Seared dry scallops and Maine
lobster claw served in hand-rolled spinach.
Cappellini nests with truffle oil
and lobster jus lie.
Lamb lettuce with jicama, radish relish
and crispy brie.
Perhaps not everyday fare for most
students. But those culinary works of art garnered some recognition for the impressive skills of Union's chefs.
The trio of Stefan Krul and
Dan Raymond and Executive Chef Will Roy brought home three medals in “Cuisine Magic 2003,” a competition sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation and sponsored by the Northeast Health Foundation at the Empire State Plaza on Sunday, March 2.
The Union chefs won gold medals
for their appetizer (the scallops dish) and New York
State product (baked polenta stuffed with white beans), and a silver medal in the overall competition. The Union menu also included an entrée (baked stuffed chicken in a granny smith apple) and dessert (Vienna spirals rolled in pistachio croquant with raspberry coulis).
Union's chefs competed alongside their counterparts from seven of the area's finest restaurants in a point system in categories ranging from appetizer to dessert.
“It's an honor to have our chefs and our program recognized along with the most respected chefs and restaurants in the area,” said Callie Stacey, director of catering and resident dining. “There was a good deal of surprise [among the competitors] that Union has that level of
excellence.”
“It was a challenge for them to gear up for this competition, to go beyond their regular duties here and create an entirely new menu,” she said. “They really rose to the occasion.”
And the most often-asked question after the competition: “Do Union students eat that kind of food every day?”
Well, yes. Variations of the dishes have been appearing on the menus for a while, Stacey notes. On Monday, for example, students enjoyed a version of the Vienna spirals dessert. And chicken Normande, which uses the same ingredients as the stuffed
chicken dish, has been a favorite at Krul's demonstration station.