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A-B Tech Culinary Team Wins Regional Competition, Headed for Nationals

A-B Tech's Hot Food Team won first place in the American Culinary Federation's Student Team Southeast Regional Competition. Pictured in the front row are team members Anna McClintock and Shannon Ginn. Back row, from left, are coaches Charles deVries, Michelle Kelley and John Hofland; team members Travis McCloud, Michael Aanonsen and Steven Goff.

A-B Tech's Hot Food team won first place in the American Culinary Federation's Student Team Southeast Regional Competition in Charlotte, securing their place in national competition for third time in the past four years.

The team competed against five other teams in the Southeast, including a team from Georgia coached by Chef Tim Thomas, a 1988 A-B Tech Culinary graduate.

The A-B Tech Hot Food Team menu consisted of a classic fish dish, Paupiettes de sole a la Trouvillaise. The salad entry was mixed greens with pine nut encrusted Brie; the entrée, roast pork tenderloin with potatoes and Swiss chard with apple brandy demi-glace; and dessert, hazelnut cream in a chocolate shell with raspberry sauce.

The garde manger platter, a selection of cold food, was popular with the judges according to Chef Charles deVries, Hospitality Education instructor. "The judges really loved the aroma and could smell it before they even walked in the room," he said. "This is a very cohesive group and they have become much closer the past few weeks. They realized what the pressure was like to take this on and they stepped up."

Team members are Michael Aanonsen, Shannon Ginn, Steven Goff, Anna McClintock and Travis McCloud. deVries serves as coach with Chefs John Hofland and Michelle Kelley.

A team from A-B Tech won the national title in 2007. Last year, the A-B Tech team took second place at the regional level. "Four of the five team members competed last year when we lost by .06 points. It was a real Cinderella story to see them come back to take first place," Hofland said. "The food reflected a level of expertise that you would not generally see in a student venue. They made their coaches very proud."

"I had the opportunity to speak with some of the spectators who viewed the event and the general consensus was the team looked well-prepared and professional and the plates showed finesse and elegance," Kelley said.

Four regional teams will meet in Orlando, FL., in July to compete for top national honors by preparing and serving 24 plates of four courses within four hours.

Culinary Technology Program

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