Turning up the Heat: A TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team Cooking Challenge with Chef Damir Sertić

With World Master Chef Damir Sertić overseeing the action, the drivers vied for the title of ‘Monaco Master Chef’ in a stunning seafood showdown aboard a yacht.

 

Sertić, winner of the prestigious "International Culinary Artist Yi Yin Cup" in 2018, first lent his expertise to the drivers on land, as he accompanied them to the ‘La Pêcherie’ store where they handpicked the seafood that would star in their dishes. After making their selections, the team boarded the yacht, ready to showcase their culinary capabilities. 

 

Both drivers began strongly, as Damir closely supported his two Porsche protégés. Pascal was sure to flex the speed of his cooking to António:

“You want help? Because [my dish] is made in 25 minutes!”

Pascal’s tiger shrimp and linguine dish was the product of creative inspiration; with a sprinkle of culinary genius and a touch of kitchen flair, Pascal danced his way round the kitchen. Seasoning his meal with tomato, garlic, lemon, parsley, and gamba, he was also sure to cook to taste as he added salt and pepper. Where Wehrlein’s cooking displayed speed and power, Félix da Costa’s, however, was a show of patience and precision, as he cooked his fish delicately for over an hour. Only time, and the team of hungry jurors, would tell which approach was worthy of the title that both drivers’ careers had long been craving.

 

Sat with empty stomachs and high expectations, the three jurors (who also looked strangely similar to members of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) were first greeted by Pascal’s sensational dish. Upon serving, he seasoned his dish with a sprinkle of emotional flavour, informing the judges that his dish had in fact been inspired by a recipe belonging to his dear grandmother. 

 

Similarly keen to walk the jurors through the emotional journey of cooking seafood, António also dished up, eagerly stressing the passion poured into his masterpiece. The jurors had now been served both drivers’ dishes, and with Chef Sertić watching proudly, it was time for tasting.

 

With tension high and seafood cut, disaster soon struck for António; Juror #2 had found a bone in their dish, thus swinging their vote in Pascal’s favour. This, and the fact that António initially won Juror #1’s vote, now meant the drivers shared one vote a piece. All eyes fell on the third and final juror to see who’d be determined victor.

 

With the help of Damir, António’s last-minute plating changes proved crucial, both elevating his dish’s presentation and claiming Juror #3’s vote and therefore the much-coveted ‘Monaco Master Chef’ title. Whether the driver from Portugal, a country of extensive shorelines and seaside culture, was ever going to be beaten in a seafood challenge remains in question. However, one thing was for certain; the judges had been blown away by the incredible taste of both drivers’ dishes.

 

Félix da Costa then gleefully donned his victory apron, which sported his cooking moniker ‘The Codfather.’ Evidently, the jurors had been made a delicious offer they couldn’t refuse. 

 

All in all, the 2023 Monaco Formula E-Prix brought an unexpected level of offshore action. Both Pascal and António impressed not only the judges and onlookers with their skills, but also Damir, proving themselves capable of creating far more than just electric lap times. 

 

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is grateful to Chef Sertić for joining us in this challenge and providing valuable culinary insights to António and Pascal. We’re looking forward to seeing what delights future Monaco E-Prix weekends hold in store!

 

For those looking to emulate Pascal and António’s cooking performance, please see below:

Linguine with Tiger Shrimp à la Pascal:

Ingredients:

8 ounces linguine pasta
1 pound tiger shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook the linguine pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.

 

2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the tiger shrimp and sauté for about 1 minute.

3. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes until the shrimps have turned pink and opaque and the garlic is fragrant.

 

4. Remove the shrimp from the skillet.

5. Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook until they fall apart, about 10 minutes.

6. Add the cooked linguine and shrimp to the skillet and toss well to coat everything with the sauce. Cook for another minute to heat through, loosen the sauce with a dash of pasta water if needed.

 

7. Squeeze the lemon juice over the shrimp and tomatoes, then sprinkle with chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

8. Remove the skillet from heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

 

9. Serve the Tiger Shrimp Linguine in individual plates or a large serving dish.

 

‘The Codfather’ Special:

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets (any white fish, such as cod or tilapia)
3 onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced (optional, based on preference
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Rice, cooked (for serving)

Instructions:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
   
   
2. In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
   
   
3. Add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté until they become translucent and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
   
   
4. Add the sliced tomatoes and zucchini (if using) to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
   
5. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the pre-cooked onion and tomato mixture to a baking tray.
   
   
6. Arrange the fish fillets on top of the onion and tomato mixture in the baking tray.
   
   
7. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the fish and dot with butter to enhance the sauce.
   
   
8. Place the baking tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
   
   
9. While the fish is baking, prepare rice as a side dish according to your preferred method.
   
   
10. Once the fish is done, remove it from the oven and serve hot with the onion and tomato sauce spooned over the top.
    
    
11. Serve the baked fish alongside the cooked rice.