Oklahoma Pro Start 2008 Culinary Competition

On February 21-22 the Oklahoma Pro Start competition was held in Norman, Oklahoma supported by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association. Students in the Pro Start program came from all over the state to compete. There were high schools and Career Tech centers represented. The competition included Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sponsored by Taco Mayo, the management and knowledge bowl teams, adult culinary teams and high school culinary teams.

Oklahoma Centennial high school students received a silver medal and $2500.00 worth of scholarships to Johnson & Wales and Platt Colleges. For the first time a team of two students competed.

The night before the competition Tiera Jackson and Dejuan Walker knew that they would have to adjust from a three man team down to two. So at the hotel Chef Carrie Snyder-Renfro worked with them in a hall way on two empty six foots tables preparing their imaginary meal. The students and instructor worked together for two hours late into the evening as the students talked their way through the meal preparation. The students used abstract thought and conceptual thinking to readjust times and job duties so they could successfully compete as a team of two. The students then went to their rooms to practice their knife skills for the next day and went to sleep for a good nights rest.

Friday morning Tiera Jackson and DeJuan Walker prepared a three course meal of Wild Plum Salad Duette, Bistro steak and Pasta and Citrus Cheesecake along side the three and four man culinary teams.

The meal included freshly made fettuccini with a blue Alfredo sauce along with a steamed citrus cheesecake with a fan of sectioned fruit, chocolate lattice and whiskey butter sauce. The competition allows students to only use two butane burners as a cooking source with no help from instructors or mentors. Instructor Chef Carrie Snyder-Renfro and Mentor Chef Ken Burkemper worked with the students prior to the competition to help simulate real life kitchen conditions, plan a restaurant concept, a competition menu and market pricing. Needless to say, both chefs were extremely proud of the way the students communicated as they prepared their meal keeping safety and sanitation a concern as well as tight, clean plate presentations with precise knife skills. This was Oklahoma Centennials first year competing in the Pro Start competition. The students are excited about developing their skills and coming back next year to compete.