About The Contender

In the winter of 2012, Certified Master Chef Rich Rosendale and Corey Siegel earned the opportunity to represent the United States in the prestigious cooking competition known as the Bocuse d'Or. Held every two years in Lyon, France, the Bocuse d'Or represents the pinnacle of competition cooking. With the United States determined to make the podium for the first time ever, Rich and Corey embark on an intense one-year training regimen that includes the construction of a secret test kitchen inside of a decommissioned cold war bunker. Together with some of America's greatest chefs, they will vie for culinary glory at the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon, France.

Biographies

Rich Rosendale

Rich Rosendale is the award-winning chef and founder of Rosendale Collective. This is the innovative company behind Rich Rosendale’s consulting, private dining, restaurant partnerships, and training services. From D.C. to Dubai, Rich creates customized experiences, and business solutions with and attention to detail that is unmatched.

He also is a Certified Master Chef, a distinction earned through the American Culinary Federation. The grueling 130-hour cooking exam, held at the Culinary Institute of America, has a 90% fail rate and only 67 chefs have ever made it through successfully—Rich being the youngest to ever pass the exam. The Exam is detailed in the book “Soul of a Chef” which takes readers through this culinary marathon that few dare to take.

The Bocuse d'Or is considered the most demanding five-hour cooking competition in the world. Rich mentored and trained with top chefs from around the country, including Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, and Grant Achatz. Rich was the USA Champion and earned the right to represent the United States in Lyon, France, where he competed against 22 other countries. He finished in the top third of the field. Few chefs ever have the opportunity to cook at this level. Rich has competed in over 55 international cooking competitions.

Rich can be seen every Saturday morning on CBS where he, host Evette Rios, and chef Vikki Krinsky rehab a family’s unhealthy dish to create something that is delicious, nutritional and easy to make.

Rich has cooked for Presidents, foreign dignitaries and celebrities around the world. His favorite meals are with his family. Rich and his wife Laura are the parents of three children--Laurence, Liam, and Francesca.

Josh Baldwin - Director/Producer

Josh received degrees from Marshall University and University of North Carolina-Wilmington before starting a media and publishing company at the age of 26. Since then, he has worked with national and international companies to develop brand awareness and help tell their stories.He produced and directed the documentary The Contender, coming in 2015, filmed in France. He is also the founder of the Lewisburg Literary Festival as well as TEDx Lewisburg. He has received numerous awards for his work, including WV Executive's "Young Guns" and The State Journal's "40 under 40." He serves on Lewisburg City Council and plays guitar in a rock band once the sun goes down.

Corey Siegel

Corey Siegel is from Albany, NY, and began cooking at the age of 14. As a student he was a serious member of the American Culinary Federation, and in 2008 began training at the Culinary Institute of America. During his time at school, he worked at Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY. Corey won the Northeast Regional Student Chef of the Year for the ACF in 2010. Corey joined the team at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in 2010, and enrolled in an intense three-year apprenticeship program at the resort overseen by Chef Richard Rosendale. In 2011 Corey was selected by Chef Rosendale to be his Commis for the Bocuse d’Or USA Finals and won the competition in January 2012. While finishing his senior year of the apprenticeship, he and Chef Rosendale devotedly trained to compete in the Bocuse d’Or in January 2013 held in Lyon, France. Receiving over 17 medals competing both nationally and internationally, Corey is also the youngest member of ACF Culinary Team USA to compete in the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany in 2016!

Mark E. Trent - Producer

Mark Trent was born and raised in Southern West Virginia. He attended The Savannah College of Art and Design where he studied Photography and Film. Shortly after graduation he moved to NYC and began work for Group SJR, a boutique content marketing agency, where he shot branded content for General Electric, Target, Barneys, Credit Suisse, TED, among others. Mark also focuses on long form documentary projects, many of which focus on his native region of Appalachia.