Dining Services team wins 3rd gold in 3 years in cooking competition

A team from Dining Services earned a gold medal with the highest overall score (37.617) on June 21 in the American Culinary Federation-sanctioned competition held at Berkshire Dining Commons during the 19th annual Taste of the World Chef Culinary Conference. 

 

It is the third gold medal Dining Services has won in the past three years.

 

The team of catering chef Matthia Accurso, Berkshire DC chef Anthony Jung, pastry chef Pamela Adams and Jeff Kellogg, head cook at Berkshire DC, competed against 16 other teams from the U.S. and Canada, including Michigan, Cornell, Illinois, Penn State, Ohio State, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Richmond, North Dakota, Skidmore College, Northern Michigan University, Lynchburg College, University of Northern Iowa, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, University of Saskatchewan and University of Guelph.

 

Contestants were required to prepare four courses using ingredients from a mystery basket in under two hours of time with the goal to focus on flavor, sustainable and healthfulness. Chief judge Noble Masi said, “It is a tough competition among college culinary professionals … the flavor, simplicity and healthy dishes of UMass stood above the rest of the contestants.”

 

The winning meal featuredan appetizer ofcornmeal-crusted pollock, an entree of stuffed chicken breast with three-mushroom jus, ruby red rice risotto, sautéed red peppers and kale, stewed pork shoulder with spiced pears and raisins, and chocolate tomato soup cake for dessert.

 

“I am so proud of the accomplishments of our own UMass staff. We have some of the finest and most hard-working culinary professionals in the nation and they make us proud. The winning recipes will be featured on our fall menu,” said Ken Toong, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises. “This honor was like a nice gift as we celebrate 150 years of the University of Massachusetts.”

 

The competition capped off the Chef Culinary Conference held June 16-21. This year's theme was "Flavor, Culture, and Healthfulness: The Future of College Dining Menus." More than 250 chefs, managers, suppliers and food editors from the U.S. and Canada participated in the event to advance the cause of providing healthy and sustainable food choices at college and universities.