Marc S. Posner
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Cypress College Culinary Arts student, Kevin Bui, won a $5,000 first-place award at the Fleming’s Great Taste Culinary Competition held at Flemings Newport Beach on Saturday October 18.
Bui was the youngest competitor in the event, which celebrated the restaurant’s 10th anniversary, according to an article in The Orange County Register (which also includes a number of photographs).
Competition Coach and Chef Instructor, Jeremy Peters, is proud to see a Cypress College student win against seasoned finalists from Orange Coast College, Art Institute of Orange County, and Laguna Culinary Arts.
Kevin’s winning dishes included a shrimp martini, filet mignon with a veal cabernet reduction sauce, bacon shallot spinach sauté and mashed potatoes. Finalists were evaluated on flavor, knife skills, kitchen adaptability, originality, and plating.
Kevin is a first year culinary arts student pursuing his triple major in Hotel Management, Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts. He plans to continue his education at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and work towards an Executive Chef role leading towards Hospitality General Management.
In addition to the OC Register coverage, Hotel, Restaurant, Culinary Arts Department Chair Lisa Clark anticipates that an article will also appear in Great Taste Magazine.
“This win is impressive, since it is the first competition a Cypress Culinary student has entered,” Clark said. “HRC is looking at developing a Culinary Competition Team.”
The three judges were: Orange County Register food editor Cathy Thomas; celebrity chef and radio personality Jamie Gwen; and Fleming’s executive company chef Russell Skall, according to a report on Great Taste Mazazine’s website.