Baker College culinary students rank high in national SkillsUSA contests

Baker College’s Culinary Institute of Michigan has gained greater national prominence by two student chefs achieving high rankings in the 2016 SkillsUSA Championships, Louisville, Kentucky, June 22-23.

In the postsecondary division, Bethany McKenzie, of Jeddo, placed fifth in the nation in the Culinary Arts Contest. Angela Mejia, of Potterville, placed 11th in the Commercial Baking Contest.

The two Baker College student chefs qualified to compete at the national competitions by earning gold medals and winning the Michigan SkillsUSA state championships in April. In Louisville, they each competed against 29 students who had won their state championships.

“This was a first for Baker College to be represented at the national SkillsUSA Championships in these two categories, so we feel it speaks to the quality of our program to have two students perform so extraordinarily well,” said Thomas F. Recinella, CEC®, ACE, AAC®, HGT, program director and COURSES Restaurant executive chef at CIM Port Huron. “Bethany and Angela were excellent representatives of the CIM.

“Anytime you earn your way to a national championship, it’s an amazing experience for everyone involved. Personally, I have been on the national stage many times, and win, lose or draw, it’s always fresh, new and exciting.”

The six-hour Culinary Arts Contest was organized in a market-basket format and encompassed hot- and cold-food preparation and presentation. McKenzie and her fellow competitors developed their menus and recipes the night before the competition when they learned of the required ingredients.

Contestants produced two portions each of a soup course, a salad course and two entrées. Each entrée showcased a specific protein and required competencies and techniques. The student chefs were rated on their organization, knife skills, cooking techniques, creative presentation, food safety and sanitation techniques, and the quality and flavor of the prepared items.

McKenzie prepared classic chicken consommé; a mixed green salad with bacon, apples, crispy chicken livers and a cheddar cracker; and two entrées, each using a required protein – chicken and beef shank. The entrées included appropriate vegetable and starch sides with sauce.

In the seven-hour Commercial Baking Contest, Mejia and her competitors proved their knowledge and skills through a written examination, decorating a cake, and scaling, mixing, preparing and baking five products – bread, rolls, cookies, pastry and a pie. The student chefs were required to meet industry standards and work efficiently in a job-like setting.

In addition to Recinella, the CIM coaching team comprised Chefs Paula Recinella, CHE, Scott Twichell and Nick Cornfield.

The national 2016 SkillsUSA Championships drew more than 6,000 students — all state contest winners — to compete in 100 skill and leadership contests representing 130 occupational areas. The event was held at the Kentucky Exposition Center and at a nearby hotel, occupying space equivalent to more than 19 football fields.

SkillsUSA serves high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, and teachers. Programming includes local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. The Championships were held in conjunction with SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, June 20-24, 2016, the world’s largest showcase of skilled trades that was attended by more than 15,000 students, teachers, education leaders and representatives from 600 national corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions.

SkillsUSA is formerly known as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA).

For more information about Baker College culinary programs, contact Dan Kenny in the admissions office at daniel.kenny@baker.edu, 888.262.2442 or 810.985.7000, or visit www.baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1911, Baker College grants doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, as well as certificates in diverse academic fields including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. Baker College has on-ground campuses in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and offers online programs that can be completed 100 percent online without ever visiting a campus. In 2016, the Online Learning Consortium recognized Baker College Online with the OLC Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement, the highest ranking for online higher education programs. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

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Photo ID: Student chefs Angela Mejia, at left, and Bethany McKenzie.