized Spam isn’t something Harold Wong of Bovine & Barley pub would normmally whip up in the kitchen. But at the 5th annual Preparedness Kit Chef’s Challenge in Market Square Park on Sunday, Wong got creative, adding in pan-fried ramen noodles, sautéed canned tuna and crushed nuts.

He and three other chefs — Silvia Covarruubias of Edgar’s Hermano, Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel and Geoff Hundt of Local Foods — participated in the food competition to create the best dish from non-perishable items typically found in a household pantry. Each chef picked from a list of ingredients that included everything from mustard to corn flakes.

The Chef’s Challenge is hosted by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security as a fun way to show residents the need to prepare for emergencies before they happen and how they can get creative with meals during a natural disaster.

The dishes were judged by media personalities, along with Christine Ha, winner of MasterChef U.S. Season 3, and Jeff Lindner of Harris County Flood Control District, who was a regular on-air expert during Hurricane Harvey.

Hundt won the challenge with his concoction of beef jerky, pineapples and ramen noodles in sweet and sour sauce.

“Restaurants get hit pretty hard during hurricanes, like Harvey and Ike,” Hundt said. “We lost 90 percent of our food in our downtown location during Harvey. An event like this reminds us that we all have to be prepared.”

Jackie Miller, community preparedness programs coordinator for the Mayor’s Office, said she hopes more people understand the importance of having food staples at home in case of disaster and that food preparation can be a family project.

“You really can be creative and make it fun. We want people to think, plan and prepare,” she said.

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