Monroe College takes second at ACF Junior State Championship

In its first appearance at the 2010 American Culinary Federation (ACF) Junior State Championship, the hot food team from Monroe College, New Rochelle, N.Y., took second place behind the team from Delhi State University New York (Dehli SUNY). The Feb. 13 competition was hosted by Schenectady County Community College.

Front row (l to r): Lourdes Mejia and team captain Daisy Santiago; Back row (l to r): Kareem David, team coach chef Eric Pellizzari, James Daversa and Jesus Alvarez of the Dominican Republic

Led by team captain Daisy Santiago, a senior in Monroe College's Hospitality Management program, the team competed in a compulsory skills round, in which they fabricated chicken and fish, demonstrated knife skills with vegetables and prepared a tart shell and pastry cream. The second round of competition included preparing a four-course meal of poached sole, salad with roasted golden beets and toasted spiced hazelnuts, duck breast in an herb crepe with a gratin of parsnip and St. Andre cheese and a slow-roasted Pear Williams frozen mousse. For more information, visit www.monroecollege.edu.