Compete like a culinary competition pro!

Chef Francine Marz, MBA, CEC, and culinary director at Montgomery County (PA) community college, is a fierce competitor. 

She likes the intensity of a good competition - and she's good at it, too.  While in Phoenx, she headed  the Art Institute's competition team, has served as the chair of the A.C.F. Chefs' Association of Arizona competition committee, and participates regularly in competitions herself.

Her competitive instincts are near-legendary, and her advice is always something to seriously consider. Herewith:

General help in competition

·       Know the rules and make sure you’re observing them to the letter.

·       Know your recipes inside and out.

·       Develop a timeline that includes techniques for each step of each recipe.  You can tape a timeline to the top of your tool kit or keep it in a pocket for reference.

·       Keep a clean working area. 

·       Don’t leave anything stacked on the cutting board while you continue to cut another

ingredient.

·       Have a waste bucket and a scrap can (so usable ingredients can be salvaged). (Remember, it's a judge's easiest question: "What are you planning to do with your scraps?"  ANSWER: "Make stock!")

·       If you're wearing blue gloves, it will be easy to spot any bits accidentally left in your food!

·       Clean up as you go and remember to maintain sanitation.

·       Be careful of cross-contamination.

·       Have enough gloves along with you.

·       Ditto on pots.  Have an extra one or two on hand in case something burns or you need to redo  a step quickly.

·       Don’t use glass containers for your mise en place – if they shatter, it’s a sanitation mess.

·       Don’t wait until the night before competition to sharpen your knives – you need to
 know how sharp they are so you can avoid accidental cuts.

·       During competition, stay busy every minute – or, at least, look as if you’re busy.

·       Know how to think on your feet, so that nothing throws you off course.

·       Taste, taste, taste! Know how each recipe is supposed to taste and get it as close as possible.

·       Get a good oven thermometer and make sure you use it.

·       Know your cooking temperatures as well as times!

·       Stir everything as it should be stirred.

·       Use enough ingredients to create a presentation plate, a tasting plate, and to resolve any mistakes or problems that may develop.

·       Leave the food alone while it cooks!

·       Don’t leave a plate to sit with half a presentation on it – plate everything at one time.

·       Remember when plating: hot food, hot plate; cold food, cold plate.

Chef Marz also says, “If you want this, fight for it.  The night before, review every step and make out lists.  Visualize everything you will do and what your plates will look like. Work to develop and convey a sense of urgency in your work." (Translation: Keep moving! DO NOT STOP focusing on your food, cooking and plating it.)

More than that, Chef Marz adds, “Develop a sense of urgency in your work.  And - this is important! - visualize how it will feel to win.  

"You want an emotion to hang on to as you work.”