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Harford County Restaurant 'The Local' Earns High Praise At International Cooking Competition

FALLSTON, Md. (WJZ) -- The Local in Harford County has been cooking up comfort food for customers for only three months, yet its chefs have already earned high praise for their delectable dishes at an international cooking competition.

Owner Zack Trabbold and his colleagues competed earlier this month at the World Food Championships in Dallas, Texas and placed third in the seafood category while competing with chefs from around the world.

"It was amazing, I mean there were people that have been doing this competition for the whole ten years and they're coming up to us like you should be so proud," said Trabbold.

Other chefs from the restaurant placed seventh in the chef category and eighth in the sandwich category.

"It's just a phenomenal experience. You get to come together with all the greatest chefs from around the country and compete against them and kind of stack yourself up a little bit," said Justin Brophy, Executive Sous Chef at the restaurant who made a French dip and buttermilk chicken sandwich at the championship.

Some of the dishes they cooked up included shrimp and grits, tuna tacos, beef wellington, a buttermilk chicken sandwich and of course crab.

"The third and final round which got me top three we made a Maryland style crab cake poached quail egg and we did an espuma and made our own caviar right there," said Trabbold.

He was very happy with how his team performed and intends to compete again next year.

"For all of our chefs to place in the top ten it just shows that we're really really talented here."

The Local is serving up the shrimp and grits and crab cakes that they made at the competition this weekend starting on Friday at 4 p.m. Check out the restaurant's menu.

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