Firemen Sizzle, Chefs Fizzle at Cook Off by Barry Owens In the clattering kitchen of Tribeca Rooftop, a catering hall atop 2 Desbrosses Street, Firefighter Scott Liozzi looked over the tray of sizzling flank steaks-large as footballs and stuffed with layers of prosciutto, portobello mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and spinach-popped a fried onion into his mouth and smiled. "Just a little sample of how we eat at the firehouse," said Liozzi, of the Engine 28, Ladder 11 firehouse on the Lower East Side. "Now you know why we're always so fat." The dish's creator, Michael Tansey, a firefighter in the same house, sharpened his knife with a flourish and started to joke that the recipe was "just a little something he'd thrown together," but then thought better of it. "No, you know, I really busted my chops this year," he said. "Last year I lost to a meat loaf. And it was my recipe." And so began the Tribeca Cook Off, an annual cooking competition that pits firefighters against local chefs, using the firefighters' recipes. Now in its third year, the dinner, which raised money for the Tribeca Organization and the Fireman's Widow's and Orphan's Fund, drew a thinner crowd to Tribeca Rooftop on Nov. 9 than in years past, but the competition was just as heated. "We should have won last year," insisted Firefighter Billy Benitez with the Engine 7, Ladder 1 house on Duane Street. "I can't believe we lost to that meat loaf." Throughout the night diners sampled dishes, some balancing multiple plates as they returned to their tables. Meanwhile, a gang of celebrity judges made the rounds. Among them was Kandice Pelletier, a Rockette dancer who was fulfilling her first "official" duty as "Miss Manhattan" since she won the crown in March. "I've been talking to a lot of the guys, they're just so cute," she said of the firemen. And the food? "So good," she said. "And I'm so hungry." Later in the evening, judges adjourned to a lower floor to tally a winner, and the diners helped themselves to seconds of their favorite dishes. Among those who were there to eat was Joy Schonberger, an investment banker. "I'll probably reek of garlic for a week, but it was worth it," she said. When the judges returned, Carrie Starcher, executive chef at Layla, predicted defeat. "Firefighters, all the way," she said. And she was right. A clean sweep, with Tansey's stuffed flank steak coming out on top. Freshly crowned in a tiara from Miss Manhattan, a vindicated Tansey said he could finally put the "meat loaf incident" behind him. Firefighter Benitez, who's team has yet to win, tried to be positive. "At least it's for a good cause," he said.