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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Hospitality Management Hosts Culinary Competition


Mark your calendars for a culinary delight here at MCC! Area high school students in culinary courses will compete April 1 for the best cuisine of eastern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula. In its fifth year, this professionally-judged competition at Monroe Community College helps motivate the students to pursue hospitality management careers.

“Students put their coursework into action and learn first-hand what it takes to become a chef,” said Nancy Schlinger, Technical Education coordinator for MCC. “The students put so much effort into this competition. And they do it all on their own; their teachers aren’t even allowed in the kitchen.”

Students begin cooking at 9 a.m. The public is welcome to taste their creations and get copies of their recipes beginning at 11 a.m. in Reflections restaurant on MCC’s Brighton Campus. Awards will be presented about 1 p.m.

Eight teams of three students each are allotted two hours to prepare three courses from one of the geographic regions (eastern Europe including Poland, Russia and Romania or the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal). Students can earn up to 100 points in two areas of judging, on their recipes, and on a report about their cuisine and how it relates to the chosen region.

Seven professionals will judge the students in the kitchens of MCC’s Hospitality Department on their skills using knives, sanitation skills, mise en place (preparatory work), presentation, appropriateness of portion size, use of seasonal ingredients from the chosen region, and texture, color, flavor and garnish. Judges provide comments and suggestions to the students as part of the learning exercise.

The judges comprise Gregory Christo, executive chef, culinary arts program, SUNY Brockport; Lisa Cunliffe, executive chef, Jonathan’s Choice (Chef of the Year 2006); Salvatore Ferreri, executive chef, LiDestri Foods; Christine Hellman, executive chef, Wegmans; James Neuman, pastry chef, Genesee Valley Club; Thomas Passaretti, an executive chef; Michael Redmond, executive chef, Genesee Valley Club.

Past Winners:
2004
First Place: Genesee Valley BOCES at Mt. Morris
Second Place: WeMoCo in Spencerport – Team A
Third Place: Genesee Valley BOCES at Batavia

2003
First Place: Genesee Valley BOCES at Mt. Morris
Second Place: Genesee Valley BOCES at Batavia
Third Place: WEMOCO – Team A

2002
First Place: Genesee Valley BOCES at Batavia
Second Place: Genesee Valley BOCES at Mt. Morris
Third Place: Eastern Monroe Career Center – Team A

2001
First Place: Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center
Second Place: Edison Tech and Occupational Education Center
Third Place: WEMOCO – Team B

Dianne E McConkey
Public Affairs
03/14/2005