Davis High School Culinary Arts Students Repeat as District Champions of ‘Chopped’ Challenge
The foodies put their skills to the test. Teams faced off in an intense timed competition.
A student keeps a close eye on her dish during the 2016 Chopped Challenge.
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]T[/dropcap]eams of chefs from across Aldine ISD were pitted against each other. The competition was tough but once again, the Davis culinary students showed strong cooking chops to reign as champions.
Chefs from Aldine, Davis and Nimitz High Schools recently competed in the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”] “Chopped” Challenge. This is the second year of the challenge. The annual is fashioned after the show Chopped on the Food Network. And just like the hit series, the event is filmed live with judges determining the fate of teams.
Gissele Catsillo and Cristian Robles (forefront, l-r) from Davis HS won the 2015 Chopped Challenge.
Davis High School’s Culinary Arts Department played host of the event. Aviator Online, the student broadcast journalism group at Davis broadcast the event on YouTube.
Individuals from well-known establishments in the area comprised the judges panel.
Mary Gatlin of [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Gatlin’s BBQ and Henry Skupin of [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Taste of Texas judged the event. Joey Luna and Lauren Altendorf of [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Revival Market also took part on the panel. Charles Vaughn along with Cody and Cullen Chapman represented the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Culinary Institute LeNotre. The panel also included Davis HS alumnus Cristian Robles. Cristian, a 2015 AISD graduate, is a culinary arts student at the University of Houston. He was also a student member of the winning Davis team last year.
A Dash of This, a Dash of That … Students battle for the best dish in competition.
First Round
Chopped Challenge 2015
In the appetizer event, all three teams had 30 minutes. They had to incorporate shrimp, fennel, corn on the cob and melon. Aldine HS were the first complete their dish. They made melon wrapped shrimp with a sauce, sweet corn and jalapeño sauce. Davis HS made a creamy cantaloupe soup. It was accompanied by sautéed shrimp seasoned with paprika, salt, pepper and garlic. Nimitz created a sweet salad with a vinaigrette accompanied by sautéed shrimp with fennel. Fortunately, no one was “chopped” in Round 1. All three teams moved on to Round 2.
Second Round
Chopped Challenge 2015
Teams had 45 minutes to prepare their entree dish. They had to use chicken, mushrooms, onions, peach tea, dried apricot, radish and quinoa. Nimitz HS used the peach tea as a base for everything that came with their dish. Davis HS made a salad of pickled radish with a vinaigrette of tea soaked apricots. The Davis team fried their chicken and topped it off with a mushroom and onion sauce. Aldine HS delivered a dish with quinoa rice accompanied by sautéed asparagus and radish. The team sautéed their chicken with jalapeño, apricot and peach tea sauce. Aldine HS did not advance. The team got “chopped.”
Third Round
Chopped Challenge 2015
The final 30-minute round focused on dessert. Teams used crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding, white chocolate latte and whipped cream. Nimitz presented a white mocha whipped cream mousse with a hint of almond extract. It was accompanied by French vanilla pudding with cinnamon sauce topped with blueberries. But it was not enough to win. Davis came out with a tasty dessert that was beautifully presented. The judges gave the edge to Davis “chopping” Nimitz in the final category. That decision made Davis the champion of the challenge for a second year in a row.
The competition is as much about flavor as it is presentation.
The challenge brought a real world experience for 11th and 12th grade students. Many of the students in the culinary arts program in Aldine ISD plan to pursue a career in the field.
Angela Whorton enjoys seeing the students pride in what they created. Whorton is a program director of career and technical education (CTE).
“The students quickly recognize the challenges of the fast-paced environment,” said Whorton. “I love seeing the teams present. I am also amazed by the creativity behind the dishes. The students take so much pride in what they created.“
Preparing for the Future … A Recipe for Success
The culinary arts is a career technical education program. The curriculum exposes high school students to professional culinary experiences and environments. They learn kitchen and chef skills as well as business and management skills. This provides students even more options for their future.
The restaurant industry continues to see growth as foodie culture continues to prosper. Many students consider culinary school as an alternative to a four-year college degree.
But students in the culinary arts program develop many transferable skills. They can take their knowledge wherever. Those in the program will have an advantage in advancing their careers.
“We don’t expect all our students to become chefs,” said Whorton. “But we do expect students to learn transferrable skills. These are skills that will help them be successful in whatever they choose to do.
“We teach them things like professionalism, public speaking, time management, collaboration and interview skills. These are skills all employers in a wide variety of fields want.“
Whorton considers the program a pathway for young people. Many of them will use these skills as a path to their first jobs. Food service offers young people many entry-level job opportunities. These opportunities could lead to management positions. They might even aspire to one day own their own establishments.
“The most rewarding part is watching students’ confidence grow in the program,” said Whorton. “The kitchen is a tough environment. But we are showing students they can succeed.“
Congratulations Davis HS! And good luck to everyone at the 2017 Chopped Challenge!
[icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Restaurant industry sales are expected to reach $783 billion in 2016. The restaurant industry will remain the nation’s second-largest private sector employer with a workforce of 14.4 million.
The culinary arts program prepares students to pursue careers in the food service and hospitality industries. Popular careers in the field include chef, sous chef, pastry chef, prep cook, line cook, institutional cook, personal chef, nutritionist, caterer, kitchen manager, restaurant manager, food and beverage supplier/representative, and food stylist.
About the Author: Leticia Fehling
