Culinary Competition Shows Student Ingenuity in Best of the Bites
Sometimes called finger food, hors d’oeuvres have evolved well beyond the basic canapé. Maybe it’s because many of us are ditching formal dinners for more “social” socializing where folks can mingle and better interact. That means hosts are looking to impress with food that can be consumed while standing and moving about.
In the most recent installment of the Culinary Institute of Virginia’s (CIV) Culinary Competition series, students were challenged to create hors d’oeuvres that stretch the boundaries of their culinary creativity. Called the “Best of the Bites,” this particular culinary competition is sponsored annually by Atlantic Shores, an award-winning retirement community located in Virginia Beach. This year, Atlantic Shores donated $3000 in scholarship money to the top three winners, and brought along dozens of residents to serve as guest judges.
The rules for the contest go as follows. Students are asked to create a fresh, brand new recipe. It can be savory or sweet, crunch or creamy, raw or cooked. They were reminded that because we also eat with our eyes, they had to be sure to think about colors, textures, and presentation. Among the more specific rules:
- Recipe must be able to produce 75 judges’ samples at industry standard portions.
- Dish should be easy to pick up and eaten in one or two bites
- Portion cost cannot exceed $.50
- Entry must include a recipe and a costing breakdown
Judges were asked to evaluate each entry based on choice of ingredients for freshness, color, flavor, creativity, and portion size, as well as ease of consumption while standing. When all was said and done, these were the top three vote getters:
First Place: BLT Blossoms - $1,200 Scholarship
Floyd Thomas and Karen "Becky" Waters
A clever and delicious reimagining of everyone’s favorite summer sandwich, the classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Served on a wooden skewer “stem,” the BLT Blossoms were planted” in a bed of fresh greens. A treat for the mouth and eyes!
Second Place: Shrimp/Guacamole Herb Cup - $1,000 Scholarship
Shannon Stewart, and Kendall Ashwood-Hayes
Team “Holy Guacamole” got the fiesta started with a lip-smacking flakey pastry cup filled with guacamole and topped with spicy grilled shrimp.
Third Place: Lox Puri - $800 Scholarship
Lyle Delacruz, and Brenek McIntosh
A modern interpretation of a bagel with cream cheese and lox, featuring Pani Puri Crackers filled with cream cheese, topped with watercress, dill, chives, capers, and thyme and crowned with Cured Salmon Gravlax.
And while the winners are grateful for the scholarship money, they will also enjoy some bragging rights because the winner’s recipe will be served at this year’s graduation. Congratulations to all who participated for a job well done!
Can you see your culinary concoctions ranked among these? Do you dream of earning an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts? If so, ECPI University's Culinary Arts College, the Culinary Institute of Virginia offers this degree program at an accelerated pace. For more information, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
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