They worked in silence at their stainless steel stations. The only noise filling the kitchen: The occasional beeping of timers and the clanking of utensils on mixing bowls. The 12 chefs in white coats and white hats worked diligently, frosting cakes, rationing sugar into measuring cups and flattening dough with rolling pins -- all the while displaying a poise and reserve rare among high schoolers.
The student chefs were competing in the baking and pastry portion of the Skills-USA State Culinary Competition at Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College. The two-day competition drew students from high school culinary programs across the state to compete in three categories -- culinary arts, food service and commercial baking. At stake: a $2,250 scholarship to Culinard for each of the first place finishers, as well as invitations to the national competition in June, where the potential to win even more awards and prizes awaits.
At stake
A $2,250 scholarship to Culinard for each of the first-place finishers, as well as invitations to the national competition in June.
Bill Wright, lead chef instructor at Culinard, said the American Culinary Federation-sanctioned event was designed to challenge competitors.
"In each of the competitions, chefs have certain criteria to follow," Wright said. "In the commercial baking competition, chefs have to exhibit their skills by producing a variety of sweet rolls, breads, cakes, pies and tarts. It's a lot of food to prepare in a short time."
The competition began at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday with an orientation, and cooking started at 7 a.m. Almost halfway into the seventh and final hour of the competition, most of the chefs had worked straight through with no break, and many were battling exhaustion, hunger and dehydration.
"We've got 35 minutes, look at your list, see what you're able to get out," pastry chef and competition judge Renita Johnson called out. "Don't panic," she added.
Friends and family stood outside the kitchen doors watching nervously. Kyonna Salyer, a junior from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., was there to support her classmate, Chrystal Dean.
Crystal Dean of Dobyns-Benett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., squeezes frosting onto a rose nail to make a frosting flower Tuesday in the SkillsUSA State Culinary Competition at the Culinary Institute of Virginia College.Announcement of winners
Winners will be announced at a ceremony and breakfast at the Chattanooga Convention Center today in Exhibit Hall C from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
"She's icing her cake right now. She's in good shape," Salyer said to classmate Maiya Shugart.
Salyer competed in Monday's culinary competition, in which she had to exhibit knife skills by making a vegetable crudite plate, breaking down a chicken into eight pieces, and then using those ingredients to make a soup and two entrees. Salyer, who showed off one of her badges of honor from the competition -- a burn on the side of her left index finger that was starting to blister -- thinks she competed well, and said she hopes to go to Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn., for its baking and pastry program, and ultimately start a catering business.
As the clock dwindled to 10 minutes, then five, then two, students hustled out with pans displaying their creations to get them into the judging room before the doors closed.
Beatriz "Bay" Dedicatoria, a junior from Cleveland High School, breathed a sigh of relief after she dropped her pans off. She was able to finish everything except her cake and cookies.
"I'm really happy," she said, bright red burns from the competition visible on her forearms. "I've been practicing since the semester started. I'm also really hungry. I didn't eat lunch."
Clyde Rush, instructor of Cleveland High's culinary program, said he was proud of Dedicatoria, win or lose.
"This is an experience that'll last a lifetime," he said. "And now she gets to eat whatever she wants."
Contact Will Healey at whealey@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.