Stratford University Culinary And Hospitality Team Wins Competitions

The culinary and hospitality team at Stratford University, lead by Chef Vaishali Chitnis, won a silver medal at the MLA Black Box Competition. They also took first place in the Dessert competition at the Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage and Lodging Expo. Students on the team include Perry Baldwin, Kortni Benson-Gehlert, Clark Edwards, Craig Baker, Joseph Lipinski, and Daryl Hall.

"We are very proud of Chef Chitnis and her talented team. Not only did they do well in the competitions, they also beat a number of professionals, showing just how much talent they have," explains Jordan Lichman, dean of the culinary and hospitality program at Stratford University. "Chef Chitnis and her students did a great job and truly showed the food, beverage and lodging community that our students are a force to be reckoned with."

The MLA Black Box Competition, which was established in 1996 by Meat and Livestock Australia, was showcased at the Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage and Lodging Expo on October 6-7, 2010. The event features each team being given a box of 18 mandatory ingredients, plus 10 optional 'mystery' ingredients, including such things as meats, seafood, herbs, vegetables, fruits, salads, cheese and wine. The team is given one hour to create a menu that includes an appetizer, main course and dessert. They then worked until 2:00 a.m., preparing the menu. The following day, the Stratford students were given one hour to serve their menu to a group of judges and guests.

The team from Stratford University was the only student team competing. All other teams were comprised of professional chefs. The Stratford University team's menu included:
Appetizer - Lamb chop with salad Napolean
Main course - Wagyu beef and crab surf & turf
Dessert-Wine- Poached pear entremet

"A big congratulations goes out to the Stratford team for a job well done," adds Lichman. "The team has a lot to be happy about, and they have made us proud."

Stratford University's culinary arts program offers several degrees, including concentrations in baking and pastry arts, as well as advanced culinary arts. Students can also enroll in the advanced culinary arts professional diploma program. In addition, the school offers public, non-degree, one-day culinary courses covering such topics as beginner baking, knife skills, vegetarian cooking and cake decorating, as well as parent-and-child cooking.

About Stratford University:
Stratford University operates campuses in Tysons Corner, Richmond, and Woodbridge. It offers 35 undergraduate and graduate degrees in the areas of Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Health Sciences, Nursing, Business Administration, and Information Technology. The degree programs are offered both on campus, as well as online. For more information on the competition or Stratford University, please visit www.stratford.edu.
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