CMC team advances to American Culinary Federation regionals
Colorado Mountain College Culinary Institute and Keystone Resort are pleased to announce that on Saturday, Nov. 17, the CMC culinary apprentice competition team was awarded the Colorado State Title at the American Culinary Federation State Competition. The team will now represent Colorado at the upcoming ACF Western Regional convention in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, April 13-15.
Chef Kevin Clarke, professor of culinary arts at Colorado Mountain College, coached the local students, who are all currently serving in apprentice roles at Keystone Resort. This is the second time in three years that the CMC team has captured the state title, and this year’s gold was earned with a score of 37.14 points out of a possible 40, almost two points ahead of the second-place team. CMC faced stiff competition from the other four participants: The International Culinary School at the Art Institute, The Escoffier School (Boulder), Colorado Mesa/Western Culinary and Pueblo Community College.
“I am extremely proud of the team,” said Chef Clarke. “The extra time and effort that the team members dedicate to their craft is an indicator of their level of professionalism and serves to separate them from those culinarians that choose to watch from the sidelines. It was a great win for the team because it was their best execution of their menu yet. To earn first place over other very talented teams is wonderful and the proverbial icing on the cake.”
In a statement, ACF judge Chef Robert Meitzer called the competition “one of the best student competitions that we have seen in some time.”
CMC’s first-place team consisted of Virginia King, a third-year apprentice at the Keystone Ranch; Patrick Howley, second-year apprentice at The Ski Tip Lodge; Matt Devine, second-year apprentice at the Keystone Outpost; Turner Papke, first-year apprentice at the Keystone Lodge Bighorn Steakhouse; and Christian Isaman, first-year apprentice at The Ski Tip.
“Having worked with most of these very talented CMC students, it is great to see that the leadership of Chef Clarke and the students’ dedication, focus and perseverance with the culinary arts has enabled them to become gold medal winners,” said Keystone Resort Executive Chef David Scott. “I have worked with the apprenticeship program for over 10 years and have seldom seen a more competitive and grounded culinary apprentice team. They deserve the accolades they are receiving and I hope this experience will help make them great chefs one day.”
“The students’ success is a wonderful reflection of the quality restaurants that they work in through our program’s partnership with Keystone Resort,” Clarke said. “The students would not be where they are without the mentoring they receive from these chefs.”
Colorado Mountain College and Keystone Resort congratulate the team on their achievement and wish them continued success.