KC Flavor Champion: Joseph Antosiak

Joseph Antosiak, executive chef, OVG Hospitality submitted multiple entries in the Kitchen Collaborative 2025 competition and thought a few of the concepts were legit contenders for top honors. His Bacon and Bleu Sushi was not one of his picks. So upon learning that sponsor BelGioioso Cheese, Inc., had selected this concept for the prize, “I felt this rush of disbelief, quickly followed by pride,” recalls the chef. “It’s always the playful, unexpected dishes that remind us why we cook in the first place. Now, the thought that this creation was sending me all the way to Dubai? That was simply surreal.”

In addition to Gorgonzola cheese from BelGioioso, the Bacon and Bleu Sushi concept features sponsored products from Tyson, Kikkoman and Lee Kum Kee. The entry was presented on tableware from Libbey. Antosiak concedes that there was nothing about the sponsor product mix that particularly inspired a sushi riff. Instead, “They played to an idea of layering flavor in unexpected ways. When people hear ‘sushi,’ they immediately think: ‘raw fish,’” he says. “I wanted to twist that narrative and say, ‘What if sushi went smoky, bold and indulgent?’ Bacon has this universal love language, and rolling it into a sushi-style bite just felt mischievous and fun.”

The cheese was another nod to playful surprise. “Cheese in sushi isn’t traditional. But when you break it down, both are about craftsmanship, fermentation, balance and layering flavor,” says Antosiak. “I wanted to honor the spirit of sushi, while pushing boundaries. Gorgonzola felt like the right disruptor. It brought the East-West dialogue onto the plate in a bold, refined way. Cheese in sushi is not a natural thought, but that’s exactly why it worked. Breaking the rules makes dishes memorable.”

The Bacon and Bleu Sushi begins with “smoky, marinated bacon, kissed with hoisin and a touch of Sriracha. That’s layered over classic sushi rice and nori for structure. Then comes a swipe of roasted pumpkin purée for sweetness and autumnal depth. Each piece is crowned with sharp blue cheese and a drizzle of sweet chili glaze to tie it all together,” says Antosiak. “Every layer is intentional: smoke, heat, umami, creaminess and balance.”

The blue cheese delivers surprise and depth, he explains. “The bacon brings smoke. The hoisin and Sriracha add sweet heat. The pumpkin purée adds earthiness. And then, just when you think you know what’s coming, the cheese cuts through with its creamy tang. It’s the kind of element that makes you pause mid-bite, lean back and smile, because you were not expecting that harmony.”

Antosiak saw the BelGioioso Gorgonzola, a product he was familiar with, as something of a flavor bridge in his winning concept. “This cheese has a silky body with that peppery, mineral edge that a great blue delivers. There’s just enough bite to stand out without being overwhelming,” he explains. “By itself, it’s tangy, buttery and earthy. But when paired with smoky bacon and chili heat? It becomes an amplifier of flavor,” he says. “It wasn’t just an accent for the sushi; it was the anchor of umami, adding a luxurious weight to what otherwise is a light, delicate bite.”

The chef notes that blue cheese in general—and Gorgonzola in particular—is often misunderstood. “Some people find blue cheese to be too assertive, but really, it’s about context. Yes, it has power, but when used thoughtfully, that power elevates,” he says. “And Gorgonzola is not ‘just’ blue cheese. It has depth and nuance that brings an almost artisan sensibility to the plate.”

A CULINARY CELEBRATION

“Kitchen Collaborative is such a brilliant platform,” says Antosiak of the menu ideation program first created in 2020 by Summit F&B and Flavor & the Menu. “What I love most is that it doesn’t just celebrate the finished dish, it celebrates the creative process. It’s rare to have a stage where creativity, play and product exploration are valued as much as execution. For me, it’s a chance to stretch my culinary imagination while also being a part of a community of chefs who are equally passionate about pushing boundaries.”

In Kitchen Collaborative 2025, concepts submitted by participant chefs were judged blindly by sponsor teams who evaluated descriptions, photos and other relevant information to select the best of the best. In January, Antosiak will join other passionate, rule-breaking chefs on a trip to Dubai led by Flavor & The Menu and Summit F&B to attend Gulfood 2026 and sample the region’s culinary delights. “This will be my first trip to Dubai, and the sheer scale of it excites me,” he says. “And to attend Gulfood, the largest food show in the world, is a dream. It will be like stepping into a global pantry where every ingredient, technique and trend is at our fingertips. I can’t wait to soak it all in.”

Even without the big prize incentive, Antosiak finds incredible value in ideation activities like Kitchen Collaborative. “They are like sharpening the blade. They force me to think differently, to consider products and ingredients in ways I might not in our day-to-day operations,” he affirms. “I’ve walked away from contests with new techniques, flavor pairings and even fresh perspectives on plating. Often, I will adapt these discoveries into menus for guests. It’s a ripple effect—creativity here fuels creativity everywhere else.”

MORE INSPIRED TAKES

Recipe ideation is an opportunity for Antosiak to imbue dishes with added value, from limiting food waste to using presentation and plating to tell a story even before the first bite is consumed. Here are two examples of how he’s winning those flavor games, too.

Creamy Lamb and Penne Pasta

“This dish came together like jazz,” says Antosiak, who wanted to make use of ingredients left over from other Kitchen Collaborative concept creations, including sponsored products from Aussie Select, Barilla, BelGioioso and Real California Milk, plus tableware from Libbey. “I used what was on hand, riffing until it sang. I wanted a quick and easy dish, similar to the viral wedding pasta or sheet pan-style pastas.”

The chef is a big fan of viewing Instagram and TikTok reels as sources of inspiration. “Food is storytelling, and social media is where food stories live now,” he explains. “I see it as the modern-day culinary marketplace. I’ve borrowed techniques, plating ideas and flavor pairings from viral videos. One of my favorites was the baked feta pasta, which reminded chefs everywhere that simplicity, when done right, can still move the needle in a big way.”

To move the needle with this lamb ham-and-pasta dish, Antosiak worked in blistered tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and garlic to add depth. “Then came a trio of cheeses: Creamy mascarpone for silkiness, aged Parmesan for bite and BelGioioso’s Gorgonzola for tang,” he explains. “Fresh basil and thyme lifted the dish with brightness. The result was comforting, yet layered, rooted in rustic Italian inspiration, but with a contemporary chef’s polish.” Making a creamy sauce dish is an easy way to use up leftover cheese, veggies and tomatoes in a dish that is fresh and tasty, he adds.

“Food waste is one of the great sins of our industry,” asserts Antosiak. “As chefs, we hold the responsibility for respecting the ingredient from root to stem, nose to tail. Waste is not just a cost issue, it’s an ethical one.” The key is found in applying a little culinary creativity, he continues, “turning scraps into stocks, stems into pesto and leftovers into entirely new dishes. It’s our job to honor the farmer, the product and the planet.”

Beet and Lentil Risotto

Antosiak had multiple goals for this dish: “To use lentils in a fun and vibrant way; to create something vegetarian; and to deliver cross-flavor profiles.” The concept delivers each prerequisite—and is a visual stunner, to boot!

“We truly do eat with our eyes first,” says Antosiak, acknowledging the validity of the age-old axiom. “For me, plating is storytelling. I’m deliberate in using colors that pop against one another: crimson beets, emerald herbs, golden peppers. Shapes matter, too. Rounds, shards, drizzles all create a rhythm on the plate,” he notes. “The goal isn’t to make food look staged, but to make it feel alive, vibrant and irresistible. In a world where every diner has a camera in their pocket, plating is no longer presentation—it’s communication.”

The dish features sponsored products from Lentils.org, BelGioioso, Lee Kum Kee and Real California Milk. “The risotto is built with roasted beets and earthy lentils, then finished with mascarpone and Parmesan for creaminess. Chili crisp and blistered shishito peppers bring a smoky heat, cutting through the rich risotto. Pomegranate seeds add a burst of tart sweetness and jewel-like beauty, and they surround a vibrant portion of micro greens,” he details. Plated on tableware from Libbey, this was a “dish of contrasts,” declares Antosiak. “Earthy, creamy, spicy, sweet. Every element had a purpose: color, texture and/or flavor balance.”

Look for more profiles of the chefs behind the winning menu concepts of Kitchen Collaborative 2025 to be featured this fall.

Kitchen Collaborative Project Management: Summit F&B
Bacon and Bleu Sushi photo: Photography: otysonphoto.com // Food Styling: Peg Blackley