Healthy and Delicious

Congratulations to Dr. Lawrence Vallario, winner – for the second year running! – of the Iron Heart Cookoff.

The friendly culinary competition, which pitted a quartet of heart docs and their helpers against each other, was held at the Westin Lake Mary. The task before the cardiologically inclined chefs was to create a heart-healthy meal of either chicken or salmon in half an hour or less.

While they slaved over a hot skillet, guests enjoyed appetizers and drinks delivered by local celeb “waiters,” including Dr. Todd Husty, shown below with Kathryn Breazeale and Seminole County Commission Chair Brenda Carey.

Judges included “Biggest Loser” finalist Hannah Curlee (that’s her in the middle in the photo below) and Shula’s 347 Grill Exec Chef Isaiah Simon Jr.

The finished dishes were both attractive and tasty, if the “yum” noises coming from the judges’ table were any indication. With that kind of competition, what put Vallario’s dish over the top?

“He had a very fantastic aioli,” said Curlee, who still eats right and works out to keep off the 120-plus pounds she lost on the TV show. “And he blanched the almonds.”

And the plate was pretty (above), courtesy of Dr. Vallario's wife and sous chef, Daria. (Though some say she's the real boss in the kitchen.)

Watch for more photos on our website.