The top 10 kid finalists are:
• Zack Caison, Amarillo, TX: “Jalapeño Blue Ranch Bacon Burger”
• Gavin Belliveau, Kingston, MA: “The Meatball Burger”
• Malia Grant, Fresno, CA: “Tropical Hawaiian Turkey Burger”
• Isabel Honzay, Chandler, AZ: “Southwest Cobb Burger”
• Megan Casteel, Mesa, AZ: “Gorgonzola Goodness Burger”
• Emily Whitaker, Tualatin, OR: “The Bacon Dill Delight Burger”
• Angela Feltz, Portland, OR: "Bangin’ Spicy Chicken Artichoke Burger”
• Dominic Staiti, Citrus Heights, CA: “Jalapeño Cornbread Chili Burger”
• Jake Tucker, Chesterfield, MO: “Campfire Burger”
• Donovan Duggins, Wichita, KS: “The Mt. Vesuvius Burger”
The grand-prize-winning burger sales from the fourth annual Kids’ Cook-Off resulted in a donation of $50,000 to NCMEC to support child safety initiatives. Since 2005, Red Robin has donated nearly $400,000 to NCMEC through the Cook-Off and other Red Robin® restaurant programs.
Karen Morgan-Blackbird Bakery
Born in 1978 into an Italian American family, Karen was always in the kitchen. Although she never received any formal training, her innate knack for all things culinary was clear from a young age. Her first memories include sitting on the kitchen counter, helping her mother and grandmother pour measured ingredients to create fresh pasta and desserts. Her grandmother taught her the importance of touch, and she always maintained a presence in the kitchen, be it as waitress at local restaurants or just cooking for the weekly family gathering. In her early twenties, Karen met and married her now ex-husband, Tim Morgan, who was classicly trained at La Varenne, the legendary cooking school founded by Anne Willan in Paris, France. With Tim’s guidance, Karen gleaned the bulk of her classic cooking knowledge.
In 2002, Karen was suddenly diagnosed with Celiac disease and struggled to find desserts that could satisfy her baking desires. Finding nothing, she began devising her own recipes.
After cooking in France for four months in 2006, her destiny as a gluten-free baker became actualized.
In January 2007, she started her food blog, The Art of Gluten-Free Cooking.
Two thousand eight marked the beginning of her company Blackbird Bakery, a custom gluten-free bake shop that caters special events, creates custom recipes for local restaurants and supplies gourmet gluten-free baked goods to local businesses. Her celebrity clients include Courteney Cox Arquette, David Arquette, Laura Dern, Ben Harper, Jennifer Esposito, and Kelly Slater. http://www.blueprintaustin.com/ .
Being Honored in Las Vegas
Hollywood’s MILT LARSEN IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE IN THE WORLD OF MAGIC. In September 2006 he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his annual stage show It’s Magic! The event was commemorated with an all-star show at Hollywood’s famed Kodak Theater. At that time Milt and his late brother Bill were honored with a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame. In 2007 It’s Magic! played none performing arts centers from San Diego, California to Olympia, Washington, including the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. In 1963 he founded the world famous private club for magicians, the Magic Castle in Hollywood. He is the President of Magic Castles, Inc. In the year 2000 Magic Magazine polled their international readership and voted Milt Larsen as one of the 100 most influential individuals in the history of magic. He is a true renaissance man in that his career encompasses writing, producing and performing. As a writer he is best known in the field of audience participation having written Truth or Consequences starring Bob Barker for an incredible run of eighteen years! In his early days he authored five joke books and three books involving Magic Castle. He writes a weekly column for members of the club as well as editing their monthly newsletter. In the songwriting field the team of Sherman and Larsen have a cult comedy following for their outrageous songs (for their time) that can be heard currently on CD’s “Bon Voyage Titanic – Smash Flops” and “Banned Barbershop Ballads. He has written many stage revues and musicals. A new musical, “Pazzazz” Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Milt Larsen, will have its world premiere at Santa Barbara’s new multi-million dolar performing arts center “The Granada.” June 20-23, 2008.