How to compete like a pro

There are only two more formal practice sessions left before the 2012 C-CAP Arizona culinary finals.

So, roughly, 15 days during which you will have ample opportunity to either practice some more or whip yourself into a frothy panic fueled by fear and increasing evidence that you need additional time to practice.

Let's focus on the first.

That's because this year's competition shows all indications of being extremely - uh, competitive. That is to say, skill levels among contestants are roughly par, with some having a critical academic advantage.

So, here's what we're gonna do this week - we're gonna go back in time, and give you a few more keys.

These particular keys are from Chef Francine Marz. Chef Marz, a major competition veteran now with The Art Institute of Phoenix, provided a major guide to improved competition performance.

Today - a focus on food and plating.

In this contest, the chicken comes before the egg

Supreme poulet chasseur avec pommes chateau (Hunter’s chicken with turned, sauteed potatoes)

· Make sure your chicken breast is about the right size for a serving. If it’s too large, cut it.

· Stock needs to be perfectly clear, with a good taste.

· To help sweeten the stock, add more onion.

· Be careful with the glace. Even a small burned bit in your saucepan will give it a bitter,

· burned taste. (Butter will help take care of lingering bitterness.)

· Don’t leave tomatoes or potatoes sitting in an ice bath.

· Remember to season the potatoes.

· Let the potatoes get just a little color in the saute pan.

· Be careful how you slice the chicken for plating your chicken; don’t fan it out too much (it will cool too quickly).

· Have some sauce under the chicken and some sauce or garnish on top.

· Create a presentation with a delicate look to it; if you use a parsley or herb garnish, mince finely and don’t let it clump. Also, it belongs on the food, not the plate.

How to make, fill and fold a crepe

· Timing, timing, timing. If you make your pastry cream first, drop a sheet of plastic wrap right on top and keep it in an ice bath at your station.

· Make sure your eggs aren’t curdling; keep stirring!

· Keep your pastry cream smooth and as light (thin) as possible.

· Keep your crepes as thin as possible.

· Make sure your crepes are the right color.

· Practice folding your crepes.

· Play with the presentation before you get to competition, to give yourself a plan and options in plating.

· Be careful about your chocolate sauce, and how you pipe it onto the crepes and plate.

· Chocolate piping doesn’t need to be too glitzy!

· Finally – don’t forget to taste! The pastry cream should taste sweet enough, with a whisper of vanilla.

NEXT up:

Chef Marz had plenty more to say about competitions. You'll flip your tocque over her suggestions for getting your game together so that it's really on.

PSSSSST! Want some extra tips from the pros?

Last year, Chef Francine Marz, a major competition veteran who’s now teaching at The Art Institute of Phoenix (yes, we expect she’ll be on hand this Saturday), gave out a few keys to the competition kingdom when she ran through a major list of hints and suggestions to get your game on for the coming competitions.

See below!

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).

· 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.

Supreme poulet chasseur avec pommes chateau (Hunter’s chicken with turned, sauteed potatoes)

Make sure your chicken breast is about the right size for a serving. If it’s too large, cut it.

Stock needs to be perfectly clear, with a good taste.

To help sweeten the stock, add more onion.

Be careful with the glace. Even a small burned bit in your saucepan will give it a bitter, burned taste. (Butter will help take care of lingering bitterness.)

Don’t leave tomatoes or potatoes sitting in an ice bath.

Remember to season the potatoes.

Let the potatoes get just a little color in the saute pan.

Be careful how you slice the chicken for plating; don’t fan it out too much (it will cool too quickly).

Have some sauce under the chicken and some sauce or garnish on top.

Create a presentation with a delicate look to it; if you use a parsley or herb garnish, mince finely and don’t let it clump. Also, it belongs on the food, not the plate.

WAIT! Coming tomorrow - how to make, fill and fold a crepe!