The tension amongst the guests assembled in the dining room of “561” Restaurant on Pasadena’s Green Street was thick enough to cut with a chef’s knife. As I slid into the nearest empty seat, I noticed that all eyes were glued to the trio of television screens that were soundlessly sharing the moment of truth as it unfolded back in the kitchen lab. Eight Los Angeles high school seniors - whose skill and passion for cooking had brought them this far - were participating in heated finals for a top slot in the Future Chef of America Culinary Scholarship Competition.

For the parents, grandparents and siblings who had come to cheer them on, impatience was nearing the boiling point.
      
      

Waiting for the judges’ results (left to right): Kristopher Kato,
Armondo Conchaas, Teresa Lynn Martin, Kayla Kenney,
Rosa Pok, Stephanie Yee, Raul Silos and Allysun Knapp.

“What I wouldn’t give to be able to read their lips!” the mother of one of the candidates murmured as she watched Executive Chef Angela Goodman and Chef Judges Christine Kim, Eric Osley and Mike Malloy sample each of the entries.

“It looked like that one judge smiled,” a voice behind me whispered. Yet another was heard to remark with nail-biting angst, “He moved on to the next plate too fast. That can’t be a good sign…”

That these aspiring chefs have advanced to this level at such a young age is remarkable in and of itself. The annual competition, hosted by the California School of Culinary Arts and judged by experts selected from Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, is an opportunity to identify students who have shown not only a true desire but a demonstrated aptitude to put their cooking careers on the front burner. Over 200 prospective candidates submitted short essays on why they wanted to become a culinary professional and what they hoped to accomplish following their graduation from the CSCA program. The selection of 26 exceptional essays was then winnowed down to today’s handful chosen for the hands-on exam.

To no great surprise, the majority of finalists want to one day own their own restaurants and become world famous with their signature recipes.

Informally dubbed “Iron Chef Junior”, the final phase of evaluation has called upon them to prepare and present a two-course menu consisting of an appetizer or salad and a chicken entrée with their choice of a starch or vegetable side dish. Under the watchful eye of the four judges for a test period of 90 minutes, each entrant’s work is judged on the basis of taste, creativity, proper use of equipment and ingredients (including safety practices) and presentation.
      
      

Winner’s Circle (left to right): Stephanie Yee,
Teresa Martin, and Kayla Kenney.

And as if it weren’t enough to perform under pressure, two identical plates must be produced - one for the judges to nibble and one for the photo ops. The ability to reproduce the very same look and taste, of course, is critical if one hopes to enter a culinary arena in which he or she will be expected to turn out specific dishes several thousand times a year.

Although probably very little could take their minds off the upcoming revelation of results, the students agreed to answer a few questions for the enjoyment of our readers.

How old were you when you cooked your first meal and what was it?

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      Allysun Brooke Knapp: “The first meal I made on my own was corn beef and cabbage when I was 13.”
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      Raul Silos: “The first meal I cooked when I was 10 years old was spaghetti with meat balls.”
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      Armondo Conchaas: “I was 11 years old when I made my first pizza.”
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      Kayla Marie Kenney: “I was 14 years old and I cooked turkey tetrazzini.”
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      Teresa Lynn Martin: “I have been experimenting for as long as remember but my first full meal was meatloaf with mashed potatoes.”
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      Stephanie Yee: “I was probably 13 or 14, and I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”
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      Kristopher Kato: “The first meal I cooked was in middle school. It was breakfast and I was very proud of it.”
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      Rosa Pok: “I was 10 years old and made Cambodian-style orange chicken curry.”

What’s your favorite comfort food?

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      Knapp: “My first favorite is Sushi because I was raised on it. When I was a baby my mom would feed me noNorris as a snack. Ever since I have been hooked. My second and nearly equal favorite is German fare. From dumplings to landjägers, I eat it all. I have a lot of German family so it always makes me feel homey and warm.”
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      Silos: “Mushroom is my favorite comfort food. I love the flavor and texture of it.”
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      Conchaas: “My comfort food is Mexican food, because I love it.”
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      Kenney: “Simple baked potatoes because it's filling and you can put almost anything on or in a baked potato and it still tastes great.”
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      Martin: “My Grandmother's gingersnap cookies. Every Christmas they were there and they remind me of many amazing memories.”
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      Yee: “My ultimate comfort food in the whole entire world is meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes seem so warm and inviting-like the classic home-cooked meal.”
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      Kato: “Chinese food because it has great flavor.”
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      Pok: ”Pizza because I always enjoy eating with my boyfriend.”

Even at a young age, each of the competitors has already defined a signature dish. Here they are:

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      Knapp: “I make a killer crab salad on endive leaves. It's always a hit at parties and it’s easy to eat.”
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      Silos: “My signature dish is a Filipino dish called ‘Caldereta’. It is made out of goat, tomatoes, mushrooms, red wine, vegetables and seasoning.”
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      Conchaas: “The signature dish that I am most proud of is my pot pie.”
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      Kenney: “Apple streusel cheesecake!”
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      Martin: “My grilled pork loins in a Marsala mushroom sauce.”
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      Yee: “My signature dish that I am most proud of is chicken cordon bleu with roasted potatoes because it is elegant yet simple.”
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      Kato: “Chicken fettuccini. It’s the first dish I ever made by myself with no help.”
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      Pok: “Crispy shrimp.”

If you could only eat one thing for an entire week, what would it be?

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      Knapp: “Sushi for breakfast lunch and dinner please!”
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      Silos: “Chicken liver with caramelized onion, red wine and a lot of garlic.”
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      Conchaas: “Hot dogs!”
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      Kenney: “Pasta.”
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      Martin: “In ‘n’ Out. It’s amazing fast food and is right by my house.”
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      Yee: “Taco salad. It's healthy and full of yumminess.”
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      Kato: “Japanese food, especially sushi.”
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      Pok: “Rice and chicken.”

What famous chef would you most like to meet?

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      Knapp: “I would have loved to meet Julia Child, but as of today I would like to meet Paula DeDeneI. I would ask her how it feels to be successful in a male dominated field and whether her being a woman has presented any obstacles.”
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      Silos: “I’d love to meet Bobby Flay and ask ‘what’s your favorite midnight snack?’”
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      Conchaas: “I’d like to meet Mike Ortiz.”
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      Kenney: “Chef Gordan Ramsey and ask what it feels like to know you've accomplished so much and to be living the dream of many?”
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      Martin: “Alton Brown and I would ask him how long it took him to learn everything he shows people on his TV show.”
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      Yee: “Definitely Ina Garten. I would ask her if she would like to go out for tea and crumpets someday so I could pick her brain.”
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      Kato: “I’d meet Emeril or Bobby Flay and see if they could share their experiences and maybe some recipes.”
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      Pok: “Wolfgang Puck. I’d want to know what he thinks is his ‘recipe for success’.”

The moment that all have waited for has finally arrived. As the anxious guests are escorted back to the kitchen lab for presentation of the awards, the contestants each take their place behind the dishes they have offered up for critique. CSCA lapel pins and gift bags containing personalized chef knives, jackets and hats, certificates of merit and a $125 book certificate are distributed to each of the participants. “We think that you’re all winners,” praised Goodman, “and that you’ve chosen a wonderful career path.”WXPort

The third place scholarship award of $750 goes to Stephanie Yee. In second place - a $1,000 scholarship - is Kayla Marie Kenney. The crowd is now holding its breath. “And now, for our first place winner who will receive $2,000,” says Goodman, “we’d like to recognize Teresa Lynn Martin.”

The giddy shrieks and whistles that come from directly behind me turn out to belong to Martin’s mother, the woman who had earlier wished she could read lips.

“Women rock!” another family member shouts out.

As the three young females huddle together for a group shot, the radiance of their smiles is contagious. As for the rest of us, we can’t wait to see what they’ll be cooking up next.

Editor’s note: Readers can find links to websites of of lodging and dining opportunities in the Pasadena area, at Taste California Travel’s Resource Directory.

Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California.