About this Event
An Evening of Food, Fire & Alaska's Next Generation of Culinary Talent
Monday, September 28, 2026
Doors Open: 5:30 PM
Everett's at Mat-Su Resort | Wasilla
Tickets: $75 per person
Join the NACE Anchorage Chapter for the inaugural Fire & Flare, an evening where Alaska's emerging culinary talent takes center stage.
High-school culinary students from across Southcentral Alaska will step into a professional kitchen for a live, Chopped-style culinary competition.
Student teams will create one hot and one cold appetizer for judging, with their creations also served exclusively to our sponsor VIP tables. Throughout the competition, guests will get a behind-the-scenes look at the action through a live kitchen feed provided by Alaska AV while enjoying a beautifully prepared buffet dinner by Chef Rob of US Foods.
And they'll have some extraordinary company in the kitchen.
SPECIAL GUEST: CHEF MARC ANTHONY BYNUM
Three-Time Food Network Chopped Champion
Chef Marc Bynum brings more than 25 years of culinary experience and three Chopped championships to Fire & Flare.
His own culinary journey began as a high-school student, making his participation in Fire & Flare especially meaningful. Today, in addition to his work as a chef and restaurateur, Chef Marc has turned part of his focus toward mentoring and encouraging the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals.
Chef Marc brings his experience competing and winning on the national stage, but he won't be mentoring these students alone. Fire & Flare brings together Alaska culinary and hospitality professionals who work in this industry every day and share a commitment to developing its next generation.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND FIRE & FLARE
Chef Rob | US Foods is well known in Alaska's culinary community for his commitment to students and emerging culinary professionals. He works with young people throughout the year, sharing his experience, supporting culinary education and helping students make connections within the industry.
At Fire & Flare, Chef Rob will work alongside our student competitors, providing mentorship and professional insight throughout the experience. He is also the chef behind the evening's Fire & Flare dinner, creating and preparing the buffet our guests will enjoy throughout the competition. US Foods is generously donating the food for both the student competition and guest dinner.
Chef Naomi | Bargreen Ellingson has been instrumental in developing the Fire & Flare competition itself. She helped shape the culinary challenge and designed the judging rubric that will guide how each team's dishes are evaluated, bringing her professional culinary experience to the structure behind the competition.
On event night, Chef Naomi will be in the competition kitchen working directly with our students, helping them navigate the challenge and providing the kind of hands-on mentorship she gives young culinary professionals throughout the year. From helping design the competition to mentoring students as they compete, Chef Naomi has truly been one of the culinary minds behind Fire & Flare.
Amber and the team at Everett's at Mat-Su Resort bring another important piece of workforce development to Fire & Flare. Everett's actively hires teens and young adults, giving them opportunities to learn on the job, gain real-world experience and develop professional skills within the culinary and hospitality industry.
And you won't have to wonder what's happening behind those kitchen doors.
Alaska AV will provide a live feed from the competition kitchen into the bar and event space, giving guests a behind-the-scenes view as our student chefs race the clock, tackle their mystery ingredients and bring their dishes to life.
YOUR FIRE & FLARE DINNER
Prepared by Chef Rob of US Foods
Come hungry. While our students take on their culinary challenge, guests will enjoy:
Double L Braised Short Ribs
with Cabernet Demi-Glace
Alaskan Salmon
glazed with locally sourced spruce-tip miso
Baby Baked Potatoes
with garlic and Parmesan
Roasted Brassica
with pumpkin seeds and pickled grapes
Heirloom Baby Carrots
Basque Cheesecake
Dubai Cake
WHILE THE JUDGES DELIBERATE...
The knives can come down, but the energy won't.
Robbie Cardon of RC Detail will take the microphone as our auctioneer for a fast and lively 10-basket live auction while the judges make their final decisions.
Then we'll turn the spotlight right back where it belongs: on our student chefs, as we announce the winners of the inaugural Fire & Flare competition.
MORE THAN A GREAT DINNER
Fire & Flare was created to connect students with the culinary, catering and event professionals who make Alaska's hospitality industry happen.
Your ticket doesn't simply buy dinner. It puts you in the room cheering on young people as they test their skills, meet potential mentors and employers, and discover where a passion for food could take them.
Tickets are $75 per person.
A NOTE FOR OUR STUDENT FAMILIES
If the parent or guardian of a participating student needs financial assistance to attend, please contact Mickela Olson directly at 907-529-6458. We will work with you privately.
THANK YOU TO OUR FIRE & FLARE PARTNERS
Everett's at Mat-Su Report
Host Venue
US Foods
Lead Ingredient Sponsor & Food Partner
Bargreen Ellingson
Culinary Mentorship & Kitchen Operations Partner
Alaska AV
Live Production & Kitchen Feed
Additional sponsors and community partners will be announced as they join us.
Presented by the NACE Anchorage Chapter
Event venue & nearby stays
Everett's, 1850 Bogard Road, Wasilla, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.