She finished in a very respectable second place last year. In fact, it was more than that.
Competing in the 2024 edition of the North American Finals of Grill Masters, Casey Naherniak's brilliant cooking skills were put to the test against 11 of the best chefs from across the country. She put together a fantastic dish and finished in second.
This year, Naherniak wanted more. She had qualified once again for the Finals earlier this month in Toronto.
"I just wanted to bring a more refined dish and show more of my story behind it," said Naherniak. "I wanted to elevate it more, and it worked."
Now living in Brandon and working at The Keg, Casey grew up in Russell and fell in love with cooking at a young age. She remembers spending countless hours in the garden and then creating masterpieces in the kitchen with her family.
On May 13 in Toronto, she created the ultimate dish.
"I had the Elk on my plate as a note to my hunting roots. I used wild black morel mushrooms. As a child, we would go out in the bush picking those all the time," commented Naherniak. "I had my potatoes and peas as special to my time I spent in the garden growing up. We always were picking peas out of the garden."
There were four different judges. The scoring was based on the uniqueness of the dish, look, taste, and presentation.
When the dust settled and the final scores were in, Casey couldn't hold back the biggest smile ever. The Russell chef is a North American champion. Her masterpiece took home the top prize this year.
Back in Brandon, serving up great steaks and more at The Keg, Casey says it hasn't set in yet, and she's grateful for everyone in her life.
"I was one of the youngest chefs in the competition and one of three women," offered Naherniak. "It meant a lot to bring that back home. I showed that women can do it."
Casey is looking forward to what winning this title could bring to her future. She's committed to serving outstanding meals, ones that have people wanting more.
"Definitely boosted my confidence. I feel that I've made some great connections, I had the chance to meet so many other chefs," ended Naherniak. "I don't have any future plans. I want to keep learning and extending my career."
Casey Naherniak—a Russell-born powerhouse dishing out five-star flavor with every plate.
