This year, I didn’t want your typical birthday. I wanted something unforgettable. A birthday experience that felt made for a foodie.

Enter the Hudson Table’s Chef Competition.

It’s like Chopped meets Iron Chef. The fast-paced, three-course throw down takes place between two talented chefs, using mystery ingredients revealed that same day. I was sold!

There are 4 locations: Hoboken, Brooklyn, Philly, CT

The Setup

Hudson Table is a cozy, open kitchen-style venue tucked in Hoboken. You can snag regular seating or (pro tip) pay just $10 extra to sit at the counter. Totally worth it. You’re right there, watching chefs in action, hearing the sizzles, smelling the spice, and getting tasters right out of their bowls mid-cook. (You are allowed to do this – just ask them!).

And it’s BYOB (no hard liquor – just beer + wines). So naturally, the moment we walked in, we popped open some champagne and toasted to a meal that would definitely be one we would not forget.

The Competitors

Chef Andrew, a sous chef working in NYC and repping New Jersey roots, versus Chef Claude, a chef, instructor at HCCC and a winner of Season 19 of Chopped.

These two did not come to play.

Mystery Ingredients

We sat down, saw the ingredient sheet, and… wow! Some of the mystery basket ingredients included:

• Star anise
• Parsnip
• Date syrup
• Habanero
• Grits
• Malt Vinegar
• Grapefruit
• Skittles

Yeah…. it was a weird brunch lineup. And exactly why this was so much fun. They need to use each of the ingredients at least once during the competition or they get points removed at the end vote.

The Dishes

Watching the chefs create on the fly was half the thrill. There was friendly banter, laughs from the crowd, and tasters being passed all around the room.

🥇 Favorite Bite: Chef Claude’s Appetizer

Chef Claude kicked things off with an appetizer that hit every note! Flavorful, creative, and balanced. The second I tasted it, I was ready to give him my vote. Parsnips, bacon, a grit cake and poached egg.

🍮 Least Favorite: Chef Andrew’s Dessert

Chef Andrew’s dessert didn’t land for me. It was a sweet grit cake over some sort of skittles hard sugar that tasted incredibly bitter. And he didn’t sweeten his whipped cream which I was not a fan of.

The Judging

Voting was based on creativity, presentation, and taste. All awarded by the audience and to each their own opinion. The crowd played a big role as we were clapping, reacting, and breaking down our reasoning for our winning chef decisions as well as our dish highs and lows.

In the end, Chef Andrew took the win. But honestly we got lucky with both chefs that cooked for us!

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a unique and food-centric experience that’s immersive, energetic, and delicious — this is it. I would absolutely do this again, and probably will!