State Baking Title Won By Polaris Students

BEREA, OH - Polaris Baking & Pastry Arts took home a second straight state title at the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) state culinary competition in Columbus. Polaris had seven students compete, all of whom took home medals, including the vaunted state championship.

Katerine Randolph, a senior at Berea-Midpark High School, won a gold medal and a state title for her lemon and white chocolate tart and triple chocolate mocha bar. She competed in the pastry tray event. She also won the state title in the category last year.

Meghan Lamb, a junior at Strongsville High School, also grabbed a gold medal and placed second in the creative cakes event. Lamb made a chocolate cake with cookie dough frosting and whipped ganache.

Lamb's classmate, Abagael Alai, a senior at Brooklyn High School, also took part in the creative cakes event. Her white chocolate pistachio entremet with strawberry cake earned her third place honors and a gold medal of her own.

Polaris' students won additional medals, but the rest of the competitors finished outside of the top three in their respective categories. Dawn Foulkrod, a junior at Brooklyn High School, received a gold medal for her cream puffs with orange almond cream and brownies with candied peanuts and chocolate ganache.

The Polaris senior team also got a gold medal in the culinary team event. During that challenge, the team was asked to prepare a three course meal featuring: cucumber salad with red curry yogurt; balsamic pan seared portabella with lemon vinaigrette dressed arugula and vegetable couscous; and ricotta hotcakes with cardamom mascarpone and macerated berries. The senior team is composed of Alai, Michael Peracchio, North Olmsted High School, and Mikayla Schaffer, Olmsted Falls High School.

Natalie Turchyn, a junior at Strongsville High School, also brought home a silver medal in the food innovations challenge. Turchyn was tasked with creating an entree that could be reformulated to reflect a 25 percent reduction in sodium. To complete the challenge, she made a chicken breast with cheesy penne pasta and fresh tomato bruschetta topping.

The FCCLA awards are just the latest success for Polaris. On April 30, the Polaris Career Center's Chef Training Program won the National Championship at the 2017 National ProStart Invitational Culinary Team Competition. You can read more about that victory by clicking here.

Photos from Polaris

Photo Caption: Left - Meghan Lamb; Right - Katherine Randolph