Coming Soon to a Table Near You

What’s cooking at your house this summer? If you’re the parent of a budding Julia Child or Wolfgang Puck, don’t be surprised if the answer is Chicken Kiev, Steak au Poivre, or a spicy seafood paella. Not only is The Food Channel garnering an escalating share of teen and tween fans but today’s junior crowd – the product of a generation that doesn’t always have time to take family meals together – is also discovering that the average kitchen can cook up more magic than a semester at Hogwart’s.

The alchemy that can occur when young adults have the opportunity to study the art of cooking is a phenomenon not lost on the California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA) in Pasadena, California. In its annual “Future Chef of America” event sponsored by Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, applicants from regional high schools are selected to step up to the plate, turn up the heat and compete for culinary accoutrements and scholarship money to be applied toward an enviable education at this popular and prestigious institution.

Of the 80 applicants who tossed their chefs’ hats into the ring this past spring via essays and instructor referrals, 10 were chosen for the hands-on “final” – a 90 minute test in which each student was required to prepare and present a two-course signature dish consisting of an appetizer or salad and a chicken entrée accompanied by a vegetable or starch.

This competition is a testament to these students’ culinary dreams and aspirations,” said Megan Manion, director of marketing for CSCA. “California School of Culinary Arts wants to reward hard-working students and give them a chance to showcase their passion and skills in the kitchen.” Prospective candidates were required to write a 200-word essay expressing their goals and professional aspirations in the culinary industry. A pre-competition seminar hosted by CSCA for the finalists on April 17 enabled them to familiarize themselves with the contest rules and the professional kitchens at the school.

For the invited family and friends assembled in the adjoining dining room of “561” Restaurant on Green Street to await the judges’ decision, the tension is thick enough to cut with a chef’s knife. Informally dubbed “The Iron Chef Junior”, each student’s work is evaluated on the basis of appearance, taste, creativity, and the proper use of ingredients and equipment (including safety practices).

As if all this pressure weren’t enough for them to contend with, the entrants are required to produce two identical plates – one of which will be used for the judges’ taste test and the other which will be used for photo ops. Being able to replicate the exact infrastructure and flavor of a dish is essential, of course, if culinary graduates plan to work in an environment where they’ll need to turn out specific dishes thousands of times a year.

On May 12th, the finalists began their day at 8 a.m. sharp in the expansive kitchen labs with the actual competition commencing one hour later under the watchful eyes of Chef Jeffrey Haines, Chef Jennifer Toomey and Chef Fred Jean-Marie. This year’s young chefs – all seniors from Los Angeles County high schools – included Elizabeth Alarcon of Lancaster, CA – Desert Sands High School; Brooke Allen of Burbank, CA – John Burroughs High School; Joshua Buan of Torrance, CA – Torrance High School; Luz Alejandra Gomez of Inyokern, CA – Sherman E. Burroughs High School; Sofia Hernandez of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA – Palos Verdes Peninsula High School; Sarah Keys of Torrance, CA – Rolling Hills Prep; Christopher Madrid of Santa Ana, CA – Santa Ana High School; Linda Mepokee of Burbank, CA – Burbank High School; Charmel Newell of Harbor City, CA – Narbonne High School; and Amanda Sage of Riverside, CA – Canyon High School.

Remember these names, we advise, since it’s only a matter of time that you’ll see them embroidered on a chef’s coat at a dining establishment in the near future.

The top honor this year was taken by Sarah Keys, who dazzled the judges with an apple crisp salad (iceberg lettuce with apples and onions) with orange vinaigrette, Chicken Scaloppini with pasta, and her own Alfredo sauce recipe with spinach and garlic. Keys will be starting her culinary education at the California School of Culinary Arts this summer. She has been dominating the culinary scene over the past few months, winning first place at CSCA’s Tarte Aux Pommes (Apple Pie) Baking Contest and third place at CSCA’s Chili Cook-off. She hopes to one day have her own show on the Food Network (following in the footsteps of her idols Emeril Lagasse and Rachael Ray) and be a role model for young aspiring chefs.

Summarizing the judges’ decision, Haines explained, “Sarah Keys entered the competition with a high level of confidence which showed in the finished plate. She created top-quality food and showed an understanding of placement and proportion. During production, she demonstrated excellent organization, time management and awareness of hygiene in the kitchen.”

Keys herself was ecstatic and misty-eyed during the presentation. , “It’s a blessing. It has been my dream to win this competition, and it just goes to show that dreams really do come true.”

Sofia Hernandez took second place with a roasted red pepper stuffed with mushroom and

jalapeno with red pepper Coulis, a Chicken Roulade with roasted bell peppers and

spinach with lemon crème pasta and sautéed carrots. Hernandez relates that she enjoys the intensity of the high-volume catering industry, recently won first place at CSCA’s Chili Cook-off and hopes to run her own catering business after completing her culinary education.

Rounding out the winners’ circle was Joshua Buan in third place. Buan, a football player who turned down several scholarships in order to pursue his culinary career, prepared an apple and orange salad with balsamic vinaigrette, herb roasted chicken with Spanish rice and stir fried vegetables.

Awards for all finalists include scholarship prizes, gift certificates for books, a monogrammed chef’s jacket and a monogrammed chef’s knife. Scholarships range from $750 to $2,000 toward enrollment at the California School of Culinary Arts.

California School of Culinary Arts (Le Cordon Bleu Program) in Pasadena offers students a hands-on educational experience with a superior faculty dedicated to providing students with the necessary skills, knowledge, support and guidance for the successful development of a career in the culinary arts. For more information, go to www.csca.edu.

Photo from left to right: Chef instructor Jennifer Toomey, Joshua Buan, Chef instructor Fred Jean-Marie, Sarah Keys, CSCA Executive Chef Angela Goodman, Sofia Hernandez, Chef instructor Jeffrey Haines.