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Young Chefs Compete for Place on Team

May 21, 2009 – On Thursday three culinary students from St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center prepared entrees – skillfully wielding knives, chopping, sautéing and roasting original creations all while being judged by local chefs at a cook off .
All the preparation that looked like works of passion, not school work, was to get the chance to go with the V.I. Culinary Team to attend the Taste of the Caribbean Competition in June in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Full fledged competition is a good learning tool,” said Chef Anton Doos, culinary arts instructor at St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center. “It builds confidence too.”
Eight students created original dishes and wrote up the recipes, then chef Leslie Gumbs, manager of the V.I. Culinary Team, narrowed it down to three students.
“All the recipes were great but three students really stood out,” said Gumbs, “I am excited to see the level of creativity and the skills our culinary students are displaying.”
The judging focused on the use of local ingredients, originality, flavor, presentation and utilization of ingredients.
Afiya Augustus, a junior, was chosen to go to off to Puerto Rico. She won with her Lagoon mangrove red snapper stuffed with mango tied up with shallots and a side of chick peas. The other two competitors were Kalim Ventura, a junior who created a marinated sauted wahoo with pineapple mango salsa, and Jean -Marc Joseph, a senior, who made his coconut madness – a coconut, spinach and breading mix coated chicken.
“I can't believe I won,” said Augustus. “I'm so excited.”
Culinary team members Josh Vilian and Dennis Gribbin and Torrance Beavers, chef at Beach Side Café, judged the student creations Thursday at CTEC.
“This is the chance to show the Virgin Islands are known for our culinary schools,” said Canika George-John, marketing manager of the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association.
The Taste of the Caribbean Competition is sponsored by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association. The V.I. team heading to Puerto Rico along with the winning student includes: chefs Leslie Gumbs (Theo’s Personal Catering), Brian Wisbauer (Zebos on St. Croix), Josh Vilian (Bacchus on St. Croix), Ashley Allen, Sr. (Ken’s Food Mobile on St. Thomas), Dennis Vanterpool (Frenchman’s Reef Marriott on St. Thomas), pastry chef Dennis Gribbin (Starfish Patisserie on St. Croix), and bartenders Steve Potter (Wikked on St. Thomas) and Joshua King (The Ritz Carlton).
In the past, the team has brought home bronze, silver and gold medals.
A fundraiser is planned by the team at the Frenchman's Reef Marriott on Friday at 7 p.m.

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