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This month,
hundreds of high school seniors turned budding chefs took the first
step toward launching what could be the beginning of their
professional culinary careers.
 On
Saturday, March 14, high school seniors from across the U.S. and
Canada competed in Best Teen Chef Local Cook-off Competitions at
participating International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes
locations throughout North America including, The International
Culinary School at The Art Institute of Las Vegas.
 The
winner of the Las Vegas Best Teen Chef Local Cook-off
Competition is Brandon Cote, a senior at Highland High School in
Mesa, Arizona.
“Food is what I love,” says Cote. “I’m excited to represent such a
great food city as Las Vegas in the national finals. This
competition is giving me the opportunity to take my culinary dream
to the next level with a scholarship to attend culinary school.”
Second place in the competition was awarded to Brittney Griese of
Basic High School in Henderson, Nevada. Brittney will serve as an
alternate in the competition.
The 34 Local Cook-off Competition winners will proceed to the Best
Teen Chef Final Round Competition on Saturday, May 9, at The Art
Institute of Charlotte.
The top prize
winner in the Competition can earn a full-tuition scholarship toward
a bachelor’s degree, an associate's degree, certificate program or
diploma program to study Culinary Arts at one of the more than 30
participating Art Institutes locations.
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In
addition to a full-tuition scholarship and the title of Best
Teen Chef 2009, the national first place winner, in
partnership with Food Network, will be an "Intern for a Day"
at Food Network Kitchens in New York City. The winner will
also receive a tour of Food Network's studios, dinner for
two at a Food Network chef's restaurant and a library of
Food Network Kitchens cookbooks.
The Art Institutes created the Best Teen Chef competition in
2000 to encourage and recognize young culinary talent.
According to Academic Director of Culinary Arts for The Art
Institute of Las Vegas, Philip Pinkney, “The interest in
culinary arts among young people has literally soared in
recent years.” Pinkney explains, “This is due to
many factors, among them, working parents, the proliferation
of cooking shows on television, and the desire to
participate in family traditions.”
For more information on the Best Teen Chef Competition,
visit
The Best Teen Chef or contact Anne Dean at
adean@aii.edu or 702.992.8453 for additional
information. |
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