FAIRLEA — Phillip Bricker, a young chef with a zest for making ice cream, has captured the 2007 WV Recipe Challenge. The competition was Saturday at the State Fair of West Virginia.

Last year’s winner of the Recipe Challenge, Darrell Vowell of Glenwood, was awarded first place in the existing business category this year. Vowell owns Cowboy Cook ’n Barbecue based in Huntingon.

“I’m very excited,” said Bricker, one of 12 aspiring entrepreneurs vying for top honors.

“People are happy when they eat ice cream,” said Bricker, explaining why he selected one of America’s most popular products for his new business venture. The business will be named The Wooden Spoon, he said.

Bricker, sous chef at Berry Hills Country Club in Charleston, has been making ice cream for four years. He brought five varieties to the State Fair competition along with three sorbets.

According to the soft-spoken entrepreneur, the sassafras and lemon balm ice cream is his favorite.

“It’s like a root beer without the float,” he explained.

It was Bricker’s fresh mint and chocolate flavor which caught the attention of the judges.

“It was the best (ice cream) I’ve tasted, and the judges thought so, too,” said Rod Stoner, former vice president of food and beverage at the Greenbrier Resort and Club Management Company in White Sulphur Springs.

Stoner was joined on the judges panel by Teresa Halloran, marketing specialist, foods, W.Va. Department of Agriculture, and Joe Re’ (Ray), chef at Smokey’s on the Gorge.

West Virginia peach and praline; blackberry wine and black walnut; and wild berry, made with Splenda, as well as a trio of sorbets, mountaineer, pawpaw and West Virginia wild berry, were showcased in the competition along with the sassafras and lemon balm and fresh mint and chocolate ice cream.

Since winning the 2006 WV Recipe Challenge, Vowell has established a business selling three flavors of barbecue.

Vowell, who won last year’s award with vacuum-packed pork ribs fully cooked, has expanded his business.

“The contest made my dream a reality,” he said.

“We’re selling three flavors of barbecue and we have three more coming out,” noted Vowell. Other products under the Cowboy Cook ’n Co. label are spice rubs, pulled pork, heat-and-eat ribs, pulled chicken and smoked brisket.

As the winner of the 2007 WV Recipe Challenge, Bricker will receive more than $10,000 through technical services, a business plan course, consultations, gifts of food/ingredients, packaging materials and WV Grown labeling, and a set of cookware.

Also featured at the WV Recipe Challenge was a Chef Cook Off between Roy Linch of Tamarack and Ryan Houghton from Tavern 1785 in Lewisburg. Houghton took home the Golden Tong Award in the one-hour competition, which required the chefs to create a dish using tuna, which was the mystery item.

Sponsors of the 2007 WV Recipe Challenge were West Virginia State University Extension, Mountain Bounty Kitchen, West Virginia Department of Agriculture and the State Fair of West Virginia.