High intensity, more focus

And a little tension, too, as 24 students open the first heat of the second preliminary with a scramble to find eggs and a plate for omelets.

They look ready, they look organized and the first omelets begin leaving the kitchen almost before the judges have completed double circuits of the industrial-size kitchen at East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa.

In short order, omelets are dissected, flipped open, pulled apart, tasted.  On to salads, where everyone seems to have a different game plan.

POSH restaurant owner and chef Josh Hebert has joined the five judges from the week past.  Five of the students competing this week work for him; so far, they all seem to be overcoming nerves.

“No tentative moves, good concentration,” he observes during his strolling.

Other judges note “a lot of waste here,”  and “I’m hearing a lot of dull knives out there.”

Then, “Even with dull knives, the cuts look good,” Chef Glenn Humphrey observes.

C-CAP director Jill Smith reminds everyone there are 65 seniors competing this year, and so far she has just enough cash for 30 scholarships. 

It’s a stiff competition all around this year, with Chef Ron Kindsfater, publisher of Restaurateur of Arizona, saying, “I haven’t yet seen anyone I would tell to quit.”

As salads in this heat are judged, these students still look energized, not even slumping as the judges remind them that practice makes a difference – and the final competition is looming.

In minutes, students are crowding into the kitchen for the final heat of the day and the end of the preliminaries. 

They’re moving a bit faster than the first group, ample demonstration that high school students aren’t really awake before 10 a.m. on any day, whether they’re in competition or class.

Chef Glenn’s admonished them to “Give us you’re a game!” even as he adds one more bit of advice:  “And have a good time!”

Not so easy, as is clear from the sober expressions around the kitchen. 

They really are moving faster, too.  Omelets begin pouring out in a stream, and nearly everyone pushes to get stations cleaned and prepped to start on salads. 

The judges circle and circle, writing and writing, tasting and tasting.   Several students pick up the hint, and follow up on each taste. 

It’s hard to realize, though, that each judge is also assessing appearance.  Messy cutting board?  No apron?  Swiping a presentation plate with a cleanup towel?  Ding.  Ding,  Ding.

Still, every student gains admiration “just for the guts to get up, get here and compete.  There are an awful lot of their peers who are still in bed.”

It’s over – except for the waiting.

Jill reminds everyone that emails will be out Monday.  Thirty seniors and 10 juniors will be set to compete in the final competition on March 13 at the Arizona Culinary Institute in Scottsdale.

Meanwhile, the judges concur.  “Practice, practice.  Practice knife skills.  Practice organization.  Practice the recipes.  Make sure your knives are sharp.  And taste.  Taste everything.”