TEENAGERS TO USE CHEESE IN EXCITING NEW WAYS

The Art Institute of Dallas is holding a teen best-chef competition. All will be required to make something with Starbursts. Or perhaps I’m misreading the press release. You tell me.

23 Are Called, But Only One Will Become Best Teen Chef 2007

On Saturday, May 5, The Art Institute of Dallas will host 23 high school
seniors who will try to out-dice, out-slice and out-sauté each other to win
the title Best Teen Chef 2007.

At stake is a full-tuition scholarship worth approximately $40,000 to study
culinary arts at The Art Institutes, and the prestigious title Best Teen Chef.

Open to high school seniors across the U.S. and Canada, The Best Teen Chef
Competition was created to recognize, encourage, and reward culinary talent
at the high school level.

The 2007 competition drew hundreds of entries, but only 23 contestants
were chosen as first place winners at local competitions held in March to
compete in the National Best Teen Chef Competition 2007 in Dallas.  Although
she won’t get to travel to a new city to compete, local winner and Rockwall
resident Lara Pullin is excited to have the “home-court advantage,” and prior
knowledge of the kitchen set-up at The Art Institute of Dallas.

A senior at Royse City High School, Lara says the school has only had a
culinary program for one year, but it’s growing quickly. Her culinary arts
instructor, Cindy Howell, is a former graduate of The Art Institute of Dallas.

Master Chef faculty from The Art Institutes will be on hand to judge the
students on cleanliness, taste and presentation.  All competitors will be
preparing the same Texas-inspired menu, including Tortilla Soup, Starburst
Grapefruit Salad, Pork Medallions and Arroz a la Mexicana.

According to Larry Matson, Director, School of Culinary Arts at The Art
Institute of Dallas, “Now is where training, focus and determination come into
play.  Lara has already shown that she is a talented cook, but the key to
Best Teen Chef is to come with your game face on and be ready to out-cook
the competition.”

For more information on The Best Teen Chef competition, visit
www.artinstitutes.edu/btc.

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 34educational institutions
located throughout North America provides an important source of design,
media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.