Eight inches of fresh snow did not deter the seven young chef competitors from gathering to compete in the Provincial Final of the Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition hosted by SUNY Cobleskill College of Agriculture and Technology.

The weekend competition was dedicated to Chef Michael Ty, Vice-Conseiller Culinaire et des Professionnels Honoraire and a SUNY Cobleskill graduate. In the class of 1972, Chef Ty attributed his success to the SUNY Cobleskill training, relentless persistence and the school of hard knocks.

The College’s Culinary Arts Department presented a delightful dinner for the eight competitors - seven from the Bailliage Provincial of Northeast and one from the Bailliage Provincial of Mid-Atlantic - the judges, as well as for friends and families in attendance. During the evening there were several moving tributes to Chef Ty that so many in the extended Chaîne Professional family miss deeply.

The following morning the eight bright-faced chefs arrived at the school kitchens to engage in friendly culinary competition.

As usual, the competitors were judged not only in terms of taste, presentation, and originality of the finished plates but also on their execution in the kitchen where marks were given on technique, organizational skills, professionalism, cleanliness, timeliness and the creative use of the products as they prepared, cooked and plated.

When all the marks were totted up, the winner was Jedediah Gaskin of The Patterson Club in Fairfield Connecticut - a graduate of the Niagara Culinary Institute - representing the Bailliage of Connecticut.

Special thanks went to the young chefs’ coaches as well as the generous product sponsors: Jones Dairy Farm, Baldor Specialty Foods and Sysco Systems, and SUNY Cobleskill for hosting this event.

Vive la Chaîne!

Prepared from a detailed report by Chambellan Provincial Helen Cappuccino and Conseiller Culinaire Provincial Geoffrey Lanez

Photos courtesy of Kyle Fosse, SUNY Cobleskill