Cape Tech Culinary Students Serve Up Another Statewide Cook-Off Championship
The culinary arts students earned top honors at the 13th annual NJAC Cook-Off Competition, continuing Cape Tech’s winning streak with another standout performance.
Cape May Court House, NJ – Cape May County Technical High School’s (Cape Tech) culinary arts students successfully defended their title at the 13th annual New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) Cook-Off Competition, earning top honors and multiple awards during the statewide event held in Atlantic City on Friday, May 8.
After taking home the grand prize in last year’s competition, Cape Tech once again impressed judges and attendees alike with a creative coastal-inspired menu that secured the coveted People’s Choice Award and a $1,250 scholarship for the school’s culinary arts program.
This year’s award-winning menu featured a Cape May clam cake with scallop emulsion and sweet poached shallots. The dish earned praise from the judges and conference guests for its creativity, presentation and flavor. In addition to the People’s Choice Award, Cape Tech students also earned:
- Gold Professional Chefs Award for Food Presentation
- Gold Professional Chefs Award for Taste
- Gold NJAC Judges Award for Food Presentation
- Silver NJAC Judges Award for Taste
- Gold People’s Choice Award
Along with the culinary students, the carpentry team also won Gold for their intricate Coast Guard themed set design that featured a helicopter complete with a large propeller.
“It was a great feeling to go back and not only compete but be victorious for the second year in a row. The students worked hard - both culinary and construction,” said Cape Tech’s culinary arts instructor Chef Stephen Serano. “Both the culinary and construction students put in an incredible amount of hard work. The NJAC competition provides an engaging, hands-on learning experience for our CTE students, while also giving them the opportunity to connect with talented chefs and craftsmen from across the state and gain valuable real-world interactions.”
Cape Tech culinary students competed against teams from 10 vocational school districts across New Jersey and were evaluated by a panel of distinguished judges, including celebrity chef David Burke, television host Casey Webb of “Man v. Food,” Chef Alexandra Donnadio, social media personality Matt Groark, known as “The Meat Teacher,” and barbecue pitmaster Chef Fritz. Event attendees also sampled dishes and voted for the People’s Choice Award.
“Congratulations to our culinary arts students and staff on this outstanding achievement,” said Cape Tech Superintendent Jaime Moscony. “To win this competition two years in a row speaks volumes about the strength of our culinary program and the passion our students bring to their craft.”
Each culinary team participating in the event consisted of five to six students and two staff members. Teams were challenged to create 300 samples of their dishes while staying within a budget of less than $700.
In addition to the culinary competition, students in Cape Tech’s carpentry program designed and constructed the display station, contributing to the spirit of teamwork and the school’s award-winning presentation.
For more information about Cape Tech and their programs, visit https://capemaytech.com.