With a recent appearance on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay under her belt, Sarah Acconcia is no stranger to culinary competitions. This month, the local chef is at it again, representing Charm City in the Hometown Breakfast Battle sponsored by Thomas’ breads—which runs a stalwart English muffin factory in Frederick.
The contest celebrates National Breakfast Month in September, with 135 chefs from across the country submitting a recipe that puts a hometown spin on basic breakfast sandwiches. The bracket-style competition will span 6 weeks, allowing foodies to vote for their favorite dishes online starting Monday, September 14. The battle features a $10,000 grand prize and allows the public to vote daily.
Acconcia, best known for former stints as executive chef of Bookmaker’s Cocktail Club and Le Garage, says that she took a seasonal approach to creating her signature morning meal, which she dubbed “The Baltimore Bay B.L.T.” As the name suggests, Acconcia’s creation puts a local spin on the traditional B.L.T. using ingredients like Bibb lettuce, ripe heirloom tomatoes, jumbo lump crab meat, and Old Bay.
“We had to decide between using a bagel or an English muffin, and I thought the English muffin would work as a good base—sometimes bagel sandwiches get too messy,” she notes. “And, in thinking about the late-summer timing, I wanted to use heirloom tomatoes and Bibb lettuce. Those are two things Maryland produces really well and are most gorgeous in the late summer.”
In addition to incorporating the local produce, Acconcia’s sandwich also layers spoonfuls of crab imperial and a fried egg basted in Old Bay butter.
“I’m hoping people see my recipe as a representation of Baltimore not only because it has crab and Old Bay, but also because it showcases the cheeky fun way that we make sandwiches,” she says. “Baltimore food is fun.”
Since resigning from her post at Bookmaker’s in July, Acconcia started her own catering and event-planning business, Wild Thyme Event Studio, which she says allows her to stay connected to the local food scene while having more flexible work hours.
“The contest isn’t as much about me as it is about Baltimore,” Acconcia says. “Each chef is making something that represents the food and the vibe of their city, and we could really use some national love.”