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Mexican Shrimp Council Awards Culinary Scholarships
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Chef2Chef News Desk
Chicago
Culinary Students Win Tuition Scholarships in
Mexican Shrimp Cooking Contest
Mexican Shrimp Council Exposes Emerging Chefs to Premium Shrimp from
Mexico
Chicago, IL; November 28, 2006 – The Mexican Shrimp Council has awarded $6,000 in tuition scholarships to three student chefs from The Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago culinary arts program.
Winners of a Mexican shrimp cooking competition held recently in the school’s kitchens, the three students were selected by judges according to contest criteria ranging from flavor, taste and texture to creativity of preparation.
Top winner Jose Fontanez earned the $3,000 grand prize for his culinary creation of “Seared Mexican Shrimp with Coconut Curry Tequila Sauce.”
The dish featured a saffron confetti risotto and sautéed Swiss chard.
Anna Davis and Grayson Hendricks won tuition scholarships of $2,000 and $1,000 respectively as first and second runner-ups.
Davis prepared a “Mexican Shrimp Fiesta with Mushroom Asparagus Risotto.”
Her recipe was served with a mixed green salad with citrus.
Hendricks’ winning creation was “Caribbean Mexican Shrimp with Yellow Curry Risotto.”
The cooking competition was the highlight of an educational presentation that included guest lectures by Mexican Shrimp Council representatives on Mexican shrimp fishing and farming methods, product traceability, sustainability practices, product purchasing and quality aspects of Mexican shrimp.
Authentic Mexican Shrimp was also provided for practical instruction.
The contest was held on November 17 at The Illinois Institute of Art –
Chicago culinary campus and judged by school instructors Tom Smiley and Susan Taves, as well as culinary program alumni Katina Lionikis and Albert Mendez.
A dozen participating students each produced a unique shrimp entrée using Ocean Garden Authentic Mexican Shrimp and additional ingredients within a market basket of goods.
Contest submissions were judged on sanitation and cleanliness; food style/presentation; flavor, taste and texture; proper use of time, and; creativity.
“We are pleased to have this opportunity to familiarize the next generation of chefs with all-natural and sustainable seafood choices,” said Hugo Camou, president of the Mexican Shrimp Council.
"Emerging chefs play a critical role in educating broader audiences—from food lovers and restaurant diners to product distributors— about premium, origin-branded products like Authentic Mexican Shrimp.”
The
Chicago cooking contest concludes the Mexican Shrimp Council’s 2006 chef-focused marketing campaign designed to appeal to chefs’ desire for wholesome, great-tasting, gourmet ingredients.
“The Illinois Institute of Art is delighted to collaborate with the Mexican Shrimp Council,” said Mark Facklam, Director of Culinary Arts at The Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago.
“Our students are ‘hungry’ for creative, interactive learning opportunities that will help them with all aspects of their cooking careers from product sourcing and purchasing to menu creation.”
Known for their bold, intense flavor and firm texture, Mexican Shrimp already enjoy a level of prestige among culinary connoisseurs and seafood lovers because of an idyllic habitat and the long-standing commitment of Mexican shrimp producers, processors and importers to optimum quality assurance from harvest to package.
The Mexican Shrimp Council is a binational group of producers, processors, suppliers and marketers working together to educate trade and consumer audiences about the quality aspects and price-value relationship of Authentic Mexican Shrimp. For more information, please visit www.mexicanshrimp.org.
The Illinois Institute of Art –
Chicago is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 32 education institutions located throughout
North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals.
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