FYI: The following experience included complimentary products and all kinds of fun!
Ordinarily on a Tuesday after work, all I want to do is hop in the car and jump on the interstate so I can avoid the RUSH part of rush hour traffic. On a Tuesday, not too terribly long ago, I made the decision to hang out with some bloggers at a media event hosted by Sprouts Farmers Market instead of going home. That meant finding a way to The Cook’s Warehouse in Midtown without getting on I-85. I’m sure you’ve heard about the bridge issue here by now. Well it’s a real thing and we ATLiens have all been working through it in our own way. Anyway, I decided to Google Map my way there and it worked out beautifully. Although the drive was slow in a couple places, I ended up arriving a bit early.
Each time I walk into The Cook’s Warehouse I have to suppress the urge to buy “all the stuff” with a one or two thing budget. Looking is always free so, as I entered the store this time, I allowed my eye to catch a couple gadgets before reaching our host for the evening. His name is Diego.
Diego has one of those magnetic personalities. He offered me an energetic welcome, then pointed me in the direction of some refreshments and light bites. Prepared and waiting for us were Chef Tregaye Fraser’s takes on Crab Cakes and Shrimp & Grits. Both were prepared with ingredients from Sprouts Farmers Market. Part of our night featured a cooking demonstration by the Food Network personality where she showed us how she does it.
In case you’re wondering who Chef Tregaye is, well, let’s just say that she’s a life of the party type. She’s the getting it done while having fun type. She’s the winning type. Seriously.
Chef Tregaye is Winner of Season 12 Food Network Star, has won Cutthroat Kitchen, competed on Guy’s Grocery Games and is the host of The Kitchen Sink. In other words, she’s a very busy chef.
To get the evening started, Chef Tregaye walked us through a demonstration of her Crab Cakes, Shrimp Grit Cake, Jicama Salad, and Fish Taco Lettuce Wraps. Afterwards, we broke out into groups and ventured into the kitchen to do a little competing of our own. The goal: putting our own little twang on a Cod Fish Taco and a Mahi Fish Taco, with Bibb lettuce serving as a soft taco shell and Romaine lettuce stepping in for the crispy taco shell.
When we make any type of taco, we want to include layers of flavor. These tacos would include fresh seafood, Chef’s Black Bean and Corn Guacamole and her Pico Salsa. Our team divided the responsibilities of prepping each component with winning on our minds. It didn’t take long for the sweet aroma of competitiveness to sweep across the kitchen.
As we worked, Chef Tregaye visited the work stations of each team and offered her feedback on our progress. I was elated when she tasted our guacamole. We got that flavor right the first time. Yes!
When the time finally ran out, our beautifully plated tacos were judged. No pressure though, because this was all done in fun, right? No. Not right. We wanted to win. While our dish was beautiful and flavorful, our team placed second. No worries though because, after all the dust settled, we sat down together to eat those delicious tacos and revel in the cool factor of having done this in such good company.
By the way… Congratulations to the winning team!
Finishing off a Tuesday like this was great fun thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market. They provided all of the ingredients for the night and even allowed us to take home the unused produce along with a bag of Sprouts products and $100 gift card which I’ll be spending at their new location in Tucker, GA.
To learn more about Sprouts Farmers Market
Visit their Website | Follow on Instagram | Follow on Twitter
A big Thank You to Diego and to the team at The Cook’s Warehouse. You’re the best!!
Disclosure: The Sprouts Media Event at The Cook’s Warehouse was complimentary and included food, beverages, gift card and fun! All opinions are based on my own personal experience. You can view my full Disclosure Policy here.
