California School of Culinary Arts Students Deliver Innovative Recipes for NHB Competition

Firestone CO — The California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA), the sunny Pasadena location for the Le Cordon Bleu program, hosted the most recent National Honey Board (NHB) student recipe competition. Twenty-two students from beginning to advanced skill levels accepted the challenge to win one of three scholarship prizes. Competition rules required the students to complete four servings of a recipe for any menu segment—with each portion containing a minimum of 1 Tablespoon of honey—in 90 minutes. Student recipes were evaluated equally on presentation, taste (honey identity), execution and technique.

At the moment of reckoning, the three judges—two Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors and a representative from the National Honey Board—needed extra time to consider an array of remarkable flavor combinations and professional presentations. Because of the skill, artistry and essence of honey demonstrated in two recipes, the judges awarded two top prizes of $1000 each. In second/third place, the prize went to a recipe of striking simplicity and wonderfully subtle flavors.

The Honey Board announced the winners to a crowd of guests and observers:

1st Place ($1000)—Juan Carlos Nerio
Beet Napoleon, Supreme Oranges
Roasted Beet Salad with Honey, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Filling, Zucchini/Orange Roll, Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Orange Beet Syrup.

1st Place ($1000)—Phillip Frankland Lee
Honeyed "Surf and Turf"
Honey Buttered Scallop and Ribeye, Warm Mushroom and Frisée Salad, Tempura Honey Comb

2nd Place ($500)—Thomas Demers
Orange Blossom Eggplant
Tempura Japanese Eggplant, Orange Blossom Honey and Fleur de Sel

With the objective of developing awareness of and appreciation for honey's culinary value and menu benefits in the next generation of chefs, the California School of Culinary Arts is competition is the Honey Board's second culinary scholarship event planned for 2009. For more information about the Honey Board culinary competitions, contact Catherine Perez at [email protected]. To learn more about the Honey Board's culinary education programs, visit www.honey.com/nhb/foodservice.

---

Name: Catherine Perez

Phone: (303) 776-2337

Email: [email protected]