Preliminary Heats 1 and 2

Nerves were taut as the first 33 juniors and seniors reached their work stations on Saturday, Feb. 5, at Metro Tech High School in Phoenix.

Anxiety was less visible during the afternoon session, but the focus remained tight.

These preliminary competitions are the first step toward scoring big in C-CAP’s scholarship awards.

Seniors know they can win major dollars if they make it to finals, and juniors are looking for that extra boost from a funded summer school session as well as crucial experience that can poise them for the 2012 awards.

And it’s a crowded field, with 140 juniors and seniors competing this year. Only 30 seniors and 10 juniors will remain for the finals on March 5.

This year’s competitors, while clearly anxious about performance, displayed great enthusiasm, a big plus for the ever-observant judges. Also noticeable and praised by the judges were the students’ distinct focus and attention to taste.

Judges also had some additional words of advice for competitors:

Knife skills (excuse the wordplay) need to be sharp (never, ever cut toward yourself)

If a judge stops your work to demonstrate a correct technique, you’d better be using that technique the next time they look

If you develop a plan for your work and follow it, you’ll gain better timing

Don’t finish too quickly; use all of your time and if you have time check everything again

Omelets should not need a “five-minute massage” after they’re plated

Taste! Taste everything and taste each time you add an ingredient (If you wait until you are finished before you taste, you can’t easily correct)

Do not be afraid of the salt

Add vegetables to your salad vinaigrette in progression – hard to softest (e.g., jicama, peppers, onions, cucumber, tomato)

Pay attention to sanitation

Practice! Practice! Practice!