Three teams of Fredonia students competed in the fourth FREDChef cooking competition, each preparing a dish containing five ingredients -- boneless skinless chicken breast, sour cream, parsnips, strawberries and basmati rice – in the Faculty Student Association (FSA)-sponsored event held Nov. 7 in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room.
Teams consisted of students who had competed in prior FREDChef competitions, along with friends who were excited to take on a new challenge. Members of the winning contingent, the Blue Team, were Roberto Plummer, a senior and four-time competitor, and two first-time participants, Ashton Hicks, a sophomore, and Julia Miranda, a junior. Mr. Plummer and Ms. Ashton began the competition as a duo and were joined by Ms. Miranda, an audience member and volunteer.
The finished entrée, which was improvised along the way, was a rice mound filled with chicken and vegetables, with home-fried potatoes and parsnips, finished with a hollandaise sauce made with sour cream, egg yolks, butter and lemon juice.
Dessert was a crepe topped with a mixed berry fruit sauce with a crème anglaise.
“I had a really amazing time, although it was stressful. I’m glad we won and I was super happy with my teammates for all their hard work.” Hicks said about her experience and the team’s win.
Judges included Pandora Kew and Jennifer Hendel, both student leaders in Cranston Marché, along with Kathy Forster, director of Residence Life, and Dan Goodwin, assistant director of Residence Life.
Teams were evaluated on flavor, originality, appearance, presentation and consistency. Each dish was unique, making it a close competition.
"I had fun doing this competition,” Plummer said of the FREDChef experience. “It's my senior year, thus this being my last time competing. I tried to have as much fun with it as I could, and I did. I definitely would recommend participation to anyone who likes to cook,” he added, or simply watch the competition. “Testing my skills against others was not only a fun experience but also a learning one; I'm glad I got to compete one last time."
FREDChef is an annual event organized by Dean Messina, director of Dining Services, and Katie Thies, special programs manager, both with FSA.
