Simple omelets present complex challenges

Oh, it's easy…so easy - easy as one, two, three.

That's right - making that omelet for the C-CAP preliminary is just, like, three simple steps.

First, break the eggs into a hot pan. Next, keep stirring the eggs until they're just about set. And three, turn the pan so that the eggs roll over themselves and onto the plate in a neat, tidy roll.  Voila, une omelette francaise!

Okay, maybe it's not quite that easy. Here are a few tips and tricks specific to the C-CAP preliminary.

First thing, use either two or three eggs. (This depends on two things.  First, the size of your pan.  More pertinent to the competition - use the eggs provided. It might e two.  It might be three.  Cope.)

Remember to break your eggs on the edge of your cutting board, not your bowl (you don't want any stray bacteria in your omelet).

Agitate your eggs using a whisk or a fork, and be certain you beat them to a pale yellow color with absolutely no egg white showing (break the white so no strings of white show in your omelet).

(NOTE: C-CAP standards are especially rigorous on this point. There can be absolutely NO clumps, bumps or strings of white showing anywhere in your omelet).

Have the pan hot. Really, really hot. (The eggs should sizzle a bit when they hit the pan.)

DO NOT let your eggs sit even a second! It's crucial to keep the eggs and pan moving.

(This won't take long - it's a really hot pan, remember?)

Moving the pan and eggs constantly keeps the curds of egg small, and in this case, small means tender.  You want your omelet to have a consistent, very tender feel inside and out.

To turn the omelet out, shift the eggs to one side of the pan, tilt it and use your fork to help roll the omelet onto a plate. (HINT: Ask Jill, Nicole or one of the other competition chef coaches to show you how to hold and turn that omelet pan!)

Reaching golden perfection

The eggs will still be slightly wet, and there should be NO BROWNED AREAS OR SPOTS anywhere on the omelet.

If you are having challenges in keeping your omelet golden and not brown, ask yourself if you've remembered to stir it enough while it's cooking. Eggs cook quickly, and you must be vigilant in keeping them moving.

If it's browning, you may have overcooked it. Your omelet should have a glistening sheen to it when you roll it onto the plate; it should never look completely dry.

Also, if the eggs are not sufficiently whipped, you may still have strings of egg white within.  Those egg whites are albumin, and it will brown almost on contact with your hot skillet.

Your omelet also needs to be well seasoned.  When there's nothing but eggs, salt and pepper in the dish, it's critical that the seasoning be exact.  Season judiciously (okay. try this: measure out half teaspoons of salt and pepper.  Add them by half teaspoons to your trial omelets - and figure out how much of each makes you happiest with the taste.) (yes - you will be sick of omelets for the rest of this year.)

Finally, make sure your plate is completely clean before you present your omelet for judging. This means clean away any slicks of butter or oil on the plate - and for heaven's sake, make sure there are no stray pieces of egg!