Culinary Talent Search Draws Top Chefs-in-training

Over 100 public high school seniors gathered in seven locales at local culinary schools to take the food test of their lives. Top challengers were given a two-hour time limit to prepare from memory Poached Chicken in Chive Sauce with Turned Vegetables and Crepes Sucrees with Crme Patissiere and Sauce au Chocolate .

The chefs-in-training, graded by top chefs, showed their flair for cooking in heated competitions attempting to earn over $1,034,000 in culinary school scholarships and food service apprenticeships offered through the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). The competitions are the culmination of the year-long program which introduces students to new cuisines, teaches basic cooking skills and techniques and helps find meaningful careers in the food service industry.

Students from Arizona, Chicago, District of Columbia, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and Tidewater, Virginia succeeded in garnering the valuable awards. Winners were honored in their hometowns at awards ceremonies and presented with full -tuition and partial-tuition scholarships to local, national and international culinary schools. In addition to the 140 Awards, many students took home merchandise awards including knife kits from R.H. Forschner; whisks from Best Manufacturers, and food processors from Cuisinart.

C-CAP is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and provide career opportunities in the food service industry for under-served youth, through culinary arts education and apprenticeship. C-CAP provides participating schools with professional development and training for teachers; job shadowing, internships and employment for students; career and college counseling for students and alumni; industry professional in the classroom; product donations for schools; scholarships for students and teachers.

C-CAP is now operating in over 200 public schools in seven U.S. regions, and reaches over 10,000 students nationwide. Since the programs inception in 1990, C-CAP has awarded over $7.5 million in scholarships to students and teachers nationwide.

Regional information listed below includes world-renowned celebrity chefs and local master culinarians participating as judges this year, and award information.



ARIZONA JUDGES:
Michael Jerez, Chef de Cuisine at Mesa Country Club; Jennifer Mraz, The School of Culinary Arts, The Art Institute of Phoenix; Christopher Gross, chef-owner, Christopher's Fermier; George Ouimette, The Forum & SWEST ACF apprenticeship chairman; Patti Schmalzel, Culinary Arts Educator.

AWARDS:
19 Awards, $142,233. Johnson & Wales; Culinary Institute of America; Art Institute of Phoenix; Scottsdale Culinary Institute; C-CAP Education Scholarship and Catfish Institute Award, CIA Discovery Week, CIA Culinary Update for Educators, Le Cordon Bleu Award.



CHICAGO JUDGES:
Chef Carrie Nahabedian,Chef/Owner,Naha Restaurant; Chef Jana Amsler, Pastry Chef/Owner, Salbute; Chef Jean Joho,Brasserie Jo,Everest; Chef Mark Baker, Executive Chef, Seasons Restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel; Chef Patrick Stewart, Executive Chef, The Walnut Room, Marshall Field's; Chef Richard Warren, Banquet Chef, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel; Ms. Sallie Carnahan, Regional Representative, The Culinary Institute of America, Admissions Administrative Office.

AWARDS:
17 Awards, $189,220. Johnson & Wales; Culinary Institute of America; National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan University; Illinois Institute of Art; Kendall College; CHIC; New England Culinary Institute; C-CAP Education Scholarship.



DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUDGES:
Erlest Bell, J.W. Marriott; Dolores Katsosis, Tyson Foods; Ris La Coste, 1789 and Charles Wynn, Copeland's.

AWARDS:
15 Awards, $76,870. Culinary Institute of America; New England Culinary Institute; L'Academie de Cuisine; Stratford College; C-CAP Education Scholarship, St