St. Lou is…Cooking! Clyde C. Miller Students Battle for Title of “Top Chefs” (posted 4/15/08)

Students from Clyde C. Miller Career Academy are preparing to “kick it up a notch,” when they square off against North County Tech in the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission’s (CVC) High School Culinary Cook-Off. The “Iron Chef” style competition will kick-off the CVC’s celebration of National Tourism Week (May 10-18). The cook-off will be held at Clyde C. Miller’s culinary kitchen on May 1.

Both Clyde C. Miller and North County Tech have established culinary arts programs with skilled and eager students. Chef Jason McGraw of Levy Restaurants at America’s Center helped develop the format for the competition and will set the menu. Students will not know what they will be asked to prepare until the day of the event. As an added twist, the young chefs will be required to use only the ingredients provided. Levy Restaurants worked with a number of local suppliers to obtain the necessary ingredients for the competition, all of which were donated through the company’s “Levy Cares” foundation.

The finished product will be reviewed by a panel of four judges, including one who will critique the contestants strictly on food safety and cleanliness. In addition to finding out if they can “stand the heat” of a professional kitchen, the students will get hands-on experience working with a chef, while putting their educational skills into practice and adding to their impressive portfolios. The winners receive first place medals and the all-important “bragging rights” over their peers.

Members of both teams will be in attendance at the CVC’s National Tourism Week luncheon at America’s Center on May 14 at 11:30 a.m. Luncheon attendees will be treated to a video presentation that shows the young chefs at work during the actual competition.

The culinary competition is slated to become a permanent part of National Tourism Week in St. Louis, as the CVC continues to find new ways to invest in the future of the local hospitality industry. The organization implemented a scholarship program designed to assist high school seniors interested in pursuing careers in hospitality or the culinary arts. Each year, scholarships will be awarded to two seniors at the Clyde C. Miller Career Academy who have been accepted to a two- or four-year college with an accredited hospitality or culinary arts program. Opportunities are also available for paid internships at the CVC, where students learn and improve specific skills including communications, problem solving, teamwork, computer applications, and interpersonal skills.

National Tourism Week, established in 1983 by the U.S. Congress, is a collective effort to promote the power of travel through customized events in communities nationwide. The goal is to enhance the country's economy, security and perception, and recognize the cultural and social benefits created by travel and tourism. National Tourism Week is produced by the Travel Industry Association of America.