January 11, 2006

The A-B Tech Hot Food Team took first place and a gold medal at the N.C. State Junior Hot Food Competition Saturday, Jan. 7, at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte.

This is the eighth win in nine years for the A-B Tech team at the American Culinary Federation state competition. The team will advance to the Southeast Regional competition Feb. 26-March 1 in Savannah, GA, with a chance to compete nationally.

"This win is very sweet,” said Chef Bronwen McCormick, culinary instructor, and one of the team coaches. “I think we have a chance to go all the way." Chef Charles deVries, Baking and Pastry Arts instructor, also served as coach.

“We had a great time,” deVries said. “They were clean, efficient and organized. They have been practicing for so long, that they were a cohesive unit. We received some great, positive feedback from the judges. We have some fine-tuning to do, and a short time to get ready for the Southeast Regional, but they should be able to pull it off. I have a lot of confidence they will be ready for the next one.”

“I thought the competition went very well,” said McCormick. “I was pleased with the level of professionalism the students showed. They were classy and represented A- B Tech well. They were very poised and had a lot of fun.”

The team members practiced while the culinary program was moving into a new building on campus, where they had to use different kitchens due to one not having water at the time, and another having no gas. “They have been very flexible, “ she said. “It helped them to walk into competition and deal with the unknown.”

Members of the team are captain Mark Hutchins, Adam Cole, Nell Flemer, Jason Huang, Marla Leblow, and second alternate Matt Gruber. Hutchins, Cole, and McCormick were also on the 2004 winning team.

Hot food competitors are judged on such criteria as the flavor, taste, texture and doneness of their foods; serving methods; portion sizes and creativity. Floor judges also evaluate their organization, sanitation, teamwork, workflow, and cooking techniques and knife skills.

The team served pan seared striped bass filet for the appetizer, followed by a mixed greens salad with a shiitake mushroom and triple cream cheese Napoleon and an apple wood-smoked bacon vinaigrette. The entrée was chicken roulade with mushroom duxelles, fennel sausage, dilled tourneed cucumbers, horseradish gnocchi and roasted chicken sauce. Dessert was Matsu apple timbale with goat’s milk caramel, sourwood honey-blackberry sauce and lime crème fraiche.

Culinary teams from A-B Tech have won gold medals at the state level from 1997-2001, 2003 and 2004. Teams received a silver medal at the national competition in 1997 and 2003, making the A-B Tech team one of the “Top Four” nationally.