Ivy Tech Community Fort Wayne hosted its 22nd annual European Competition on Friday. Nine hospitality administration students in culinary arts or baking and pastry arts spent the day competing for a chance to win a scholarship that would fund a trip to study culinary arts in France this spring.
The winners who will be travelling to France are Brennan Simpson, Dallas Yurt, Mary Cox, Kayla Wyckoff, Brianna Bertsch, Sandra Brickley, and Carl Dalrymple.
Culinary students prepared a meal with an appetizer; an entrée with a protein, vegetable, and starch; and a dessert. Baking students prepared items including plated chocolate and fruit desserts, yeast bread and rolls, and a decorated cake.
Kitchen judges watched and rated students as they worked, paying attention to technique and ability. Floor judges blind tasted the completed meals. Judges based their scores on American Culinary Federation (ACF) criteria, and in order to be considered for the France trip, students must place at bronze standard or higher.
Based on students’ experience in France, they will create the menu for this year’s A Reason to Taste, the College’s largest annual fundraiser. Money raised at A Reason to Taste funds scholarships for the winning students’ European trips.
The students who did not qualify or cannot make the France trip will still receive a travel opportunity: a road trip to Vermont for a farm-to-fork tour in May. On the trip, students will have experiences including a tour of the Baird Farm, an organic maple syrup farm; a chance to watch cheese-making; learning how to milk a cow; and a visit to King Arthur Flour headquarters.
