Award Winning ZisBoomBah Brings Pick Chow! Across America to Portland's Bite of Oregon
ZisBoomBah teams up with six Portland celebrity Chefs, who will compete with their Kid sous chef to win the vote from a panel of Kid judges.

ZisBoomBah.com will be hosting their sixth Iron Chef-style cooking competition as part of the Pick Chow! Across America national tour, which teaches kids and parents how to create fast, delicious and healthy meals in 20 minutes.  The team from Boulder, will be traveling to Portland and will be presenting at Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the Bite of Oregon, August 12th-14th.  In a three-day cooking extravaganza, six famous chefs will compete for one of the three Pick Chow! Across America's Cook-off winning titles.  Families, especially the kids, will meet the famous chefs, receive amazing kid-friendly recipes & samples to take home and try out themselves!

ZisBoomBah is bringing their website's online food game, Pick Chow!, along with their animated ant trio, Zis, Boom and Bah to life at the Bite of Oregon with an estimated 40,000 attendees from around the area coming to experience the food and culture that Portland has to offer. Each one-hour live Iron Chef- style cook-off will feature kid culinary critics, who will judge which chef and kid assistant duo served up the tastiest, kid-friendly recipe.  What will the secret ingredient be? Make sure to be there as the clock begins and it's unveiled in front of the audience or all of the recipes and products will be featured after the event at www.zisboombah.com.

The Three - Day Cook-Off Showdowns
The line up is as follows.  On Friday August 12 at 11:15 AM, Chef Christopher Thompson, Iorio and Chef Cathy Whims, Nostrana compete.  Can't make it to Friday's cook-off! You have two more days to check out the exciting event!  On Saturday August 13th at 11:15 AM Chef Andy Arndt, Aquariva will be competing with a famous chef that will be announced.  ZisBoomBah will rap up the weekend on Sunday August 14th at 10:45 AM with celebrity chefs Bob Blumer of Food Network and Little People, Big World's Amy Roloff.

"ZisBoomBah is taking on its toughest challenges yet with three separate cooking competitions. The tremendous talent and surprises the chef's have up their sleeves will definitely make for entertaining events that families will love" said Mike Carcaise, ZisBoomBah COO and co-founder. "We are so excited to be a part of the Bite of Portland where we can show kids and their families that it's okay to play with your food as we like to say at ZisBoomBah."  ZisBoomBah will have an extended presence at a 3-day booth where families can view the fun ways the website educates kids and families.

About ZisBoomBah.com
ZisBoomBah.com is an innovative website that challenges conventional wisdom through tools that empower children and inspire parents to live a fun, active, and healthy life. Backed by a panel of health, nutrition, and food experts, ZisBoomBah.com provides games, recipes, contests, and more that educate kids and parents about food. The site's free online tool "Pick Chow!" was awarded the Grand Prize in First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! "Apps for Healthy Kids" Competition and received the PTPA (Parent Test, Parent Approved) Seal of Approval from an independent panel of parent volunteers. ZisBoomBah.com hosts Pick Chow! Across America cook-off events in select locations across the US featuring celebrity chefs and kid assistants who compete to develop kid-friendly, healthier meals.

Chef Christopher Thompson
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Chef Chris Thompson is the owner and chef of Portland's Iorio, named Best Restaurant winner in 2010 by Portland Citysearch. Iorio, which is inspired by Thompson's great grandmother, Julie Iorio, was recently featured in the national television ad campaign for Microsoft's online search engine, "Bing". Chef Chris is known for his seasonal menu, incorporating Portland's local and organic options by bringing out their natural flavor. While going to school at Western Culinary Institution he cooked in various Oregon top spots like The Heathman and Southpark. Chef Chris is inspired by "the surrounding treasures Oregon has to offer" and uses those surroundings to his culinary advantage.

Chef Cathy Whims
Chef Cathy Whims opened Nostrana in 2005 and earned Best Restaurant of the Year by The Oregonian. Nostrana was raved about in Bon Appetit Magazine. Prior to co-opening Nostrana, Chef Cathy worked and eventually became co-owner at Genoa Italian restaurant. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she majored in Latin. Chef Cathy has studied under other prominent chefs such as Marcella and Victor Hazan in Venice and Madeleine Kamman at the School for American Chefs. She has also cooked with famous chefs such as Giancinto Albarello and Marco Forneris. Chef Cathy Whims was a James Beard Award finalist for "Best Chef Northwest" in 2009 and 2010.

Chef Andy Arndt
Chef Andy Arndt has over 20 years of cooking experience in some of the country's most acclaimed restaurants. Chef Andy attended the California Culinary Academy learning about seasonal ingredients in and around the Bay Area while also working at San Francisco's Boulevard. Moving on to award-winning Mc2 restaurant, Chef Andy learned French-Califronia Cuisine with a Japanese twist. Switching coasts, Chef Andy working with some of the best chefs in New York City at Union Pacific, March, and Gramercy Tavern. Most recently, he was an Executive Chef at Ojai Valley inn and Spa, where his locally inspired cuisine helped the resort win the AAA Five Diamond Award. Chef Andy is currently Executive Chef at Aquariva Restaurant where he has created an Italian-inspired menu using hand-selected Northwest ingredients.

Chef Bob Blumer
Food Network's host of The Surreal Gourmet, Chef Bob Blumer is one of today's most imaginative food personalities. Beginning with little formal training, Chef Bob wrote his first book, The Surreal Gourmet: Real Food for Pretend Chefs, which immediately gained a loyal following with his confidence-inspiring instructions, recommended in The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times Book Review as well as picked by the Book of the Month Club and Better Homes & Gardens Book Club. As his Surreal Gourmet cookbook series continued, Chef Bob made over 400 TV appearances on 3 continents. Off the Eaten Path: Inspired Recipes for Adventurous Cooks was awarded most innovative cookbook at the World Cookbook Fair in Perigueux, France after which he embarked on a 3-month trip where he promoted the book in 30 cities and was featured on CNN and in People magazine. Chef Bob dove into the world of wine, writing stories such as his personal account of running the Medoc marathon where participants sample fine wine at wineries along the way. His eccentric and imaginative food creations have helped him become one of Food Network's most loved chefs.

Chef Amy Roloff
Star of TLC's Little People, Big World, Amy Roloff has become an inspiration to viewers and fans through her inspirational speaking, philanthropy work, and incredible drive to be a great mom for her four children. Amy graduated with a BSBA form Central Michigan University in Personnel and Hospitality. In 2009 Amy founded and became the president of the non-profit Amy Roloff Charity Foundation helping youth at risk, kids with special needs, and other challenges. Through her hard work and determination, Amy's foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for those in need. Amy has appeared on numerous shows including Oprah, Good Morning America and Rachel Ray Show and continues to inspire millions through her motivation and living her life declaring, "I may be different but I can do what anyone else can do just in a different way."