For culinary students hoping to one day earn the title of “chef” and survive in the professional kitchen, it’s important to have fundamental cooking skills, but possessing culinary knowledge —f rom culinary math to sanitation — is also key.
Six teams from several colleges in the West, including Kirkland’s Lake Washington Institute of Technology, will put their brainpower to the test March 12 in the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Western Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl.
The competition, sponsored by American Technical Publishers, takes place during ACF’s Western Regional Conference at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel Resort in Nevada on March 12-14.
The event is a “Jeopardy”-style tournament that tests students’ culinary knowledge. The competition is open to student teams from ACF chapters, apprenticeship programs and accredited schools. Each team has four players and one alternate. The winning team will advance to the national competition held in Orlando, Fla., in July. Here are the 2012 Western Region teams:
Washington
The following students representing Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland, who are members of ACF Washington State Chefs Association, will compete: Richard Hill, Crystal Medawar, Randall Poole, Sarah Ridges and Margaret Venema. The team is coached by Matthew DiMeo and Janet Shaffer, CWPC.
The following students representing Walla Walla Community College, who are members of ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter, will compete: Catherine Chapman, Kathleen Claymore, Nicole Hardin, Heidi Varney and Mark Young. The team is coached by Gregory Schnorr.
Alaska
The following students representing ACF Midnight Sun Chefs Association, Fairbanks, Alaska, will compete: Annalies Barnard, Joshua Broda, Sarah Kimball and Ryan Zesiger. The team is coached by Michael Roddey, CEC, CCE, M.S.Ed., CDM.
California
The following students representing The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California — Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Calif., who are members of ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California, will compete: Scott Anderson, Amanda Birch, Sean Carney, Alex Cook and Amy Romero. The team is coached by Daniel Drumlake, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC.
The following students representing ACF California Capital Chefs Association, who attend The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California — Sacramento, Sacramento, Calif., will compete: Michelle Berry, Fidel Carrillo, Megan McDermott, Jessica Padilla and Micha Stubblefield. The team is coached by Kathie Griley and Carol Thomas.
Colorado
The following students representing Pueblo Community College, Pueblo, Colo., will compete: Michele Brown, Jacob Greene-Merrion, Chaz Hargrove, Valerie Mascarenas and Desirae Montez. The team is coached by Chuck Becker and Benjamin Bedard.
Hundreds of chefs, food service professionals and students will attend this year’s culinary conference. There will be educational seminars, culinary demos, networking and social functions, culinary competitions, meal events and more.
For information, visit www.acfchefs.org/events or call (800) 624-9458.
