Mock competition - 3

Judging

Salads are first up.

Jill Smith offers a brief overview, saying, “I don’t see anyone here struggling with basics. When you hear everyone’s critique, you’ll know what’s wrong, and how to correct it.

“In the competitions, judges will pick up the plate, look from all angles. They’ll shake and tip the salad to see if it leaks at all.”

The salads are supposed to be dressed, and then the vegetables are strained into a

cheesecloth, and then a towel is used to soak out the last bit of liquids.

“You need to taste each dish all along the way,” Jill adds.

Paul picks up a salad and uses a tasting spoon for a small bite “I get a lot of oil from this.”

He moves to the next plate. “Cilantro. There needs to be more

of it.”

“I’d describe this as flat,” Jill says. “It needs to pop. Make sure you read the recipe and practice.”

“You need to get the taste back here,” she gestures to the back of her throat. “You have to be able to say it’s good – and I think this needs a little salt.”

“This one, though,” Paul says, “is perfect.” And Branden K., from Thunderbird High School, flashes a big grin.

On to omelets. “The judges will look for absolutely no browning,” Jill begins.

“The edges should be really clean, and when you roll the omelet out, there should be no egg left in the pan. Here –“ she picks up a plate and displays it – “this is the clean look you want, and inside,” as she begin to break into the omelet, she smiles a bit, “inside, it should be like a scramble, and creamy.”

Paul has been busy checking omelets and delivers a verdict. “I’d say these were all seconds away from perfect – and they all have good flavor!”

Mock competition - 2

Watching the work

“Organize, organize, organize.”

Dean Wilberscheid, culinary arts instructor at Metro Tech High School, Phoenix, assessed the action in Paradise Valley’s kitchen.

“It’s about skills,” he continues. “If you don’t have good posture, hold your knife properly, have a good cutting technique, you’ll get fatigued faster.

Skills are critical because, he explains, “In a professional kitchen, you need to have technique and skills down perfectly – or you won’t be able to stand up to the demands.”

He watches carefully for good technique and organization, and notes that he makes a point of telling new students that if they like to cook, they don’t belong in culinary classes. “But if they want a great career in the industry, this is the place.”

One more thing, Dean adds. “Obviously, we want it to taste good.”

In the salads, Paul Hushek says, he’ll be looking for uniformity of cuts, whether the cups are filled just to the top of the cup – and taste. “You want to be building and layering your flavors,” he counsels.

It’s 35 minutes in to the competition. “Are you getting ready to plate salads?” Jill asks.

The students begin working to finish and clean their stations, while Jill gets eggs ready for them. “You can make a tow or three-egg omelet,” she says, “and I suggest you use the gas stove since that is what you will use in the ‘real’ competition.”

A classic French omelet is fat in the middle, tapered at the ends, with a perfect, light color and no wrinkles.

“Let the pan do the work,” Paul urges. “Don’t be afraid to pick up the plate.”

Several students struggle to get their omelet released from its pan. When it hits the plate, they quickly grab a small towel, pushing gently to encourage their omelet to a better shape.

Jesus C., from Metro Tech, exudes confidence. He’s practiced the salad nearly a dozen times, and has been making an omelet daily for weeks.

“If you do it with passion,” he smiles, “it will work.”

Mock competition at Paradise Valley High School - 1

Competition begins

At 3:15, almost everyone in Patty Nadzieja’s culinary arts classroom/kitchen is looking a little nervous.

Paul Hushek, an active member and past president of ACF Chef’s Association of Arizona, is the notable exception.

That’s because he was there to judge, and he was looking do

wnright cheerful when he arrived.

Jill Smith, executive director of C-CAP Arizona, welcomed everyone and quickly reviewed competition protocols – how to set up, what the student chefs had to do and what teachers and what teachers and judges would do.

“Here are some things judges will look for – and you can take my advice or not,” she begins.

“You need to be in uniform, black or checked pants, no tennis shoes – you can get a pair of shoes at WalMart or Payless, they’ll be fine.

“Look professional. That means no make up, no perfume, no (long) nails or nail polish. No jewelry, and your hair needs to be in a hat.

"Shoes and sanitation are big points. You need to err on the side of caution and not lose points needlessly.”

She reminds the students that judges also make direct comments, ask questions and even make suggestions as they work. “You do not need to stop to answer them during competition, and you do not need to change your work.”

Besides looking closely at technique, skill levels, and abilities to present attractive, tasty dishes, Jill notes that at all competitions, judges will also assess students’ “potential for the industry.”

“The judges will also look for your level of nervousness,” she says, “because there’s a difference between being nervous and ready to work, or nervous and not prepared.

“There are no tricks, no traps. But practice, practice, practice – and do not stop cooking during the competition.

“I’m glad I’m not a judge,” Jill concludes. “I get to know all of you during these sessions and it would be too hard. Now – I’ll call time and then call out 25 minutes and we will count each minute from there.”

A few minutes later, she calls out, “Begin.” Everyone moves quickly and efficiently, arranging stations, picking up knives.

What's cooking at C-CAP

It looks so simple. But every professional chef can tell you that the dish that looks the most simple can require exacting skill, technique and talent to be perfect.

Unlike popular television competitions, C-CAP doesn’t ask students to show their talents at creating new recipes. C-CAP asks these novice chefs to demonstrate how well they’re mastering basics, how well they can organize, prepare, cook and present four examples of classic cuisine.

The techniques needed to put together the tomato, cucumber and bell pepper salad showcase several important aspects of food preparation

This salad requires a dice of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, allowing students to show their knife skills in creating precise, jewel-like cubes and even, thin but not paper-like cucumber slices.

(See the composed salads displayed, above, right, after the Canyon del Oro culinary class practiced them late last week.)

This salad requires a dice of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, allowing students to show their knife skills in creating precise, jewel-like cubes and even, thin but not paper-like cucumber slices.

Because the tomato is peeled, it also requires timing in scalding, so that it can be diced without tearing or becoming mushy.

Preparing the salad dressing demands attention to building and balancing flavors, and paying strict attention to the techniques needed to assure good taste and good presentation.

Preparing a perfect French omelet tests technique, organization, speed and the ability to handle routine pressure (as any person who’s struggled with rolling that omelet out of the pan will concede).

You can find the recipes for the salad and the omelet at www.ccapinc.org/locations/arizona/2009/08/competition-recipes.php

This week...

Mock competitions have begun!

We’ll be covering several of these, so keep an eye out for on-the-scene reports and photos later this week!

Why compete?

It’s all about the dough.

Let’s be real about this. C-CAP might as well spell opportunity – an opportunity to both prove yourself as a skilled, capable (budding) chef, and an opportunity to jump-start serious training for a big-time career.

“My students have won from $1,000 to $72,000,” says Peoria High School’s culinary arts teacher Roselyn Richard.

But it takes determination, dedication, practice – and choices. C-CAP’s competitions fall just after Peoria’s spring break.

For Richard’s students, that means making a choice between time off or time practicing.

“Jill (Smith, executive director of C-CAP in Arizona) told them you need to make the salad and the omelet at least 50 times. They have the recipes,” Richard explains, “but getting the balance, the setting – it takes some initiative to keep at it until you have it down exactly.

“The student who won the big scholarship came to talk with the current class and said, ‘Look at it this way – spring break or $72,000. You guys decide.’”

Practice, practice, practice - Practices begin

It’s like getting to Carnegie Hall. Winning any competition takes practice, practice, practice.

For high school juniors and seniors with crammed and jammed schedules, taking time to (again) dice another pound of carrots or potatoes demands real commitment.

“They have to have the passion and be willing to compete,” says Laurel Krinke, culinary arts teacher at Mountain View High School in Tucson.

“Our students are excellent. Even though it’s time consuming and there’s a lot of pressure.”

Tracey Fierros, chef at the luxurious Canyon Ranch spa and resort, led the Jan 15 group practice at Mountain View.

Thirty students participated, Ms. Krinke said, and “They did great. Tracey is really good in giving the kids helpful critiques, telling them what went right and what wasn't - and why.

"We don’t practice endlessly (in class). If they understand the competition, they know if they need more practice (on their own).”

Ms. Krinke’s students range from those who’ve “never really been in a kitchen” to those who are already working in the hospitality industry, a circumstance that she said allows for spirited give and take in the classroom.

“It’s fun watching the passion the kids develop, and to see it grow. It takes perseverance to be able to build in time and focus to be in this kind of intense competition.

“Intense – but fun.”

C-CAP in Arizona

Nearly 60 high schools are currently participating in Arizona’s C-CAP program, and it’s expected that nearly 100 students will be a part of this year’s competition to win partial or full scholarships to culinary programs across the country. Typically, C-CAP Arizona awards around $500,000 in scholarships annually.

Culinary students in Arizona’s program are already in gear for the competitions. With preliminaries beginning in less than three weeks, practices began this past week and are intense. Besides completing applications and essays, students will also participate in individual interviews before decisions are made.

Of course, there’s also that cooking competition to survive. Students will need to display their skills and talents in the kitchen, turning out precise renditions of several classic presentations. Stay tuned for more on practice and competition survival!

Arizona C-Cap really starts cooking

What’s C-CAP?

Started in 1990 by cookbook author and educator Richard Grausman, the Careers through Culinary Arts Program works with public schools to help students find career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. With around 200 high schools participating in the program, nearly $30 million in scholarships has been awarded since the program’s inception.

Besides scholarships, C-CAP provides participating high school culinary programs with needed supplies, and offers training and curriculum programs through cooking competitions, teacher training, job shadowing, job training, internships, college advising and career guidance.

Currently, C-CAP operates in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Hampton Roads, Va., Washington, D.C., Prince Georges Count, Md., and throughout the state of Arizona.