MN West Carl Perkins Consortium CTE News Blog: Schwan Food Company Culinary Skills Challenge

Over 240 high school students from 15 schools converged on SMSU’s RA Facility on March 31 to participate in the 11^th annual Culinary Skills Challenge sponsored by the Schwan Food Company. There were ten competitions for students to participate in including: Baking Science, three Cake Decorating categories, Cooking, Food Art, Knife Skills, Menu Design, Pasta, and Place Setting.

Students who didn’t compete could participate in ten different educational sessions presented by professional chefs, bakers, and food scientists. They included a tour of SMSU and the Culinology Department where students made Vietnamese Summer Rolls with the help of SMSU students. BBQ Pitmaster, Bill Mulso, showed students how to make a BBQ rub from common household ingredients. Chef Lance White from Chef Lance Catering showed students how to make elegant appetizers including vegetable and fruit skewers and hummus. Students learned about out new and old age cooking from Chef Tim from the Mayo Clinic. Wilton Hall of Fame Gingerbread master, Steven Stellingwerf, showed students how to make gingerbread houses. Students also decorated cookies with fondant, learned to make fondant roses, made ice cream with liquid nitrogen, made homemade pasta, and learned about the physiology of taste and flavor.

The winners of the culinary competition received scholarships to SMSU and the winning recipe can be found on the Schwan Home Service website- http://www.schwans.com/products/recipeDetail.aspx?id=42439&c1=3002

To view the winners and more pictures from the event, visit our webiste- www.swsc.org/culinary.