Baker College culinary students earn top awards, 16 medals at ACF-sanctioned competitions

Baker College of Port Huron’s Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) continues to raise the bar for culinary education excellence. Students earned three top awards and 16 medals in two recent American Culinary Federation-sanctioned competitions. The Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association (MCCA) sponsored both contests.

All four CIM baking and pastry students who competed at the May 13 event medaled, winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. The event was hosted by Dorsey Culinary Academy in Pontiac.

The 12 students competing at the second event, June 4, earned 12 medals and the top awards of Most Creative, Best In Show Live Cooking and Best In Show Static Display. The student chefs are in CIM baking and pastry or culinary arts programs. They won five gold, three silver and four bronze medals and one certificate of appreciation. The event was hosted by the CIM Port Huron.

Judging is determined upon a set standard. Individuals earn medals based on points awarded for adherence to the established standard and are not ranked in comparison to other competitors. Multiple competitors may earn the same color medals or there may be no medal winners if the appropriate number of points is not scored.

“Each time our students compete, I am awed by their professionalism, skill and confidence in performing under pressure,” said Paula Recinella, CHE, CIM Port Huron senior lead instructor and COURSES Restaurant manager. “The judges were also impressed and had many complimentary things to say about our students. The hundreds of hours spent preparing for competitions raise the skill level in the classroom and help prepare our students for successful careers.”

Results of the May 13 competition are:

· Static display wedding cake – Christina Eldracher, of Yale, gold medal; Angela Mejia, of Potterville, bronze medal, and Emilia Tomaszycki, of Richmond, bronze medal.

· Static display chocolate showpiece – Samantha Joslin, of Yale, silver medal.

Results of the June 4 competition are:

· Hot-food using various proteins – Jamie Cook, of Saginaw, gold medal and Best in Show Live Cooking; Beth McKenzie, of Jeddo, two gold medals (one using chicken; one using fish); Amber Beckem, of Detroit, silver medal; Robert Brooks, of Imlay City, bronze medal; and Dwayne Howard Jr., of Detroit, Certificate of Appreciation.

· Static display chocolate showpiece – Ashley King, of Port Huron, gold medal and Best in Show Static Display; and Samantha Joslin, of Yale, silver medal.

· Static display wedding cake – Vidhee Manek, of India living in Troy, gold medal and Most Creative award; and Emilia Tomaszycki, of Richmond, silver medal.

· Static display decorated celebration cake – Leah Andary, of Sterling Heights, bronze medal.

· Hot/warm dessert – Jordan Choinski, of Allenton, bronze medal.

· Ice carving single block individual – Nathan Miekstyn, of Flint, bronze medal.

Static display categories are not prepared in front of the judges but rather set up anonymously and then judged.

Coaches for the CIM students are Paula Recinella, CHE; Thomas F. Recinella, CEC®, ACE, AAC®, HGT, CIM program director, baking and pastry, culinary arts, food and beverage management, and executive chef - COURSES Restaurant; Scott Twichell, lead baking and pastry chef instructor; and Nicholas Cornfield, lead culinary arts chef instructor.

MCCA is the Southeastern Michigan chapter of the ACF, an organization for chefs and cooks that promotes the professional image of American chefs worldwide through culinary education. MCCA is the largest ACF chapter in the United States. For information about MCCA, visit www.mccachef.org. Visit www.acfchefs.org for information about ACF.

For more information about Baker College culinary programs, contact Dan Kenny in the admissions office at daniel.kenny@baker.edu, 888.262.2442 or 810.985.7000, or visit www.baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Baker College grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in diverse academic fields, including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. Every Baker College graduate receives Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever. Baker College was one of the first in the state to offer students the option of completing a degree 100 percent online, without ever visiting a campus. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

# # #

Photo Captions:

CIM 1 - CIM Port Huron student chefs, from left, Christina Eldracher, Emilia Tomaszycki and Angela Mejia pose with their medal-winning creations. Not pictured is Samantha Joslin who won the silver medal for her chocolate showpiece, pictured at left.

CIM 2 - This gold medal-winning cake was created by CIM Port Huron student chef Christina Eldracher.

CIM 3 – CIM Port Huron student chefs won top awards in the wedding cake and chocolate showpiece categories. Vidhee Manek created the cake, and Ashley King sculpted the chocolate showpiece.

CIM 4 - CIM Port Huron Vidhee Manek receives accolades from judges, from left, Scott O'Farrell, CEC®, CEPC, CCA, and Frank Costantino, Ed.D., CEC®, CCE, CCA, AAC®, and lead judge Kevin Gawronski, CMC. Manek won a gold medal and the Most Creative award for her wedding cake.

CIM 5 – CIM Port Huron student chef Ashley King, second from left, receives accolades from judges, from left, Scott O'Farrell, CEC®, CEPC, CCA, and Frank Costantino, Ed.D., CEC®, CCE, CCA, AAC®, and lead judge Kevin Gawronski, CMC. King won the gold medal and Best In Show for her chocolate showpiece.

CIM 6 - CIM Port Huron student chef Jamie Cook receives accolades from judges, from left, Scott O'Farrell, CEC®, CEPC, CCA, and Frank Costantino, Ed.D., CEC®, CCE, CCA, AAC®, and lead judge Kevin Gawronski, CMC. Cook won a gold medal and the Best In Show Live Cooking award for her chicken dish.