TA Names Grand-Prize Winners of Its UltraChef Recipe Challenge

Travel Centers of America LLC (TA) announced two grand-prize winners of its UltraChef Million Point Recipe Challenge.

Tom Prostrollo and Mike Feerick were chosen by TA's executive chef and a restaurant panel of judges. Both winners received 200,000 points for UltraONE, TA's rewards program. In addition, the two men will have their menu items featured at TA and Petro restaurants from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15. The grand-prize winners will receive 50 additional UltraONE Points every time a customer orders their dish.

Prostrollo, a resident of Casa Grande, Ariz., submitted a recipe for Cheese Ravioli Alfredo, which will be available at TA restaurants. He said his dish is full of spices and hearty enough to satisfy hunger for hours. "Any driver who orders it once will want it again," said Prostrollo.

Feerick, of Burkburnett, Texas, wowed judges with his Mike's Smothered Steak recipe, which will be available at Petro Iron Skillet restaurants. The recipe features a breaded cube steak in gravy, along with mashed potatoes on the side. "Most of the drivers I know like to eat a good steak for dinner," Feerick said. "I know they'll like this."

TA President and CEO Tom O'Brien said drivers had a lot of fun with the UltraChef contest. "We couldn't be happier to bring a little more 'home' to their life on the road," he said. "We think we do this better than other truckstops because our full-service restaurants are our own, run by TA employees who connect with drivers -- respecting and understanding the job they do."

Submissions were graded on originality, taste and ease of preparation. Two runner-ups, each receiving 100,000 UltraONE Points, were William Bohannon and Bob Engelsman. Bohannon submitted a recipe for Pork Chops Casino, while Engelsman received accolades for his Cajun-Gone-Italian Steak recipe.