Aspiring Future Chefs Taste Victory at Monroe College's Annual "America's Best High School Chef" Competition

Talented high school chefs and pâtissiers from along the east coast impressed the judges with their creativity, knowledge, and skills

BRONX, N.Y., March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The sweet taste of victory was on the menu earlier this month as high school students interested in culinary and pastry careers took over the Culinary Arts Center for Monroe College's annual "America's Best High School Chef" (ABHSC) competition.

This popular event, which has a culinary and pastry track, was held on Saturday, March 4. It once again attracted some of the nation's most promising high school chefs and pâtissiers, each one focused on demonstrating their creativity, knowledge, and undeniable skills to hopefully win a generous scholarship to attend Monroe's Culinary Institute of New York (CINY).

CINY's accomplished faculty, led by Dean Frank Costantino, served as the judging panel. Congratulations to this year's incredibly talented winners:

Culinary Track

FIRST PLACE: Mia Avila (High School of Hospitality Management / New York)
SECOND PLACE: Jasmine Guzman (Harry S. Truman High School / New York)
THIRD PLACE: Kayla Atkins (Food and Finance High School / New York)

Pastry Track

FIRST PLACE: Nylah White (Food and Finance High School / New York)
SECOND PLACE: Jacklyn Kirchberger (Half Hollow Hills High School / New York)
THIRD PLACE: Wendy Pesantez (Peekskill High School / New York)

The students earning first place each won a scholarship valued at $65,600. The second place winners won scholarships valued at $48,000, while the third place winners won scholarships valued at $40,000. All other participants earned a partial scholarship valued at $24,000 to attend Monroe, a reflection of how impressed the judges were with their incredible submissions. Scholarship values are based on continued attendance across eight semesters.

The 13 students invited to participate in the ABHSC culinary competition this year began by demonstrating core food preparation competencies in the Basic Skills Round. Dean Costantino was so impressed with the students' skills in that round that he invited all of them to the semi-final Salad Basket Round, which required the students to prepare a creative salad dish using a list of assigned ingredients. The top four students from that round then moved on to the final Mystery Basket Round, which required them to prepare two identical servings of an entrée of their choosing, using only the select ingredients designated by the judges.

For the pastry track, the competition featured eight budding pâtissiers who were selected to compete after previously submitting their signature dessert recipe for consideration. During the contest, participants prepared two portions of their upscale, restaurant-quality dessert within a 90-minute timeframe. The dish had to include five key components: the main item, a sauce, a cookie or crisp item, chocolate, and fruit.

"While our 'America's Best High School Chef' competition always attracts many of the best of the best, we were especially impressed by the skills, creativity, and true passion of this year's participants," said Dean Frank Costantino, EdD CEC CCE CCA AAC. "These future restauranteurs and culinary leaders have very promising careers ahead of them indeed if their dishes at our event are any indication."

This is the 14th year that the College hosted its "America's Best High School Chef" competition. First introduced in 2008, the event was on hiatus in 2020 and held virtually in 2021.

Interested in participating next year? Reach out to Dean Frank Costantino for more information at [email protected].

ABOUT THE CULINARY INSTUTUTE OF NEW YORK AT MONROE COLLEGE
The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College is an award-winning, nationally recognized culinary institute that provides students with a combination of theoretical education and hands-on experience in culinary arts, pastry arts, and hospitality management. With facilities designed to simulate the kitchens of restaurants, hotels, and large production operations, students receive personal instruction and mentorship from a faculty of ACF-certified chefs and experienced industry professionals who are committed to their success.

Past winners of CINY's annual America's Best High School Chef Competition have gone on to excel in their culinary education, honing their skills in numerous American Culinary Federation contests.

Since 2009, CINY has produced award-winning culinary teams, students, faculty and staff, as well as a critically acclaimed student-run restaurant, The Dining Lab, which was described as a "training ground for students" by The Wall Street Journal and "the little kitchen that could" by The New York Times. Monroe's culinary program has won more than 1,000 American Culinary Federation medals to date. More information, including admissions criteria, is available online.

ABOUT MONROE COLLEGE
Founded in 1933, Monroe College is a recognized leader in educating first-generation and international students. The College is proud of its innovative programs to increase college access, affordability, and completion outcomes, and the recognition it has received nationally for its impact on students' social mobility.

Monroe educates more than 8,000 students each year, offering Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's, and Master's degree programs from New York campuses in the Bronx and New Rochelle, as well as in the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia. Students may also pursue degree programs through Monroe Online.

Programs are offered through Schools of Allied Health Professions, Business and Accounting, Criminal and Social Justice, Education, Hospitality Management, Information Technology, and Nursing, as well as through its King Graduate School. Liberal arts and continuing education programs are also available. For more information and admissions criteria, please visit http://www.monroecollege.edu.

# # #

Media Contact

Jackie Ruegger, Monroe College, 914-740-6455, [email protected]

Twitter

SOURCE Monroe College