L'academie De Cuisine Awards Duck Press Scholarships

L'Academie de Cuisine has awarded scholarships to two young adults who will attend the school's professional culinary programs next year. The Duck Press Scholarship will provide a total of $4,500 in tuition credits for the Culinary Career Training Program to Maryland high school student Shaun Shreiner and Maryland High School graduate Rachel Cesca.

Shaun Shreiner will receive $3,000 in tuition credit, for his winning dish of Hot Pepper Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Vegetable Medley. When asked about his goals, Shreiner said, "I would like to be an Executive Chef in a Five-Star restaurant and eventually own my own restaurant." Shaun is currently a senior at North County High School in Linthicum, MD and has attended the Culinary Arts Program at the Center of Applied Technology North for the past two years. He has been inspired by this program to pursue the culinary arts and perhaps even "become a Culinary Arts Teacher." The second place winner, Rachel Cesca, prepared a Tortilla Soup incorporating all the required elements of chicken, potatoes and vegetables into one delicious dish. She graduated in May 2002 from Glenelg High School in Glenelg, Maryland. Rachel will receive $1,500 in tuition credit, and thanks her large Italian family for her love of food and "making the kitchen a very cool classroom."

The Duck Press Scholarship is designed to assist high school students and graduates who want to pursue a career in the culinary arts. It is open to high school seniors age 17+ and graduates who are no older than 20 years of age. Applicants should be intent on studying the culinary arts to establish a career in the foodservice industry. The scholarship is funded by L'Academie de Cuisine's Duck Press Golf Tournament held each year.

L'Academie de Cuisine was named 1998 Associate Member of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, and received a 1997 Award of Excellence from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (cooking school category). The Culinary Career Training Program is in its 26th year of providing training in the theoretical skills and techniques of fine food planning, preparation, and presentation. Other areas of study include the Pastry Arts Program, the Professional Culinary Development Series, Spanish language professional culinary classes, continuing education, and a wide variety of recreational classes.