Cook Off Culinary Art Institute

Cook Off Competition at the Cincinnati Culinary Art Institute. Culinary Scholarship Competition 2014 : I had the opportunity to participate on March 2014 at the Cook-Off Competition at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Ohio. I got second place ( second highest score 80.3 /83.1 )

During the competition each contestant has two hours. 30 minutes for the knife skills and 90 minutes for the preparation of a special menu. (Is to bad there was only one scholarship for the Culinary scholarship).

This competition is like the ones that you see in TV contest ( Food Network), the time in clicking. It also across of all of the The Art Institutes locations in U.S. and Canada. The First Places winners traveled to New York for a culinary experience in a Food Network Kitchen after be selected based in the Essay that were submitted previously to the competition.

For the competition I bought a Victorinox 10-Inch Chef's Knife and a paring knife. The 10 inches knife looksas big as a Machete (a large cleaver-like knife that we use in SoutAmerica). Cheft knifs are veru expensive and Victotinox is a razonable price and a very good.

During the competiton are evalutade knife skills, safety, sanitation, organization, cooking techniques, and clean-up, quality (temperature, taste, texture, portion size) and presentation. You must use a Professional Chef Knife and the right kitchen tools and appropriate culinary techniques.

Before the competition you need a lot of preparation because you need to be able to handle the time. Time is very important. I practice several time at my house, you need to think about every aspect that will be evaluates.

Just before the competition you have a preparation class at the Culinary Institute where the Chef give you some tips and aspect that will be considered during the competition and of corse the rceipes that you must prepare.

The big day came and you are ready. One the time start there is no way back. In half hour you need to Chopp a bunch of fresh Parley like sand texture, b 8 Oz of mushroom very thing, Mince 4 cloves of garlic very tinny , Dice 1 medium onion very small and prepare Concaseé of 2 roma tomatoes.

Practicing at Home .. For one week we ate chicken...I diced 3 pounds of onion, minced around 12 heads of garlic... and chopped 3 or more big bunch of Parsley, slide 4 boxes of mushrooms and 1 pound of Tomatoes Concaseé. After that week I did not want to see more chicken until the date of the competition.. It was to much chicken breast and my son Zack likes so much that will asked me to make the yummy chicken and I say no again for a few weeks!...

Menu of the Competition
Appetizer:Shrimp cocktail.
Entrée: Sautéed chicken breast, rice pilaf and broccoli sauté.

During my practice at home.. some pictures.

Shrimp cocktail 
I cut maybe 8 or 10 cucumber because I want o do a very nice presentation. I start making some cucumber flowers cups. They are so beautiful but take so much time to make the petals. I place slides of lime imagine how I want teh final presentation. Most of the people go for the traditional Martini Glasses. I like fancy decorations and very gourmet. After I did with some pieces of apples to se the contrast of the colors.

With all the cucumber practicing flowers cups I ending making a healthy drink: Cucumber Carrot an Celery.. I was no going to throw await ..

At the competition I did a presentation in this style but more delicate and elegant and I use Shrimp Cocktail sauce. At home I use a Venezuelan Parsley Garlic Sauce that we add to our delicious hamburgers and add a little of Sriracha sauce to add some spicy and color to my Venezuelan sauce.

Sautéed chicken breast  

Preparing a Sauce 1

 
Preparing   Sauce 2


Pilaf
For the pilaf you need to cook in the oven. The recipe asked for 1 cup of long-grain rice and 1 ¼ Cup of boiling Chicken Stock. During the preparation session I followed the instructions and I did that amount but for a perfect soft grain you need to add more than 1 ¼ of Chicken Stock in another way the pilaf will be a little hard… My suggestion in to add 1 ½ to 1 1/3 and the pilaf while be perfect. Personally I like to cooked more in the stove that in the oven.

(I am very good cooking rice.. we eat a lot of rice in Venezuela and the grain is perfect. Our National dish is Pabellon (White Rice, Black bean, Friend Plantain and Shreeded Beef). Few weeks ago for the International festival I cooked 20 Cups of Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice) and was very delicious)

I was doing well until I get nervous because I was planning to finish on time and I pinched my middle finger in my left hand (It never happen in my house –Murphy law – it happened to me during the competition).. Can you believe it?

When I saw a pinch of blood I must stop everything, wash my hand, put a bandit and gloves. I was so nervous with the blood (I panic when I see blood), my hands were shaking and I was having hard time putting the gloves. It pass inside of my stop myself in the competition but gladly I finished.

Of course No the first part. I was almost done with the tomatoes and I never finish to chopped the Parsley. Time was over. With all the chaos inside on me being so nervous it never happened to asked to the Chef If it was possible to stop the time while I wash my hand and put the gloves because I was in panic Not because I pinch my finger just beacause seeing blood. I wish I did and them Time was over!!!

I did take a deep breath and get ready for the next section. In that part I did great. You must follow the recipes that they gave you and you practice in the preparation session and of course at home.

At the end you complete all the dishes and again time is over.. During the whole time the chef are walking around and are evaluating (knife skills, safety, sanitation, organization, cooking techniques). After the dishes are done you have 15 minutes to Clean-up which add Two hours. Time Is over again!! Your dishes get evaluated at that moment in quality and presentation. 

And all the points are added and you waiting with the rest of the participants to go in the big room for the crucial hour! The big moment has come and all the competitors get called and the announce started. When I finish I know inside I was no going to make the first place because the point that I lost pinching my finger and I have no idea how much could be my score but I was happy to had that amazing and exciting opportunity. You applied online and you get lucky to be called to participate.

And let me tell you… 

I am ready for next year again and I am a gran chef who cook with passion, love and heart and  I kept forward!!!

 Until next COOK OFF !!!!!!!!!