KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - The Kaiserslautern High School culinary team is headed to Disneyland.
The five-person team "out-cooked" the competition during the Department of Defense Dependents Schools Europe-sponsored Culinary Faire, Feb. 25 at Kaiserslautern High School. The home team diced, chopped and sliced their way to a trip to the national high school competition, to be held later this year in Anaheim, California.
KHS senior Quatia Thompson, a member of the winning team, couldn't contain her excitement after the judges tallied up all the points and revealed the results. "We won! We're going to nationals," she screamed.
Teams representing Ramstein, Vilseck and Wiesbaden, Germany, as well as Naples, Italy, kept the kitchen humming during the one-day competition. For the KHS team, the winning menu consisted of an appetizer dish of tuna and salmon sushi covered with a raspberry ginger sauce alongside a bok choy salad and an entrée of sautéed beef tenderloin with sweet potato chips, brussels sprouts and a red pomegranate vinaigrette. The menu was topped off by a dessert of mint chocolate mousse with coconut and coffee ganaches.
The culinary competition takes place annually in February with teams competing from different high schools from all over Europe. The teams have to prepare an appetizer, entrée and dessert in just one hour. All the competitors can use to prepare the meal is a stove top and hand-held equipment, nothing electronic. Also, multiple professional judges scrutinize every move while competitors cook.
"We are fortunate to have all professional chefs this year as judges," said Dr. Mary Leonhart, coordinator of this year's Culinary Faire and an instructional systems specialist for the DoDDS-E Bavaria Office.
The resumes of the judges certainly were impressive. One in particular, David West, is actually an executive chef right here in Germany at the Ramstein Officers' Club. He shared that he began cooking at the tender age of six, learning from his mother and grandmother. Those lessons led him to over 50 years in the culinary business.
"Everybody is a winner," said West. You could see the passion in his eyes as he spoke about the kids as well, stating that every kid in that kitchen was knowledgeable and had a talent beyond their years. "Culinary art is one of the best professions, but you have to have passion, and I see that in all of the kids here today."
Before the Kaiserslautern team even stepped into the kitchen, they exuded confidence. "First place is what we are bringing home today, nothing less," said Tara Gentz, captain of the KHS team.
"We are much more prepared than last year," said Jacob Caballero, another KHS team member. The team took fifth place during last year's culinary faire.
Andrew Dager, known around school as simply "Chef," has been the KHS culinary program coordinator for the past three years and was beyond ecstatic when his team came out on top. "This team is awesome. I know they are going to do great at nationals," he said.
Members of the KHS Culinary Team are Tara Gentz, Jacob Caballero, Stephen Richardson, Charlie Thalamnn and Quatia Thompson.
They are off to cook against the best at Disneyland -- and maybe even get the chance to meet Mickey and Donald along the way.
"There are no words to describe how I feel. The hard work was all worth it. I am beyond happy," said Thompson.
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