Practice notes, pre-preliminary FEBRUARY 2016

CCAP Arizona's culinary coordinator, Nicole DeKruyter, has been mentoring nearly every preliminary competition practice. She has some clear ideas about what students most need to focus on before the competition.

"Vinaigrette's tripping people up this year," she says. "The recipe's a little different this year, and the taste is distinctly different.

"People need to remember that part of the competition is to be able to follow the recipe. In the revised (vinaigrette) recipe, emulsifying is a critical point. The vinegar and oil need to be fully emulsified for the recipe to work."

Students need to also be aware of

* their cutting boards. "Keep them clear of everything except the tool(s) you need for one product at a time."

* sanitation. "Cutting boards need to be kept clean, but if you swipe the board with sanitizer every time you begin working, your vegetables will taste like sanitizer."

* heat.  "You need to have the heat high enough to cook the omelet in about one minute (and yes - you can time it!). Also, keep stirring to keep the eggs creamy."

* seasoning. "This omelet has nothing but eggs in it. It's critical that it be seasoned correctly to have a good taste."

* stay professional. "Follow the dress code. To the letter." (What's the dress code? You can find it here:
http://www.ccapinc.org/locations/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Preliminary-Competition-Details1.pdf

Nicole, a CCAP grad herself, reminds competitors that they are expected to keep working through the judging.

"The judges will talk to everyone, and they expect to be answered when they have questions. But you don't have enough time to stop and chat - so it's your task to work while they speak and you respond.

"The first thing you want to remember is 'Yes, Chef.' And then, no matter what their suggestion is - follow it."