Baker's dozen Arizona chefs judge C-CAP Arizona's 2019 preliminaries

Thirteen of Arizona's top chefs took an entire day out of busy weekend schedules to provide professional assessment of novice culinary skills at C-CAP Arizona's culinary scholarship preliminary competition at Paradise Valley High School on February 9.

Marcos Seville, executive chef with the Omni Scottsdale Resort at Montelucia, and himself a C-CAP graduate, is serving as lead judge for both preliminary and final competitions..  

Thirty-one high schools from across Arizona sent 102 junior and senior culinary students to the preliminary competition, which will determine which seniors go on to compete for C-CAP's culinary scholarships.

Ten top junior students will also receive additional training and experiences to assist them in furthering their culinary education, along with an enhanced shot at next year's scholarships.

Arizona high schools competing this year include:

Chinle High School, Chinle

Liberty High School, Phoenic

Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix

Maricopa High School, Maricopa

Casa Grande High School, Casa Grande

Highland High School, Phoenix

Glendale High School, Glendale

Payson High School, Payson

Ganado High School, Ganado

Ironwood Ridge High School, Oro Valley

Pinnacle High School, Phoenix

Perry High School, Phoenix

Metro Tech High School, Phoenix

Ironwood High School, Peoria

Basha High School, Phoenix

Mesa High School, Mesa

Corona del Sol High School, Tempe

Thunderbird High School, Phoenix

EVIT - Mesa, Red Mountain, Desert Ridge and Skyline High Schools

Central High School, Phoenix

Coconino High School, Flagstaff

Rio Rico High School, Santa Cruz Valley

Flagstaff High School, Flagstaff

Santa Rita JTED, Tucson

Goldwater High School, Phoenix

WAVE, Lake Havasu City

"We are genuinely delighted to see students from across Arizona participating in the C-CAP competitions," says Jill Smith, Arizona's C-CAP director.  

"Students who participate in this competition, whether they win a major scholarship or just have fun testing their new skills, find that C-CAP offers them opportunities that often go far in helping discover a good career path."

Professional chefs, in addition to Chef Seville, participating with C-CAP Arizona's 2019 culinary scholarship competition include:

Jennifer Caraway of The Joy Bus 

Frank Constantino, with The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College

Anthony Dang, of Clever Koi

Ryan Hatch, of Flower Child and Fox Restaurant Concepts

Andrew Helmandollarm, with Talking Stick Resort

Shannon Henesey, with the Good Times Rolling Food Cart

Angel Joy, with US Foods

David Lapinski, of Pine Canyon in Flagstaff

Lenard Rubin, with DC Ranch Country Club and Chefs without Borders

Lonnie Schatz, of Cult Coffee Roaster

Rebecca Tillman, of The Phoenician Resort and Spa

Ray Tron, with the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa