BRIDGEWATER – A team of culinary students from Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) were recently awarded a Silver Medal at the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) Culinary Cook-off held at Caesars Atlantic City Resort.
Teams from twelve vocational schools from across the State were tasked with creating, preparing, and serving 300 portions of a savory amuse-bouche – a delicious morsel that takes only two or three bites to eat. Culinary instructors Keith Johnson and Mark Mastrobattista held a “local” competition at SCVTHS to determine which recipe would be entered into the Atlantic City contest. The bite that won the SCVTHS competition – the Pancetta Bruschetta - was developed by Delilah Bergman of Hillsborough and Francesca Boian-Togyik of Manville. The bite featured pancetta, a cream cheese spread with fresh herbs and spices, a tomato and cilantro bruschetta, and homemade guacamole, served atop crostini, and was presented amid flowers on stands built by the SCVTHS Carpentry program.
Photo2: The Silver Medal winning amuse-bouche prepared by the SCVTHS team – the Pancetta Bruschetta.Ms. Bergman and Ms. Boian-Togyik were joined by Sharon Castro Benitez of Hillsborough, Michael Dagostino of Bridgewater, Amy Hernandez of Hillsborough, and Alyssa Robinson of Somerset. The team of chefs had an hour on-site to prepare their dishes before the judges arrived for a tasting, evaluating the entry for taste and presentation. Among the judges was celebrity chef David Burke who, after tasting the Pancetta Bruschetta, spent some time with the students, talking with them and providing feedback on their creation.
“It was great for the students to see the reception they got from attendees and the judges” said Mr. Johnson. “We’re very proud of the work these chefs did, the food they put on the table, and the accolades they received.”
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