The savory smell of simmering garlic wafted through the air, as high school and technical college students prepared their culinary masterpieces at the eighth annual Culinary and Hospitality Competition.
With 14 different categories, the Marriott World Center ballrooms were abuzz with activity.
In the culinary competition students showcased their talents in knife skills, edible centerpieces, desserts, gourmet meals and ProStart prep.
Working against the clock, the gourmet meal competitors worked in teams of three to create and appetizer and main course. They had one hour to create two plates of each item (one for the judges and one for display). With dishes ranging from Thai shrimp salad paired with seared steak and grilled lobster tail with mashed potatoes and asparagus to garbanzo curry soup paired with Hindi-pan seared lamb chops over pomegranate couscous and butternut squash the dishes contained flavors from throughout the world.
“Having the judges right there and everybody watching you is a good experience. The best thing we all learned was how to work together. In our mock competitions we didn’t do that great, but today we really improved and had good teamwork and team vibe. We carried that throughout the whole time and that helped us a lot,” Blayz Scott, University High School junior, said. “This was a good first experience to take with me. I’ll be better able to perform under pressure.”
The hospitality students conducted a guest services case study, created a marketing campaign, planned a hospitality event, performed in the hospitality overall, tested their knowledge in the Quiz Cup challenge or arranged a decorative centerpiece.
Windermere High School, in its first year with Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism classes, had teams place in four of the six hospitality categories. The Marketing Campaign team (comprised of Ryian Rasool, Reagan Maloney, Alexandra Morse and Sebistation Enamorado) won first place. Hospitality teacher Erin Giordano was pleased with her students’ performances.
“I am beyond proud of the kids. These students took time out of their lives to work together on these projects that will forever impact their careers in business but specifically hospitality. With this being the students first year competing, they are ecstatic about their win,” Giordano said. “I love the fact that they want to win everything, which will have them work harder than they did this year. Seeing the excitement on their faces brings joy to my face.”
8th Annual Culinary & Hospitality Competition Winners
Guest Services Case Study
1st Place – Osceola High School, Veronica King, Kate Diaz, Gabriel Gonzalez, Jose DeJesus
2nd Place – Windermere High School, Nicholas Irvine, Summer Hornburg, Jasmine Rhoden, Warren Southerland
3rd Place – Winter Park High School, Hayley Champion, Lauren Staudt, Laura Leigh Cash
Hospitality Event Project
1st Place – Freedom High School, Megan Serrano, Jean Rojas, Annika Swayze, Heart Vergara
2nd Place – Osceola High School, Veronica King, Kate Diaz, Gabriel Gonzalez, Jose DeJesus
3rd Place – Winter Park, Hayley Champion, Lauren Staudt, Laura Leigh Cash
Hospitality Overall
1st Place – Osceola High School, Veronica King, Kate Diaz, Gabriel Gonzalez, Jose DeJesus
2nd Place – Winter Park High School, Hayley Champion, Lauren Staudt, Laura Leigh Cash
3rd Place – Windermere High School, Nicholas Irvine, Summer Hornburg, Jasmine Rhoden, Warren Southerland
Quiz Cup
1st Place – Orange Technical College Mid Florida, Milena Maldonado, Kimberly Santuchi, Taslima Yesmin
2nd Place – Osceola High School, Shaula Marquez, Ashley Barger, Nate Marlow, Mario Harris
Marketing Campaign
1st Place – Windermere High School, Ryian Rasool, Reagan Maloney, Alexandra Morse, Sebistation Enamorado
2nd Place – Colonial High School, Brittany White, Sarah Wiegand, Arianna Carreras
3rd Place – Orange Technical College Mid Florida, Salvador Rosas, Noah McKell, Kyla Vazquez, Jason Antunez
Decorative Centerpiece
1st Place – Gateway School, Taylor Cooper, Nathaniel Adams, Claudia Assunto, Nyiema Smith, Loren Wilkerson
2nd Place – Freedom High School, Emily Goe
3rd Place – Windermere High School, Adrianna Romero, Hannah Oestreich, Emma Lack, Patrick Bravo Zhang
Edible Centerpiece
1st Place – Wekiva High School, Jamiah Couvoisier
2nd Place – Orange Technical College Mid Florida – Guerdine Petit
3rd Place – Orange Technical College Mid Florida – Miguel Diaz
Waiters Relay
1st Place – Colonial High School Team 1, Savanna Figueroa, Saskia Nyala, Leslie Coomano
2nd Place – Orange Technical College Westside, Vanthkia St. Vil, Adrianna DeJesus, Sloan Wagstaff
3rd Place – Colonial High School Team 2, Shelsy Maldonado, Ivaneth Febres Soler, Jackqualynn Dietrick
Knife Skills
1st Place – Colonial High School, Reneiro Irizarry
2nd Place – Orange Technical College Westside, Shermyra Harp
3rd Place – Orange Technical College Mid Florida, Argelies Grant
Dessert – High School
1st Place – Wekiva High School, Kate Campopiano
2nd Place – Winter Park High School, Elizabeth Cricher, Daniel Kirsheman
3rd Place – Colonial High School, Sophia Jorge, Laauren Arak
Dessert – Orange Technical College
1st Place – OTC Mid Florida at Cypress Creek High School, Madeline Zayas, Kiani Vinales
2nd Place – OTC Winter Park at University High School, Michelle Osorio, Jeiver Estrada
3rd Place – OTC Winter Park at University High School, Mya Luong, Jazmine Liriano
Gourmet - Meal High School
1st Place – Winter Park, Elonie Torres, Jomar Alvarez, Jerriya Marie Griffin
2nd Place – Freedom, Alexie Vergara, Lens Mathurin, Isamar Figueroa
3rd Place – Colonial, Kiara Ortex, Jhustin Mariano, Stephanee Garcia
Gourmet – Orange Technical College
1st Place – Westside at Ocoee High School, Daniel Carapia, Hailee Doyno, Tiara Peterson
2nd Place – Mid Florida, Ayanna Watley, Merdina Jeudy
3rd Place – Westside at Ocoee, Kehinde (Tobe) Adebimpe, Valery Agustin, Adriana Torres
ProStart Prep
1st Place – Wekiva High School, Trevor Mills, Austin Boyd, Clay Reeves, Karia Baez, Zakeya Hill
2nd Place – Freedom High School, Ivan Caro Cruz, Barbara Lombardi, Justin Boyd, Patricia Perez, Natalia Piedrahita