Philadelphia, PA, August 5, 2010 – More than 150 ARAMARK chefs from colleges, universities and conference centers across North America competed in the 2010 ARAMARK Culinary Excellence competition, which culminated at the National Competition last week in San Francisco. Thirty finalists competed for a chance to win the prestigious “Copper Pot” and a medal from the American Culinary Federation (ACF), the largest professional chefs association in North America.
The finalists, divided into 10 three-member teams, were given 30 minutes to create, and three hours to fully execute an appetizer, entrée and dessert that included items from a mystery basket crafted from local San Francisco Bay ingredients, including a whole chicken, fava beans, artichokes, almonds and a whole Black Bass.
Five Certified Master Chefs, including Ferdinand Metz, past-president of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), judged the competition based on cooking skill, flavor, plate presentation, use of all ingredients and food safety practices.
The ARAMARK Culinary Excellence Winners include:
The Gold Medal and Copper Pot:
The Southern Region team of Keith Morrison (Mercer University), Keith Sipek (University of Alabama) and Masa Yamashita (University of Tennessee–Chattanooga), a four-time regional champion.
The Silver Medal:
The Mid-Atlantic Region team of Bryan Kelly (University of Virginia), Tim Brown (Old Dominion University) and Jerry Howerin (Mount St. Mary University).
The Bronze Medal: (Tie)
The Northeast Region team of Chris Bee (Boston University), Todd Alden (Springfield College) and Darren Alvaro (College of St. Rose), and the West Region team of Paul Baca (University of California-Irvine), Jeremy Reimer (California State University- East Bay) and Tim Fox (The Cate School).
In addition to the ARAMARK medal winners, for the first time, ACF certified the competition and awarded ACF medals to all finalists, including:
ACF Gold Medal:
The Southern Region team of Keith Morrison (Mercer University), Keith Sipek (University of Alabama) and Masa Yamashita (University of Tennessee–Chattanooga).
ACF Silver Medals:
The Conference Centers team of Jeremy Becklehamer (The Ross School of Business, University of Michigan), Andrew Boxer (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) and Timothy Conklin (University of Massachusetts-Lowell Inn and Conference Center).
The East Region team of Peter Bove and John Peralta (New York University), and Kevin Hodgkinson (Indiana University of Pennsylvania).
The Mid-Atlantic Region team of Bryan Kelly (University of Virginia), Tim Brown (Old Dominion University) and Jerry Howerin (Mount St. Mary University).
The Midwest Region team of Greg Colline and Gil Junge (University of Minnesota), and Eric Naddy (Arizona State University).
The Northeast Region team of Chris Bee (Boston University), Todd Alden (Springfield College) and Darren Alvaro (College of St. Rose).
The Southeast Region team of Jeff Arthur (The Citadel), Paul Calice (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Eric Huff (University of North Carolina-Wilmington).
The West Region team of Paul Baca (University of California-Irvine), Jeremy Reimer (California State University-East Bay) and Tim Fox (The Cate School).
ACF Bronze Medals:
The Canadian team of John Horton (Carleton University), Mathew Morazain (University of British Columbia-Okanagan) and Daniel Poulin (McGill University).
The Southwest Region team of Fernando Morales and Aniceto Moreno, Jr. (Baylor University), and Craig Prestero, Jr. (Texas A & M University).
“We are very proud of all of the chefs who competed for culinary excellence,” said David Reusche, ARAMARK Higher Education’s National Director of Catering. “In addition to showcasing their talents and creativity, the chefs were able to earn continuing education or recertification credits from the American Culinary Federation.”
The ARAMARK Culinary Excellence Program, which began in 2003, recognizes and rewards outstanding chefs throughout ARAMARK-managed accounts and provides them with the opportunity to share their culinary expertise in a competitive environment.
About ARAMARK Higher Education
ARAMARK Higher Education is dedicated to excellence in dining, facility, conference center, and stadium and arena services. ARAMARK enhances the living and learning experience and environment for more than 600 colleges and universities throughout North America. For more information and a list of our services, visit www.aramarkhighered.com.
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. The company is recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute, as the industry leader in FORTUNE magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies," and as one of America's Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 255,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at www.twitter.com/aramarknews.
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