NCAA® Coaches Face Off at LG Coaches' Cook-Off(TM) During Final Four® Weekend

Competition Judged by Celebrity Chef Tim Love in LG Kitchen at Bracket Town(TM)

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Apr 05, 2011, 05:39 ET

HOUSTON, April 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jay Wright, head coach of the Villanova University men's basketball team, and Jamie Dixon, University of Pittsburgh head coach, traded in their playbooks for aprons today at the LG Coaches' Cook-off™ during NCAA® Final Four® weekend. LG Electronics USA, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, hosted the competition and donated $5,000 in the participating coaches' names to Coaches vs. Cancer, a program that unites the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches in the fight against cancer.

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The coaches brought their competitive spirit off the court and into the LG Kitchen at Bracket Town™ Refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero™, the NCAA® Final Four® ultimate fan fest, where celebrity chef and Texas native Tim Love served as head referee. After some intense chopping, seasoning and sautéing, Chef Love judged the coaches' dishes and crowned Coach Dixon of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers the winner.

"It feels great to be the winner of the LG Coaches' Cook-off. It was a lot of fun and for a great cause that Jay and I are both heavily involved with," said Coach Dixon. "The competition was far more stressful than going up against Jay in basketball – I definitely feel more comfortable on the court! I will use this win on the recruiting trail when we go head-to-head against each other!"

With just 20 minutes on the clock, the coaches were tasked with preparing a grilled New York strip, grilled artichokes with a chili-mustard aioli and a Yukon gold potato puree. Both coaches, who appeared on behalf of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), were supported by a student sous chef from the Culinary Institute LeNotre in Houston, as they competed side-by-side in a kitchen fully-equipped with premium LG appliances including four-door French Door Refrigerators, induction cooktops, double wall ovens and microwave ovens. The coaches were judged on teamwork, creativity, presentation, and the flavor of their dishes.

Coach Wright was gracious in defeat: "The LG Coaches' Cook-off was awesome – Jamie gave me some great competition. I didn't get him this time, but it came right down to the wire!"

Chef Love is the owner of the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and Love Shack restaurants in Texas, where he has earned national acclaim for his signature "urban western" cuisine. Perhaps most recognized for his frequent appearances on the CBS Early Show and his victorious battle on Food Network's Iron Chef America, Chef Love praised each of the coaches for their intensity and sportsmanship during the competition: "Judging the LG Coaches' Cook-off for the second year at Bracket Town was a lot of fun. With only 20 minutes on the clock and two amateur cooks in the kitchen, the pressure was on! It came down to one last bite and I had to go with Coach Dixon – not only did he have the best looking dish, but he also finished within the allotted time."

The LG Kitchen is the centerpiece of LG's 4,500 square foot exhibit at the Bracket Town fan experience throughout Final Four weekend, an interactive area that features fun activities that incorporate products from LG's home entertainment, home appliance and mobile phone categories. Highlights include a "Buzzer Beater Obstacle Course" featuring the latest laundry and vacuum products, and a "3D Me" display that allows fans to see themselves in 3D displayed on next-generation 3D TV technology, "LG Cinema 3D" HDTVs.

"LG is thrilled to offer Bracket Town attendees from all over the country the ultimate fan experience from basketball themed giveaways to take home, and LG 'Courtside Seats' to watch the games, to the fan-favorite Coaches' Cook-off that gives back to a great cause," said Peter Reiner, senior vice president, marketing, LG Electronics USA. "The LG Coaches' Cook-off emphasizes competition and good sportsmanship, as well as offers an opportunity for college basketball fans to see some of their favorite coaches compete off the court and put on a new game face."

Reiner said the coaches, who proudly represented the Big East conference, were indeed good sports, bringing humor and competitive spirit to the 2011 LG Coaches' Cook-off, while supporting Coaches vs. Cancer.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.

About the NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led non-profit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions—AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola—and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners—Buick, Enterprise, The Hartford, Infiniti, LG, Lowe's, Planters, Reese's, Unilever and UPS.

CONTACTS: John I. Taylor (847) 941-8181, [email protected]
Clara Chang (201) 816-2011, [email protected]
Kristin Sommers (973) 715-3230, [email protected]

SOURCE LG Electronics USA