West Shore Career-Tech culinary competitors at the FCCLA State Competition held at Ohio State University April 23-25 earned Gold and Silver medals at the notoriously tough competition. Sahana Petras won first place and earned a Gold Medal in the Garde Manger Category and West Shore’s entry in the team competition took a Silver Medal.
Petras impressed the judges with her Asian-inspired Appetizer Tray which she prepared within the 60-minute time limit. Her original creations of Thai Peanut Noodles, Tuna Tartare on a bed of seaweed salad and cucumber, and Chicken Wontons with carrot, daikon radish and sombol salad were beautifully displayed on a mirrored tray. In addition, each competitor had to complete three selected knife cuts the judges announce the day of the competition. This is the top award for the Garde Manger category as there is no national competition.
Also competing in the state competition and earning Silver Medals was the team of D’Nautica Davis, Mackenzie Moore, Katherine Renaudin, and Andrew Summers. The team completed a three-course meal – salad, entrée, and dessert within 75 minutes and produced four identical plates for the judges.
“Chef McGorray and I are extremely proud of the students who competed. Both Sahana and the Culinary Team have put the time and effort into practicing at least two days a week since the beginning of January and their hard work really paid off,” remarked Chef Devan Sharosky, West Shore Culinary Instructor.
“We are pleased that we are able to send our hard-working students to competitions to showcase their knowledge and skills. My staff focuses every day to prepare students for their careers and future. It brings us all a level of satisfaction when we can celebrate our students’ success,” commented Linda Thayer, Educational Coordinator, West Shore Career-Tech.