After months of practice, FVTC Culinary Arts students are ready to bring their A-game to the table in a competition that promises all the intensity and drama of Top Chef.
The students are headed to Omaha, Nebraska, where they will compete in the American Culinary Federation (ACF) regional competition on March 29. They’ll test their culinary and teamwork skills, and their ability to perform under pressure in a high-stakes environment.
The team started practicing for the competition in January, which is a shorter preparation period than usual. While the team typically has more time to perfect their menus, this year they have been practicing weekly since the start of the spring semester to make up for the lost time.
For the competition, the team will prepare a four-course meal starting with a fish appetizer, followed by a pear and blue cheese salad, a duck entrée and a cherry dessert.
Participating in competitions like the ACF regionals provides students with hands-on experience that translates directly into their careers. “It gives them real-life experience in fine-tuning their time management and teamwork skills”, explains Chef Julia Steinheiser, Culinary Arts instructor. “We see students from our competition teams go on to be our industry leaders, both locally and out of state.”
The student competition team is an extracurricular opportunity. Students must first take the culinary competition class or, for baking students, the plated desserts class.
“It is very humbling to be willing to put yourself up for critique and correction,” says Chef Julia. “The students who step forward to do this understand the importance of always continuing to hone their skills learned in the classroom.”
The winner of the regional competition will then head to Las Vegas in July for the ACF national event. Established in 1929, ACF is the premier professional chefs’ organization in North America with more than 14,000 members in over 170 chapters nationwide.
Meet the Team
Team Members: Matt Wery, Joaquin Skenandore, Janet Ramirez, Angela Marcis and Tegan Nicolaus
Team Assistants: Joe Ognenoff, Grace Roth and Nels Anderson
Coaches: Chef Julia Steinhiser and Chef RC Schroeder
