Area 30 culinary students win big at state competition

Area 30 Culinary Arts students recently partticipated in a state competition in Indianapolis with several students earning high honors. Participating in the competition were Mikayla Guyer (front,left), Breanna Donner,Corbin Schick, Hayley Simpson, Assistant Karen Downing, Kodi Burchett, Instructor Mary Anne Birt, Thomas Gross, Ron Palmer, Tyler Harris, Zane Woodand Tyler Piersal.

Recently, Area 30 Culinary Arts students competed in the State Competition in Indianapolis at the Wyndam Hotel, several received honors.

Career Display students Kodi Burchett and Tyler Piersal received first place in their public speaking portion of the competition on becoming a restaurant manager.

The culinary team of team manager Breanna Donner, Lorane Collier, Thomas Gross, Ron Palmer and Tyler White won first place on their Menu Development and Culinary Math. They placed bronze with their goat cheese filled endive leaves, herb chicken, rustic potato cakes with maple glazed brussels sprouts and prepared a poached pear in a pomegranate cranberry reduction.

The second team of team manager Mikayla Guyer, Tyler Harris, Corbin Schick, Zane Wood and Hayley Simpson won a bronze with their portabello mushroom, pan sear steak in herbs, pan sauce and fried leeks, garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans and served lemon pound "baby cakes" with raspberries with an orchid garnish.

Students, instructed by Mary Anne Birt and classroom assistant Karen Downing, were judged on knife skills including fabricating a whole chicken, teamwork, sanitation and hygiene, appearance, menu development, culinary math, presentation and taste.

The students would like to thank Greencastle Kroger for assistance with providing the class with whole chickens to practice their knife skills and Almost Home for providing orchids to enhance their plating.