Stratford culinary students win MLA competition

At the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage and Lodging Expo on Oct. 6 to 7, the culinary and hospitality team at Stratford University won a silver medal at the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Black Box Competition. They also took first place in the dessert competition. The team from Stratford was the only student team competing. All other teams were made up of professional chefs.

(l to r) Competition judge David Soto, team member Clark Edwards, Stratford coach chef Vaishali Chitnis, team member Perry Baldwin, team member Kortni Benson-Gehlert, event organizer Stephen Edwards and judge and organizer Alan Palmer

The team, led by chef Vaishali Chitnis, included Perry Baldwin, Kortni Benson-Gehlert, Clark Edwards, Craig Baker, Joseph Lipinski, and Daryl Hall.

(l to r) Stratford team members Kortni Benson-Gehlert and Clark Edwards prep the MLA Black Box Competition menu

At the MLA Black Box Competition, each team was given one hour to create a menu from 18 mandatory ingredients and 10 optional mystery ingredients that included an appetizer, main course and dessert to be presented to a panel of judges. The Stratford team's menu included: lamb chop with salad Napolean, Wagyu beef and crab surf and turf, and wine-poached pear entremet.