Monroe College’s Culinary Institute of New York to Host 11th Annual “America’s Best High School Chef” Tomorrow
NEW ROCHELLE, NY – March 8, 2019 – Monroe College, a national leader in educating urban and international students, today announced that its Culinary Institute of New York (CINY) will host its 11th annual America’s Best High School Chef (ABHSC) competition tomorrow, March 9, at its Culinary Arts Center in New Rochelle. As part of ABHSC, CINY’s expert judges will also select a talented young pâtissier to receive the America’s Best High School Pastry Chef title.
Each year, this popular competition attracts some of the nation’s most promising high school chefs, enabling them to showcase their culinary skills for the opportunity to secure a full academic scholarship to attend Monroe College’s Culinary Institute of New York (CINY). Led by Dean Frank Costantino, CINYs culinary competition team – captained by 2017 ABHSC winner Casey Creazzo of New Jersey – recently won the Student Team Northeast Regional Championship title for the third time in the last four years. Dean Costantino was himself named Northeast Regional Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation at the same event.
The 48 students invited to participate in the ABHSC culinary competition this year will begin by demonstrating core food preparation competencies in the Basic Skills Round. The 16 students that receive the highest overall score will progress to the semi-final Salad Basket Round, which asks that students prepare a creative salad dish using a list of assigned ingredients. The top eight students from that round will then move onto the final, Mystery Basket Round, requiring them to prepare two identical servings of an entrée of their choosing, using only the select ingredients designated by the judges. The winner of that round will be awarded the “America’s Best High School Chef” title and the academic scholarship; those placing second and third will be offered partial scholarships to attend CINY.
The America’s Best High School Pastry Chef competition will this year feature eight budding pâtissiers, who previously submitted their signature dessert recipe for consideration and were selected to compete. During the contest, participants must prepare two portions of their upscale, restaurant-quality dessert within a 90-minute timeframe. This dish should include five key components: the main item, a sauce, a cookie or crisp item, chocolate, and fruit.
“Each year we look forward to hosting 'America's Best High School Chef’ competition, and are continually impressed by the passion, creativity, and commitment of these aspiring future professionals,” said Dean Frank Costantino, EdD CEC CCE CCA AAC. “We work hard every day to provide a high-quality educational experience that inspires and motivates aspiring chefs to achieve excellence. We are proud to nurture the next generation of culinary talent and, in many cases, serve as a springboard for their successful future endeavors.”
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