Campus Dining and Shops chef Seth Williams has been selected to compete in the National Association of College and University Food Services’ (NACUFS) Northeast Regional Culinary Challenge. The competition will take place during the NACUFS Northeast Conference, being held March 19-22 at Rutgers University.

The culinary challenge recognizes outstanding food preparation and presentation skills in collegiate dining services. The winners of each of the association’s regional culinary contests will square off in July at the national conference in Baltimore for gold, silver and bronze medals before a live audience of college and university food service managers and industry suppliers.

At Rutgers, competitors will have 60 minutes to prepare four portions of an original hot entrée featuring lobster, as well as side dishes and sauces to create a balanced plate.

Williams’ application entry of Lobster & Grits, a unique take on a classic southern creole dish of Shrimp & Grits, paired succulent blackened lobster meat with wild boar bacon and braised kale and was served over gruyere grits and topped with a truffle-poached egg.

The NACUFS Culinary Challenge is sanctioned and judged by the American Culinary Federation.

UB will be the host school for the 2016 NACUFS Northeast Regional Conference.