AACC Culinary Students Win Big in Chefs Competition

Six culinary students and an alumnus recently brought home seven medals from the recent Delmarva Chefs and Cooks Association Competition Salon in Salisbury.

Team Anne Arundel competed in various contemporary hot food cooking categories. In the Student SK category, competitors prepared two portions of a finished product based on main course criteria, protein, vegetables, starches, sauces and garnishes.

The winners were:

• Gold Medal—Stephanie Bishop, of Arnold, created a pan-roasted loin of venison consisting of braised spiced red cabbage, chanterelle mushroom bread dumpling, glazed bâtonnet of sweet potatoes, cassis and red currant demi glace.
• Gold Medal—Christopher Galanakis, of Pasadena, created a pan-roasted chicken breast with an herb mousseline consisting of creamed spinach on an artichoke bottom, polenta with red pepper sauté, red wine-thyme sauce, parmesan crisp.
• Gold Medal—Matthew Reed, of Timonium, created a seared duck breast with a spiced plum sauce consisting of lemongrass-scented coconut jasmine rice with shiitake mushrooms, duck and vegetable egg roll, Asian vegetable slaw.
• Silver Medal—Barry Tramer, of Parkville, created a roasted venison loin with a foie gras flan consisting of butternut squash puree, sautéed chanterelle mushrooms, wilted mustard greens, diced apple and butternut sauté, braised lentils and an apple-brandy demi glace.
• Silver Medal—Sarah Hrebiniak, of Baltimore, created pancetta-wrapped loins of rabbit consisting of fried rabbit leg, wild rice pilaf with rabbit sauté, creamy cabbage, glazed carrots, sautéed chanterelles and apricot brandy sauce.
• Bronze Medal—Heather Tompkins, of Severn, created a lamb roulade consisting of sautéed escarole with wild mushrooms, mash and tournè of potatoes with truffle-parsley butter and wild mushroom ragout.

In the Professional K category, competitors prepared four portions of a finished product based on main course criteria, protein, vegetables, starches, sauces and garnishes.

Winning a Silver Medal was HCAT alumnus Christin Bourgeois of Fort Washington for seared duck breast with duck sausage consisting of creamy red lentils, warm Brussels sprouts salad, sautéed radicchio with grapes and oranges, duck sausage over quince and dried cherry compote, orange-red wine demi glace.

“For all of them, especially the first-time competitors, to receive medals was remarkable and recognizes their commitment, drive and the support they receive,” said Shawn R. Harlan, the coordinator of the American Culinary Foundation.

Harlan said the judges were impressed with the students’ performance.

"Their professionalism, detail-oriented approach and high skill level were all recognized as shown in the awards they received," he said.

The students are enrolled in AACC’s Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute (HCAT), which offers courses leading to a degree, certificate or workforce credential.

For information on the awards or the HCAT program, call 410-777-2398 or 866-HCAT (4228).