Many Institute of Culinary Education students are familiar with "Chopped," "Hell's Kitchen," "Top Chef," and the myriad other cooking competition shows on TV. But, this year at 91߹, students themselves got to compete in order to win some huge prizes.
On September 25, 91߹ hosted its first Student Culinary Competition in over five years at the New York City campus. There, three students competed in a live cook-off event in front of a panel of esteemed judges and fellow students.
This year's event was created and run by Chef Barry Tonkinson, Vice President of Culinary Operations at 91߹. Chef Barry says cooking competitions such as this one can help students practice and prepare for their professional careers.
“Getting used to the pressure of the competition emulates the restaurant world. Competitions were the first time I experienced that pressure,” he says.
Competitions also reinforce the importance of time management, organization, and quick decision-making – all skills that can help staff succeed when working in a fast-paced kitchen. The time crunch of a competition mimics the rush before and during service. Students needed to stay calm and composed while cooking efficiently — skills that may come in handy in many kitchen environments.
In order to be considered for the competition, students at 91߹'s New York campus were invited to submit:
- An original recipe
- A detailed description of the recipe
- The recipe's prep and plating methods
- A photo of the final dish
The submissions were evaluated by a group of 91߹ judges. The recipes could not be an imitation of another recipe, contain ingredients derived from endangered animals, nor exceed an ingredient budget of $175.
Out of 35 submissions, three finalists cleared the first round and were selected to compete in the live cook-off.
Meet the Finalists
Natthawat “Peter” Kasamvila was one student chosen to move on to the final competition for his dish of Poached Lobster, Tom Yum Sauce, Coconut Foam, and Carrots.
Though he is a Pastry & Baking Arts student, Peter chose to make this savory dish as a take on Tom Yum Goong, a hot and sour Thai soup. He says he was inspired by his grandmother’s cooking.
“The spicy and sour taste of the soup paired with the lemongrass, galangal, and fresh prawn would always remind me of her cooking. I wanted to make a refined, modern, and new dish that was also traditional and elegant,” he says.
Finalist Angelo Quan's dish was also rooted in his family’s cooking. Centering on Vietnamese and Thai flavors, he made Poached and Fried Quail with Chili Lime Glaze, Vietnamese Salad, and Rice Paper.
Angelo elevated the dish for the competition in two ways: toasting the spices and using quail instead of chicken, which is the more traditional protein. The chili lime glaze was something he learned while trailing at Wayan, a Cedric Vongerichten restaurant with a French-accented Indonesian menu.
Alumni Highlight: Luisa Caicedo, the Executive Chef at Wayan, is an 91߹ graduate (Culinary, '10). Take a look behind the scenes at Wayan with Chef Luisa here.
The third competitor was Connor McPeak. Her dish, Sake Poached Seabass with Sweet and Sour Butternut Squash and Citrus Cream, was partially inspired by Maltaise sauce, which is a hollandaise sauce with added blood orange juice and zest.
“The flavors of this dish are delicate with strokes of tang and spice,” she says. “For the protein, Chilean sea bass is easily accessible year-round, and yields a mild, sweet and buttery flavor.”
Competition Day
As the students got to work, Chef Barry asked each contestant questions about the vision for their dish, the ingredients, and the culinary techniques used. This added another layer to the challenge – articulating answers while concentrating on cooking.
The students had exactly two hours to produce five entrée-portioned plates, after which they presented their dishes to the judging panel.
The esteemed judges were Helen Nguyen, Executive Chef and Owner of Saigon Social (also an 91߹ alumna), Shari Bayer, author and founder of Bayer Public Relations, and Ottavio Gnazzo, Chef de Cuisine at Rezdôra, a Michelin-starred, rustic Italian restaurant highlighting the cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
The criteria used to evaluate each contestant focused on the student’s original vision for the dish, creativity, and technical execution. They also judged each dish's plating style and overall flavor.
As each competitor entered the final minutes of the cook-off, Chef Barry stressed the importance of the presentation.
“The last five to ten minutes of your time need to be focused on the plate,” he said.
The Winner
Though all three competitors fiercely designed, prepped, cooked and plated beautiful dishes, Peter Kasamvila's lobster came out on top.
“The winning dish had a wonderful balance of flavor and texture, with all components working in harmony,” Chef Barry says. “Peter displayed excellent technical ability whilst cooking, using all parts of his lobster to create a sauce. He elevated the humble carrot in multiple applications to provide contrast to the lobster. This was a well thought out and executed dish."
As the winner, Peter won $1,000 towards a dining experience at Le Bernardin, Chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Le Coze’s three-Michelin-starred seafood tasting menu restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. He also won the opportunity to stage in the Le Bernardin kitchen with Chef Eric Ripert's team, including 91߹ graduate Orlando Soto.
“I was a little nervous on the day of the competition and a little anxious right before the competition started,” Peter says. "But I managed my time well and executed all the components exactly how I wanted.”
Connor finished in second place and received a $500 certificate to Rezdôra, as well a stage with Chef Stefano Secchi's team in the restaurant's kitchen. Angelo placed third and won a Japanese chef's knife.
"The stress, the heat and seeing my friends in the crowd helped me to remember why I wanted to become a chef in the first place,” Connor says.
For Peter, the first place spot is a reflection of the tireless work he put into his dish.
“I practiced four times in my home kitchen to get the timing and recipe just right,” he says. “I learned that during the competition, the most important thing is timing. You need to break down all the components of the dish into minutes and execute each component one by one. I had to also be very organized on my station in order to have a clean space for plating."
Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the culinary competition!
