Fresh Madison Market Wins Silver Tray Award

Fresh Madison Market executive chef Greg Smart and sous chef Andy Nighbor were among 33 chefs vying for six Silver Tray Awards at the annual Circus of Chefs Gala, held last week as a fund-raiser for Wisconsin’s Circus World Museum.

More than 600 supporters turned out to watch chefs compete for awards in each of the following categories: appetizer, entree, dessert, wine, beer and display.

The Fresh Madison Market team prepared dishes for the appetizer, entree and dessert categories. The appetizer was a Chayote Squash Sweet Corn Cheese Enchilada with an Achiote Vinaigrette. For dessert, the team made an Italian Buttercream Truffle Cone.

But the dish that garnered a Silver Tray Award was the Lobster Stuffed Tenderloin made for the entrée category. The lobster stuffed tenderloin with a crabby hollandaise sauce sat on top of asparagus bundles in a caramelized onion potato puree that was garnished with a bordelaise sauce.

“We are extremely proud to have won a Silver Tray Award,” said Jeff Maurer, owner of the store in Madison, Wis. “Greg and Andy did an excellent job with all of the dishes they created. We were glad to be part of such a fun event and in turn, to help out a local community and a great historical site like Circus World.”

This year’s event featured live music, silent auctions, and shows from Circus World’s performing artists. It was the single most successful fund-raiser in the gala history, raising more than $200,000 to help with Circus World’s operational expenses.