Culinary Students Win $7,500 Scholarships At Atlantic Cape Competition

MAYS LANDING, NJ — Two freshman students in Atlantic Cape Community College's Academy of Culinary Arts earned scholarships during the Annual Vincent DeFinis Restaurant Gala Scholarship cooking competition on Sept. 25 at the college's Mays Landing campus.

Payton Sinou of Toms River and Jazmin de La Rosa Andujar of Galloway each received a $7,500 scholarship provided by the Atlantic Cape Foundation, according to the college.

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The awards will help cover tuition and fees for one semester in the Academy of Culinary Arts program. Joseph Sheridan, director of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, said the foundation's support allows the college to award one scholarship to a culinary major and one to a baking and pastry major.

"We are deeply grateful to the Atlantic Cape Foundation for its generosity, which allows us to once again award two scholarships this year—each valued at approximately $7,500—to one culinary major and one baking and pastry major," said Joseph Sheridan, director, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. "Each scholarship essentially covers a full semester of tuition and fees, providing substantial support for our students."

Sinou entered a pumpkin bread with cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe that she said has been passed through her family for generations. The freshman said she chose the recipe in honor of her great grandmother, Wilma.

"I wanted to dedicate this to my great grandmother by making it because I never ever got to meet her. I make this recipe like 10 times every single fall. We have always made it ever since I was little. I would make it with my mom, my grandmothers made it every single year and my aunts make it every year as well. Over the generations it's continued to be passed down," said Sinou.

Sinou said the scholarship will ease college costs as she works toward a long-term goal. "Winning this scholarship means the absolute world to me because my dream is to open my own bakery one day and that's a financial burden. So, by this scholarship being awarded to me, it makes me not have to pay as much for college, so I can put that money towards opening my own bakery one day."

De La Rosa Andujar won for a roasted tomato bisque with sun dried tomato bread. She said her mother pushed her to be creative and helped steer her toward baking.

"My mom always inspired me to be creative and she never held me back from that. Two years ago, she got me into baking, which wasn't my field, but she got me into baking cakes and then I started selling them. Now, I have a small home-based business in Galloway where I sell the cakes," said de La Rosa Andujar.

Six freshman students competed, including three baking and pastry students and three culinary students. The college said they were judged on taste, texture, portion size, presentation, use of ingredients and culinary technique. Judges included Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Specialty Chef Denise Percoskie, a 1997 Academy alumna, and Atlantic Cape Digital Communications Manager Yasmin Razzaq.