Frigo wins Celebrity Cook-Off

Date: 10/12/2010

Oct. 11, 2010

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW -- Frigo Gourmet Foods owner Joe Frigo recently made a charitable contribution people would really want to sink their teeth into.

Frigo won the Celebrity Cook-Off at the 2010 Feast in the East, a fundraiser hosted by the East of the River Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 23 to support the chamber's scholarship.

"It was our first time being involved in a cook-off. It was exciting," Frigo said. "The fact that it was for a good cause made it even more worth-while. We were happy to get our name out there and also be able to help the community at the same time."

Frigo won the competition between himself and Claudio Guerro of Spoleto with a dish he called "Tenderloin Quince Terra."

"Quince terra means five layers [in Italian]," Frigo explained. "It was tenderloin layered with spinach, prosciutto ham, mushrooms, Italian Fontina cheese and drizzled with an aged, Balsamic glaze."

While it was Frigo's first time participating in a cook-off, he said It was definitely not the first time his stores, located in East Longmeadow and Springfield, have taken part in charitable endeavors. In the past, Frigo's has helped East Longmeadow High School, the United Way, UNICO an Italian American service organization, participated in cancer walks and has offered support to local churches.

"As a local business, it seems like we're called upon to help out a lot." Frigo said. "It's nice to be able to participate in things that help the local community and we try to do as much as we can."