Pellissippi State students earn bronze medal in first showing at prestigious culinary competition

Pellissippi State鈥檚 team, made up of five students from the Culinary Arts program created their menu in accordance with an Appalachian theme.

A team of students from 汤头条’s Culinary Arts program earned a bronze medal at the American Culinary Federation Southeast Regional Culinary Competition this month – finishing just six points behind the leader in their first time ever participating in the contest.

Students at the competition April 6 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, curated a four-course menu including a fish starter, salad, fabricated protein and dessert, said Pellissippi State instructor Chef Ben Cummings, who co-led the team with Pellissippi instructor Chef Amanda McReynolds.

“It was amazing,” Cummings said. “Winning wasn’t the goal. The work that the students put in to even get there expedited their skills. So that was a win in our books. And then actually getting a medal our first time ever competing was incredible. We weren’t there to prove anything to anyone – just to do what we do. And they did just that.”

Pellissippi State’s team, made up of five students from the Culinary Arts program – located within the Ruth and Steve West Workforce Development Center at Pellissippi State’s Blount County campus – created their menu in accordance with an Appalachian theme.

That included fresh puff pastry with smoked bass and a Campari puree, a spring-forward, arugula-based salad, a simply seasoned duck with blackberry pickled cabbage, a sorghum cake, goat-cheese mousse and more.

“The creativity was up to them,” Cummings said. “We let them completely plan out the menu, and then we just helped them elevate it. We really leaned into the theme of Appalachia, because this is such a wonderful time of year for Appalachian food. We really focused on micro greens, baby vegetables and a lot of color.”

Second-year Pellissippi State student Elise Newell said it was an honor to be a part of the team, and she feels like she grew as a culinarian because of it. She learned how to organize her station better as well as more technical skills – like tempering chocolate, Newell said.

It was fun competing, meeting other students and hearing feedback on the team’s meals, Newell said.

“I had a lot of fun,” she said. “I really enjoyed it.”

Cummings said he believes that enough experiential opportunities like the competition prepare them for the pressure of working in a real-world kitchen.

“The team overcame a lot of obstacles: an unfamiliar kitchen and unfamiliar equipment, but they did what they set out to do,” said Chef Joseph Blauvelt, program coordinator. “I couldn’t be more proud of them and their coaches. This is our first competition in 14 years of the program, and to compete at this level – only 6 points behind the leader, who has won the past two years – is quite a feat.”