Edible centerpieces are 3-D works of artistic skill that can showcase an event’s theme, decorate a simply clad table, or in the case of the Orange County (FL) public high school and vocational tech students, it can be the recognition that their creativity, knife cuts, and timed artworks merited their focused concentration.
I’ve lost track of how many years I have had the privilege to judge Orange County (FL) Public School’s Annual Hospitality and Culinary Competition, hosted each December at the Orlando World Center Marriott, but I haven’t lost my enthusiasm for what each Read more
https://karenkuzsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/karen2.jpg00Karen Kuzselhttps://karenkuzsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/karen2.jpgKaren Kuzsel2017-12-05 20:54:472019-12-16 21:13:44Edible, Yes… But Keep Your Hands Off These Centerpieces!
Two little apple lovebirds sitting in a watermelon of love. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Chef demo of making a Christmas tree completely of chocolate, including the glittery balls. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Sea life centerpiece. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Oh, and while you’re at it, do it within a specified time limit under the watchful eyes of judging chefs and other culinary world volunteers who are making sure you’re following the guidelines set forth in the Orange County Public Schools Annual Hospitality and Culinary Competition. After all, with 220 competitors registered for the hospitality or culinary portion of this 5th annual competition, each student will want to showcase his or her specialized skills for the maximum benefit.
As one of the judges who has watched this competition grow each year, I am in awe of the talent and training our future hospitality and culinary staff are receiving. Sure, they’re competing for trophies and awards that honor their school program as well as their own abilities, but what’s at stake could also be scholarships to college programs. The first year I judged, I tasted about 20 desserts beginning at 10 am. Let’s just say I was happily shifted, and where I’ve remained each year, to judging the final presentation of edible centerpieces. I watch them carve fruits, craft shapes and create vignettes from apples Read more
https://karenkuzsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/karen2.jpg00Karen Kuzselhttps://karenkuzsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/karen2.jpgKaren Kuzsel2014-12-18 22:41:222019-12-17 23:22:07FLIP THOSE EGGS! CARVE AN EDIBLE CENTERPIECE! PLATE THAT GOURMET MEAL OR DESSERT!
If wishes were dreams that come true, being able to take culinary classes in high school would have been near the top of my list. As easy as it would be for me to be envious of the 193 students who participated in the competition segments of the Orange County (FL) Public School’s 4th Annual Hospitality and Culinary Competition, I am instead grateful to have once again witnessed the incredible creative and skilled talent they exhibited. The December competition held annually at the Orlando World Center Marriott broadens the number of categories and participating schools and tech centers each year who offer culinary and/or hospitality training. Competition categories include: gourmet meals, desserts, knife skills, decorative centerpieces, edible centerpieces, and waiter’s relay. The hospitality portion, which I didn’t see, includes room inspection, case study analysis and project presentation. This was my fourth year of judging. The first time I agreed to sample desserts in the early morning. As lovely as some of those sweets were that crossed my lips and went straight to my hips, I have happily judged the presentation of edible centerpieces for the past three years if for no other reason than to stand in awe of what these students craft in an hour.
penguin holiday. photo by Karen Kuzsel
The Marriott prepared an amazing buffet in multiple stations for the judges and students and then awards are presented for the top places in each category. After smelling the aromas of gourmet meals and desserts being prepared tableside across the cavernous ballroom for a few hours, you can understand why there’s a mad rush for the buffet tables when given the OK signal. Before I name the participating schools, tech centers and winners, I encourage anyone who would like to witness or impact future generations of hospitality and culinary stars to contact Patricia Breeding for next year’s team of volunteers. 407-317-3200,ext 2690 or Patricia.breeding@ocps.net.
Don’t take just my word that this program is beneficial. Dave Robitaille, MS, MT (ASCP) and Program Specialist and Administrator for the Health Science Career and Technical Education at OCPS says, “The data overwhelmingly shows that students enrolled in CTE programs have a greater chance of completing high school and going to college than non-CTE students. So, CTE programs should not be looked at as an alternative for students not bound for college. On the contrary, if parents want their children to go to college, they should encourage them to enroll in a CTE program.”
The high schools who participated are: Colonial, Cypress Creek, Freedom, Wekiva, Winter Park, Oak Ridge, Gateway School, and Dr Phillips. Tech centers include Mid Florida Tech, Westside Tech, and Orlando Tech. Sponsors included the Marriott, Keiser University, Johnson and Wales University, and the CFHLA.
The edible Christmas tree and friends. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Event
School
Home School
Student Name
Non – Edible Centerpiece
First place
Cypress Creek HS
Riani Pokipala
Second place
Dr Phillips HS
Cassidy Brown
Second place
Dr Phillips HS
Sofia Fernandez
Second place
Dr Phillips HS
Madison Fitch
Second place
Dr Phillips HS
Tia Humphries
Edible Centerpiece
First place
Mid Florida Tech
University HS
Christine Hernandez
Second place
Mid Florida Tech
Edgewater HS
Kristopher Davis
Third place
Mid Florida Tech
Cypress Creek
Jamie Pena
Dessert High School
First place
Gateway School
Heriberto Lopez
First place
Gateway School
Josue Cabrales
Second place
Cypress Creek HS
Grant Baldinger
Second place
Cypress Creek HS
Jessica Butler
Third place
Winter Park HS
Daniella Sauri
Third place
Winter Park HS
Raham Elsayed
DessertTech Center
First place
Westside Tech
Wekiva HS
Zakoya Hall
First place
Westside Tech
Evans HS
Devante McDonald
Second place
Westside Tech
West Orange HS
Kristi Caruana
Second place
Westside Tech
West Orange HS
Lauren Harms
Gourmet Meal
First place
Winter Park HS
Melissa Morales
First place
Winter Park HS
Antonio Cepero
First place
Winter Park HS
Angelique Allison
Second place
Winter Park HS
Joey Goldberg
Second place
Winter Park HS
Laura Johnson
Second place
Winter Park HS
Foley Flood
Third place
Winter Park HS
Caleb Johnson
Third place
Winter Park HS
Julie Phicien
Third place
Winter Park HS
Amber Negron
Gourmet MealTech Center
First place
Westside Tech
West Orange HS
Angela Cippilone
First place
Westside Tech
West Orange HS
Brandon Santiago
First place
Westside Tech
West Orange HS
Abby Johnson
Second place
Mid Florida Tech
Cypress Creek
Emmanuel Arboleda
Second place
Mid Florida Tech
University HS
Raquel Amador
Second place
Mid Florida Tech
University HS
Desiree Perez
Knife Skills
First place
Orlando Tech
Winter Park HS
Yafreicy Rodriguez
Second place
Mid Florida Tech
Dr Phillips HS
Fransheska Whittington
Third place
Westside Tech
Wekiva HS
Latasha Morris
Waiter’s Relay
First place
Freedom HS
Luis Alvarado
First place
Freedom HS
Ysenia Palomino
First place
Freedom HS
Lourdes Sanchez
Second place
Colonial HS
Christine Ortiz Hernandez
Second place
Colonial HS
Nathaniel Morales
Second place
Colonial HS
Angel Dones
Third place
Orlando Tech
University HS
Jessica Rivera
Third place
Orlando Tech
University HS
Gabrielle Tursi
Third place
Orlando Tech
University HS
Adrianna Colon
A cantelope tiki hut shields birds of a feather. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Hospitality Competition Winners
Event
School
Home School
Student Name
Hospitality Competition
First place – Overall
Dr Phillips HS
Tia Humphries
First place
Dr Phillips HS
Cassidy Brown
First place
Dr Phillips HS
Madison Fitch
First place
Dr Phillips HS
Sofia Fernandez
Second place- Overall
Colonial HS
Yarissa Pena
Second place
Colonial HS
Meagan Ojeda
Second place
Colonial HS
Noe Hernandez
Second place
Colonial HS
Lesly Lopez
Third place – Overall
Mid Florida Tech
Lake Nona HS
Angie Grunskyte
Third place
Mid Florida Tech
West Orange HS
Jadia Johnson
Third place
Mid Florida Tech
Cypress Creek HS
Sasha Gatti
Third place
Mid Florida Tech
Wekiva HS
Deja Miller
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI. She writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, Karen has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com. @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady.
https://karenkuzsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/karen2.jpg00Karen Kuzselhttps://karenkuzsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/karen2.jpgKaren Kuzsel2013-12-17 21:04:362019-12-18 16:42:13FUTURE OF CULINARY AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY BEGINS WITH FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION
