There's a secret language? In the kitchen? (who knew)

Hey! Last wee, the New York Times had a nifty graphic on the Op-Ed (editorial) page - all about the "secret language of restaurants."

For instance, did you know that FTD might not be the florist delivery - but a "first-time diner?" Or that some places might call your lunch salad a "lawn?" Some guests might need "LoL" ("lots of love") - and I might be the "lol" needing it!

Go to the attached link (or clip and paste this one: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/06/opinion/06schott-terms-of-service-restaurants.html) to see what (some) others are saying!

(Ben Schott is the guy who put this all together for the New York Times)

About pots and lids

"This is the most fun industry," says Kim Tranter, M.B.A., CHE, associate professor and director of resort, lodging, tourism and event management programs at Johnson & Wales.

"But it's hard work, a lot of hours, and most students work through school carrying a large class load.

"What's equally

important to think about," she adds, "is to understand what you might make initially versus the cost of living."

That's just one big reason to seriously consider what kind of education might be the right choice after high school.

Culinary programs range from (relatively) short-term certification programs to four-year and even advanced degree options at large universities. And, as in other fields, those with advanced training progress more quickly and with more rewards.

Selecting the right training or school is critical, Chef Jorge de la Torre agrees, adding that "It is crucial for students to experience not only orientation programs but everything that can help them become connected with the school and understanding the culture.

"To me, this also indicates desire and interest. Successful students are ready to absorb all that is offered them."

Kristina Verhuizen, a 2011 C-CAP scholarship winner, also notes it's important for high school culinary teachers to have a good idea of the differences among the various culinary programs.

"Students need help knowing where they will fit," she says.

That's why touring campuses, visiting classes, and attending orientation sessions is so critical, she explains. "You need to be firm in who you are, but you also can't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone."

Chef Jorge has another thought about that comfort zone, and young culinary students.

"Work experience in the desired field (of hospitality) is critical. This is what gauges (a student's) desire and passion for the field. School and work are completely separate but mutually necessary (experiences) to be a great chef.

"It's not necessarily what might be taught, but…making life long bonds and connections."

Those kinds of connections, of course, are a given for C-CAP students.

Next: If you're a high school junior or senior thinking about culinary school, you need to know how to look at culinary programs. We'll have a few tips for you to think about as you begin school this year!

Outsmart your competition!

You know your recipes. You're practicing tournes with those pesky potatoes. You can whip together a silky crème patisserie in mere minutes, and you have that drip technique for your chocolate sauce perfected.

Now - are you ready for your close up? That interview following the demonstration of your kitchen skills can be the big key you need for a major scholarship. Here's how to prepare.

First, review your application one more time.

Your interviewers will have a copy of your application. If there is a blank, or an unclear answer, they may well have a question for you. They’ll also have a copy of your essay as they interview you.

If you’ve reviewed your application, you’ll know what to expect.

If you’ve reviewed your essay, you’ll remember what you wrote – and be able to think about why you wrote it.

Because the judges want to match your dreams with the dollars they have to award, expect to be asked if you’ve had a chance to consider more than one school.

You may be asked if you’ve toured specific schools, and you will definitely be asked if you’ve thought about how you will live while you’re in school.

If you’re thinking about Johnson and Wales, for instance, they may want to know how you plan to travel to school.

How will you live while you’re in school? Have you lived away from home before? Will you need a part-time job?

Do you have other financial resources? Do you need transportation? What about school supplies (not just your books)?

Your C-CAP interviewers want to know you’ve spent some time figuring out this next step in your culinary career.

Next time: how to do your best in this part of the competition.

Only four more days!

ALL applications for the 2012 Arizona C-CAP scholarships are due this coming Saturday, January 21, no later than midnight.

Applications must be in Jill Smith's hands - or on her doorstep - by that time. There are NO - repeat, NO exceptions.

Get your completed application to 4948 W. Buckskin Trail in Phoenix (85083), by deadline Or not.

Applications must be received - not postmarked on the 21st!- to be accepted for this year's competition.

C-CAP a program "on the cutting edge"

Susan Robbins says things like that (above) with complete sincerity, and a total lack of irony.

That's because, as even casual discussion reveals, the new national C-CAP leader fully believes that C-CAP could be just on the cusp of turning into a major force within the entire hospitality industry.

"We need to be (more) creative," she emphasizes, "reaching out to more industries, expanding and offering benefits (our) students can use as they progress in their careers."

C-CAP, she explains, serves students who have been, in parts of this country, significantly under-served.

Whether from urban or rural areas, many C-CAP students - even those with higher GPAs - might have difficulty tying those grades to productive careers, for a host of reasons ranging from lack of financial resources to further any education beyond high school to problems identifying a career field with possibilities for success.

C-CAP, through dramatic scholarship funding and significant mentoring through the selection process, offers a clear path to an industry offering multiple opportunities for a fulfilling work life, and key connections that help with everything from study aids to job referrals.

This is already at the heart of C-CAP's national success as a critically acclaimed and deeply needed scholarship program.

What Susan Robbins envisions, though, is a significant expansion of the program's role and activities.

She sees a spectrum of academic, professional, and even life skills training possibilities, all developed to give C-CAP students broad support not just as they begin training, but throughout their professional lives.

More on Susan Robbins' vision for C-CAP later…

HEY! Turns out, you can eat dessert first!

Or not. At Getting Our Just Desserts, you’re free to have dessert first – or you can head straight for the hors d’oeuvres and savory nibbles.

And rightly so…really, who could pass up Amy Binkley’s bolognese (what will she put it over? a crostini? a bit of macaroni? oh, the possibilities!) – unless, of course, you’ve already spotted Sherrye Chapin’s incredible brownies?

No need to save room, but you will definitely want to save time to get to one of those workshops.

Learn all about assessing (and tasting!) chocolate, decide which cheeses will work best for your own holiday dinners or parties, take a break to learn more about tea tasting, learn how to taste olive oil (hint: you don’t really want it on a bread cube) – and then learn how you can share your food news with the world at the intro to food photography.

PLUS – major silent auction this year. Unreal. Weekends in Sedona. Wine tours and tastings. And more!

Nov. 19. Between 2 and 5 p.m. at the Art Institute, 23^rd Ave and Dunlap. Be there!

(Here’s how to be there: go to blacktie-arizona//rsvp – with the code justdesserts11 and order tickets . Tickets also at the door!)

Tough meet, but tasty finish

This year’s Robert Bland Culinary Salon, staged this past weekend at East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), drew a formidable set of competitors in a formidable judging.

This American Culinary Foundation event, presented by the ACF Chef’s Association of Arizona, is a high level contest with an exceptionally high bar to cross. Nonetheless, these six students – all of whom also were in C-CAP’s TopTen group during this past C-CAP competition, took these medals:

Tiffanny Miller - Flagstaff HS - Silver Medal

Alyssa Falshaw - Flagstaff HS - Bronze Medal

Shoshannah Wright - Payson HS - Bronze

Christopher Andrade - Valley Vista HS - Bronze

Emery Van Gilder - Catalina Magner HS - Bronze

Royce Schlittenhart - Canyon del Oro HS - Bronze

These two students also went home with medals:

Jessie Beekman - Flagstaff - Silver

Kylie Radford - Flagstaff - Bronze

We’ll expect to see all eight students through this year’s practices and finals next spring!

One key to a good scholarship interview

Whenever you’re the focus of an interview, it’s smart to know as much as you can about the company and people who are going to interview you.

One important part of your interview for a culinary scholarship from C-CAP is to understand what the organization is, and how it works.

This can be as simple as going to the C-CAP web site and reviewing the organization’s history. You can also take a quick look below at a brief, bullet-point synopsis, although it’s hardly the full story.

C-CAP Arizona’s executive director Jill Smith says, “I think it’s really important for each candidate to at least know who Richard Grausman is before the final competitions even begin.”

Jill suggests it’s also important for candidates to come into their interview armed “with at least one question. And students need to be open-minded about suggestions as to which schools might be valuable to them.

“Most students haven’t visited any of the schools they’re considering, and many haven’t thought out how they will be able to afford on- or off-campus housing or cover other living expenses while they’re in school.

“It helps to have two or three possible schools in mind.”

C-CAP – a brief history

· C-CAP = Careers in Culinary Arts Program

· dedicated to aiding underserved students find career/study opportunities in the food service industry

· established 1990 by Richard Grausman, cookbook author and educator, to teach home cooking in 12 NYC high schools

· grew into educational/scholarship program when Grausman realized students needed preparation for real jobs with real futures

· focused on

o teacher training (enhances teacher knowledge, student outcomes)

o scholarships and cooking competitions (largest independent

scholarship program in the industry)

o job training, internships, career advising (job shadowing, job readiness training, career counseling)

o college advising and College 101 (to help scholarship winners succeed)

o product donations (aids understocked, underequipped classrooms)

· Arizona has the only state-wide C-CAP program in the country

This week’s practice is almost here

Arizona Culinary Institute

10595 N. 114th Street, #401

Scottsdale, AZ 85259

(*NOTE* do not use Mapquest to find this address - it has incorrect directions, From Loop 101, go east on Shea Blvd to 116th Street, go south on 116th street and ACI's parking lot will be to your right)

March 12, 2011

10am - practice starts, please arrive by 9:45 to begin setting up.

Wear - Full kitchen uniform

Bring - All equipment necessary to complete all recipes

Bring - chicken stock and chicken glaze - all other food will be supplied by ACI

Be prepared to use this practice as a mock competition; we will be timing you as well as giving you a critique. You may use your recipes in this practice but remember, you may not use recipes during the actual competition.

Final Competition Practice set for this Saturday - February 26th, 2011.

This practice is mandatory - all other practices are optional. In addition to practicing some components of the Final Competition recipes we will also be discussing each scholarship opportunity in detail. Your parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. The details are:

Saturday, February 26, 2011

10am - 1pm

The Art Institute of Phoenix, 2233 W. Dunlap Avenue, Phoenix

(Meet in the Gallery Cafe, first floor by the Starbucks)

Dress code - full kitchen uniform

Tools to bring – tourne knife (if you have one) or paring knife (no other equipment necessary)

Agenda:

chef demonstration of competition recipe tourne practice - hands on (please practice your tournes before arriving) make and plate crepes (please come with an idea for plating your crepes) scholarship information interviewing techniques (an interview with Richard Grausman is part of the Final Competition)

The agenda is very full and we will start promptly at 10 am.

All Final Competition Recipes are on the C-CAP website www.ccapinc.org, click on Arizona, click on Competitions, click on Final Competition recipes - or use this link:

http://www.ccapinc.org/locations/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2011-Final-Competition-Recipes6.pdf

Contact C-CAP Arizona executive director Jill Smith to register today! (JSmith@ccapinc.org)

WATCH THIS SPACE! Extra tips from a competition veteran will appear in this space on Wednesday, February 23!

Preliminary Heats 3 and 4 – EVIT

C-CAP’s final preliminaries at East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) this past weekend were intense and fun, too.

Seniors, realizing that fewer than half competing in the preliminaries will make it to the finals, were especially anxious.

Juniors were no less anxious and, if anything, appeared to feel even more competitive.

With preliminaries complete, judges offered just a few more tips for those preparing for the final round in March.

First, for seniors in the competition, judges offered a caution to take a few minutes to consider the commitment question. That is, ask yourself, “Do I have the determination and stamina to compete, not just in competition, but as a professional in the culinary field?”

Then, plan on attending Competition 101, this year’s final competition practice set for February 26, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Art Institute of Phoenix. You must register ahead of time with C-CAP executive director, Jill Smith.

Judges also had just a few more tips as both seniors and juniors continue practice for the finals, set for March 26 at the East Valley Institute of Technology. Here they are:

• Organization and timing are critical (many students have a good handle on this, so make certain you have a plan in place for each recipe)
• Use all of the time you have –time management is critical so you can be confident and will not need to rush any step
• Find a professional or instructor who will critique your technique and presentation (mom, dad, siblings and friends can’t do this!)
• Don’t trip on the small stuff: watch your cloths so stray fibers don’t end up in food, don’t drop food or equipment, and remember sanitation technique
• TST –taste, season, taste. Taste after any ingredient is added. Correct seasoning as you go.
• Remember – salt is your friend.

And keep practicing.

More tips on technique and presentation

Every practice results in still more advice for this year’s scholarship contenders. These tips are from practice at Mesquite High School.

Overall hints for the preliminaries

Organize your time –

know each step and technique

practice in appropriate order

Sanitation

wear three or four pairs of gloves, discard as you go from step to step

wipe your cutting board between each use or step

discard inedible scraps, save edibles (why? “I’ll make stock” is a good answer)

Practice knife skills

Understand your recipe

Taste everything

Resist the temptation to garnish plates!

On omelets

Getting eggs whisked correctly depends both on the right bowl and the right whisk Omelets should be plump in the middle with no ragged edges, no cracks

Color is an even, pale gold and there is no browning anywhere

Omelets are rolled and flipped out of the pan (this technique requires patience and practice)

Seconds count in this dish – the center needs to be creamy, a little wet/damp but cooked completely

Salt and pepper in balance – if you practice with black pepper, use that in competition

Taste is creamy and soft, with just a whisper of pepper

You can “straighten out” the omelet after you get it onto a plate, but make sure you wear gloves. Also, make certain your plate is clean, with no little dribbles or spots of oil or butter – or uncooked eggs.

Super salads

Vinaigrette needs to be balanced just right in salt/sweet/tang taste

Whisk until you have a complete emulsion

Make sure you’re dicing at ¼-inch (measure and practice until you can see the size correctly and consistently)

Cilantro should be minced to dust-like status (NOTE: cilantro is ready-to-use and need not be rinsed in this competition!)

Dice vegetables in hard-to-soft order, i.e., jicama first, then peppers, onion and finally tomato (WHY? Tomatoes are fragile, especially when diced. They’ll break down while bathing in vinaigrette and look/taste mushy.)

Have at least 20 slices of cucumber ready to line your salad mold.

-----

Line up cucumber slices in the order you cut so it will be easy to see if you need to cut additional, similarly sized slices

Line your mold as you cut, so you can see whether you’re slicing correctly and can fill in any gaps

Drain, strain and then strain your vegetables through cheesecloth – then blot and stray oil with a paper towel

Make sure vegetables have consistent size in the dice and that there are no seeds left

Have a balanced mix of vegetables and fill your mold evenly to the top

Adjust cucumber slices up or down with the tip of a paring knife

About cucumbers

English cucumbers will be used in the preliminaries. They’re long, slender, and somewhat straighter than garden-variety cucumbers.

Jill Smith suggests taking a good, close assessment of each cucumber before beginning cuts.

“You need the most symmetrical part to cut slices for lining the salad mold,” she says.

“Line your slices up as you cut and begin filling the mold. You need to have even slices so it is very important not to cut away the rest of your cucumber before your mold is lined correctly.”

Still practicing! (and not stopping yet)

Guided, formal practices for this year’s C-CAP competitions continue through this week (see schedules, below, and click on “Older Posts” for additional information).

Chef Tim Stutz of Dawn Foods joined C-CAP Arizona executive director Jill Smith at a practice session at Mesquite High School in Chandler.

Skyline High seniors Ericka Hoth and Colby Cable, gluttons for punishment and practice, attended, along with Max Hodge, senior, and Chrystae Rohman, junior, of Basha High School, Kristen Voegtly-Mutch and Trevor Spoerle, both seniors and Andrew Swanson, a junior, all of Perry High School, Caleb Gallman, a junior from Gilbert High School, and Josh Hermann a senior from Mesquite.

“It’s trial, error – and practice,” says Chef Stutz, who also reminded participants to remember to taste their food as they prepared and before they presented their plates.

“You need to taste everything, and identify how you can make it better.”

Jill took time to review omelet technique with each student, noting that the classic French technique demanded by the competition is an exacting recipe in which timing is critical.

Even the bowl size, she says, becomes important since the final omelet needs to be a completely even color. “You can’t have white spots; the egg needs to be completely blended.

Explaining that the omelet needs to look and taste exactly right, she adds, “Often, during a job interview, a chef will ask an applicant to make an omelet. It’s a quick way to determine skill and competence levels. It even illustrates an ability to make a good-tasting dish from simple ingredients.”

Practices this coming week

Don't forget - contact executive director Jill Smith (623-606-6213) to reserve a spot at practice. ANY student intending to participate in the 2011 C-CAP competition may attend ANY scheduled practice!

Jan 31 - Flagstaff HS 2pm

Feb 1 - Mesquite HS (Gilbert) 3:30

Feb 2 - Paradise Valley HS 3pm

Feb 3 - Canyon del Oro HS (Tucson) 4pm

More practicing…

Last week’s practice at Thunderbird High School attracted five students, including Moon Valley students Carrie Beletz, a junior, and seniors Jason Langham and Emily Sterrett. Two Thunderbird High juniors also participated, Brandon Bratset and Marcus Johnson.

Culinary instructors Brandi James, Moon Valley, and Joanne Michael, hosting, from Thunderbird were on hand to work with their students and Glendale Union High School District staff member Amanda Shively stopped in.

With only five participants, both omelets and salads were reviewed. C-CAP Arizona’s executive director, Jill Smith, offered continuing assistance and assessment as students worked.

Some of her suggestions include:

· Take control of your own competition – know your timing, the recipes and techniques.

· Save points by making sure your attire and appearance meet competition standards.

· During competition, running at 37 minutes for your salad is okay, more time than that will lose points.

· Do not finish early! If you do, clean your stations, double check your plate and presentation.

· Taste everything! Make sure your vegetable to vinaigrette ratio is right.

· Keep your cutting board clean; handle one vegetable or food product and one tool at a time and don’t forget to clean the board in between tasks.

· Omelets need to have the right proportion of salt and pepper, and no evidence of under-whisked egg whites.

Remember: It’s a competition and competitions have rules. Make sure you’ve read and understand all of the rules before you begin.

Sweet deal on these houses....

Students in Christine Hahn's pastry classes at The Art Institute of Phoenix spent part of this week making gingerbread houses for the holidays. The houses - along with several others - will be on sale this Saturday, when two dozen of Arizona's top women chefs present Getting Our Just Dessert. Set for 3 to 6 p.m. at The Art Institute of Phoenix, the sweet 'n' savory tasting event benefits the Careers in Culinary Arts Program in Arizona -which gave away more than half a million dollars in scholarships to high school culinary students across Arizona in 2010. Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Getting-Our-Just-Desserts/127049954000526?ref=ts) for details - and then go to www.blacktie-arizona.com/rsvp - event code justdesserts10 for tickets!

Why women chefs love - LOVE - professional cooking

Nearly two dozen of Arizona's top women chefs will present sweet and savory bites at this year's best holiday kick-off, Getting Our Just Desserts. Set for November 20 at The Art Institute of Phoenix, the late-afternoon fete will showcase a cornucopia of total delicious (and have you wondering if you can't just outsource this year's holiday goodies). But how did these women end up spending their careers in the kitchen? Find out here!

MaryAnne Moody, owner, Bueno Burger

After completing studies at Scottsdale Culinary Institute, MaryAnne interned as a pastry assistant at Roy’s Pacific Rim Cuisine. She moved to elements at Sanctuary Resort, and rose to pastry chef. She worked the line at Zinc, opened CaféBistro Bar and Grill as Sous Chef – and then struck out to open Bueno Burger.

How she got her start: “My grandmother was a professional baker and when I saw my aunt working at a reception center, I knew a career in food was

for me.”

What she loves about it: “We all had to help cook at home, but I loved it and my siblings didn’t. It’s just in me – and I’m good at it. But running a business has me learning new skills.”

How the industry’s changed: “Ten years ago, this profession was a little more obscure. Now, it’s seen as a glamour profession.”

What the future holds for women chefs: “I see women becoming more evident. There’s more space for women now, partly because people see it’s not just a man’s field.”

Country Velador, Pastry Chef, Cowboy Ciao

Country Velador holds a degree in fine arts in photography from Arizona State University. While in Chicago pursuing a career in art, she supported herself by working at a restaurant, where the pastry creations captivated and held attention. After a return to Phoenix, she sought out an apprenticeship in pastry. She worked at Digestif, then moved to Cowboy C

iao where she’s risen to head the pastry division.

How she got her start: “I worked front-of-the-house from the time I was 16. In Chicago, where I was again front-of-the-house, I began to realize desserts, plated desserts, were really an art form. So when I moved back to Phoenix, I went back to the kitchen.”

What she loves about it: “Mentoring with Tracy Dempsey helped me express the possibilities I’d seen in the art of creating and presenting desserts.”

How the industry’s changed: “Right now, because of the economy – which dictates people’s taste – there’s an emphasis on simplicity, home, (flavors and dishes) reminding us of youth and childhood. We’re seeing

things that speak of home.”

What the future holds for women chefs: “On a recent business trip to California, we saw at least one restaurant where there was only one guy in the kitchen. There are a lot of great women chefs, and they’re often highlighted. And overall, there are more women coming into the profession.”

Tricia Guerrero, East Valley Institute of Technology

A C-CAP scholarship gave Tricia her training at the Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated first in her class. During school, she discovered a passion for working front of the house, a passion which stands her in good stead when she teaches table service. She’s proud to be an EVIT graduate, helping other students discover their own passion in the industry.

How she got her start: “My mother is a great cook. She has a true passion but never had the opportunity to develop her passion into a career. Although, I love food; it is the hospitality industry in general amazes me.”

What she loves about it: “I love the service aspect. I truly think it makes the biggest difference in any establishment. I love talking to people. And I love that everyday is a new surprise. You never know what you’re going to get.”

How the industry’s changed: “Fortunately, with my experiences working in front and back of the house, I have only had positive experiences. It is great to see confident women in successful positions in the industry.”

What the future holds for women chefs: "The limitations are endless. There’s still a glass ceiling that’s easy to bump into, especially in the kind of industry that’s still largely dominated by men. In other words, women still need to be confident in the ways they prove themselves. And they need to be confident that they can move ahead.”

Renae Hannum, Regional chef, Quorum Hotels & Resorts

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Renae Hannum began her career at the Marriot Camelback Inn, rising to sous chef before moving to Hilton and becoming executive chef. She became regional chef for Quorum Hotels & Resorts in 2009, overseeing culinary operation in Mesa and Tucson.

How she got her start: “Our high school home ec class toured a casino kitchen in Las Vegas, and the executive chef told me he’d never let his daughter go into it. I knew I had to show it could be done.”

What she loves about it: “I always had a passion for this.”

How the industry’s changed: “There’s definitely been a change, but (that chef in Vegas) was right – it’s a different environment for women.”

What the future holds for women chefs: “When I was in school, I was the only woman not in pastry. Now, our management company has three women chefs.”