West Shore Culinary Team Rounds Up Regional Awards

Months of training and preparation paid off for West Shore Culinary students at the regional Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competition on February 28. West Shore earned five Gold Awards and one Silver Award across four categories with the Senior Culinary Team of D’Nautica Davis and Katherine Renaudin also earning a spot in the State Competition this April in Columbus.

West Shore’s Gold Award winners are:

• Senior Culinary Team – D’Nautica Davis and Katherine Renaudin. This dynamic duo competed as a two-person team against other three-person teams after learning their third team member would not be able to compete due to a family issue less than a week before the competition. D’Nautica and Katherine redistributed their work load and learned a new recipe in one week’s time. Competing as a two-person team is the equivalent of playing tennis doubles with just one person! 
• Junior Gabriel Antos in the Pastry Cake category.
• Senior Sierra Henderson in the Pastry Tray category.
• Junior Marlayna Fulkerson in the Pastry Tray category.
• Junior Stephen Watkins in the Garde Manger category.

Receiving a Silver Award is the Junior Culinary Team of Shelby Hurd, Maxwell Masarik and Cameron Thompson.

Both culinary teams were required to demonstrate three different knife cuts and prepare four identical plates of the Appetizer, Entrée & Dessert from a FCCLA-determined menu within 90 minutes. Each Garde Manger competitor demonstrated three different knife cuts and created an appetizer themed- tray of two-three different items within 75 minutes.

“This year we earned more Gold Awards that we ever have received in our history of this competition. We are excited that our students showcased their skills and talents so superbly in such high pressure situations. Maintaining a level head while working under pressure will serve them well in their culinary career,” commented Chef Instructor Devan Corti.

“We are especially proud of the students’ 'off-field' behavior. Our students went beyond expectations in sportsmanship and maturity helping other teams with the packing of their equipment, friendly conversation and positive attitude. As always our success is because of all the support of the West Shore Career Technical Department and Administration,” shared Chef Instructor Rob McGorray.

This year’s regional competition was once again held at Cuyahoga Community College’s Culinary Institute in downtown Cleveland.