Wednesday, August 15, 2001

Best teen chef in America knows what's cooking

For 17-year-old high school senior Anthony Tabb, the hours spent in the family kitchen watching his dad and grandmother cook has paid off in a big way.

Anthony is this year's winner of The Art Institutes National Culinary Scholarship Competition and the official title of "Best Teen Chef in America." Open to high school students from all over the country, the cook-off offers more than $180,000 in scholarships to The Art Institutes Culinary Arts programs.

According to recent statistics, the number of high school students entering culinary school is on the rise, and with good reason, says Joseph Shilling, a chef director for The Art Institutes and a judge at this year's cook-off. "There's a rosy job market in the food service industry predicted through the year 2006," he says.

At this year's event, 24 students participated in a grueling two-hour cook-off, preparing a menu of tenderloin of beef, crab cakes and Caesar salad under the watchful eyes of six judges, including three master chefs who teach at The Art Institutes.

For his considerable culinary skills, Tabb won a full scholarship to The Illinois Institute of Art Chicago, worth approximately $29,000. As the top winner, he also took home an induction stove with a complete set of professional quality stainless steel pots and pans, valued at approximately $1,500.

Joseph Messina, a high school senior from Sun Valley, Calif., who will attend The Art Institute of Los Angeles, was the second-place finisher, while Crystal Haire, a high school senior from Sunrise, Fla., who will attend The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, finished third. Both will receive full-tuition scholarships.

Now in its second year, the scholarship competition requires that interested students submit a notebook of information, including a two-course meal menu, recipes, photographs of each course and the meal, and a cost analysis of the menu.

Additionally, students were asked for a descriptive paragraph of why they want to enter the culinary profession, along with a resume, transcripts and letters of recommendation.

For his application, Anthony submitted a menu of original recipes that illustrate his culinary philosophy so far. "I love creating art out of raw material and an idea," explains Tabb.

And Tabb was not alone in his concern for "presentation," or how food appears on the plate. The students at this year's cook-off had "a terrific sense of how food should taste and appear," says Shilling.

And according to Chef Shilling, that's a hallmark of a great chef. "People eat with their eyes, not just their palates," he explains.

Among Anthony's signature dishes are linguini with light pesto, spicy mussels in cream sauce, Tony's artichoke hearts and seasoned steak rolls. "You have to eat everyday why not make mealtime enjoyable, delicious and beautiful to look at," says Tabb, sounding just like a master chef already.

High school students interested in next year's competition can contact The Art Institutes at 1-888-328-7900 or visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz and look for the Culinary Scholarship Competition link.

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