Alex Belew, of Murfreesboro’s Alex Belew Catering

The Tennessee Pork Producers held its annual conference Jan. 19–20 at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro.

Part of the festivities included a pork tenderloin cooking competition, “A Taste of Elegance,” featuring eight of the area’s top chefs.

Carlos Garcia

Participants included chefs representing Kitchen Notes, the restaurant in Nashville’s Omni Hotel; East Nashville’s Lockeland Table; Alex Belew, of Murfreesboro’s Alex Belew Catering; The Blue Porch, now the resident catering company of Batey Farm’s The Grove; Etch, a Nashville fine dining restaurant; Homestead Manor, a farm-to-table operation in Thompson’s Station, and The Block and Five Senses, both of Murfreesboro.

Carlos Garcia, who operates the kitchen at Homestead Manor took first place in the competition, with Nate Door from Etch placing second, and Manny Santana, owner of The Block, taking third prize.