Faculty members with competing students from the CIM Muskegon and CIM Port Huron with their ACF medals.
A riddle for our readers…
What do you call 22 student chefs from Baker College’s Culinary Institute of Michigan competing in an annual American Culinary Federation (ACF) Sanctioned Competition?
The answer…? WINNERS!
Kudos to the many CIM Port Huron and CIM Muskegon student chefs who recently earned a variety of honors at the annual fall ACF Sanctioned Competition held at the CIM Muskegon campus. At ACF sanctioned competitions, chefs compete for their own individual honors, not head-to-head against other chefs, and are scored on a variety of criteria by ACF-certified judges. Students from the CIM’s culinary arts, baking and pastry and food and beverage management programs competed and medaled in numerous categories, including: knife skills, pastry skills, signature dish and centerpiece.
The 22 competing student chefs earned a total of eight gold medals, 11 silver medals and three bronze medals. Additionally, four of the gold medal-winning student chefs also earned additional honors for Best in Category, Best in Show and Most Creative Entry.
“When our students choose to challenge themselves and compete for ACF honors, we know they will represent the very best of what the CIM has to offer, and we’ve come to anticipate these consistently excellent student outcomes,” said Chef Tom Recinella, CEC, AAC, HGT, Baker College Dean of Culinary. “We’re always so proud of their commitment and tenacity, and are always rooting for their success, both inside and outside of the classroom. This group, like so many before them, exceeded our expectations, and we’re thrilled by their accomplishments.”
The winning CIM student chef competitors included:
- Alexis Baker – Silver Medal
- Gracie Becker – Silver Medal
- Nathaniel Chalmers – Silver Medal
- Hailee Coffman – Silver Medal
- Hannah Denys – Gold Medal and Most Creative Student Entry
- Kindi Dietz – Gold Medal
- Bria Dove – Gold Medal
- Sierra Franks – Silver Medal
- Alisbeth Grange – Bronze Medal
- Angel Haines – Silver Medal
- Samantha Hecht – Gold Medal
- Gage Hess – Silver Medal
- Anna Hoffman – Bronze Medal
- Andrew Kelly – Silver Medal
- Ayden Lampkin – Silver Medal
- Danielle Little – Gold Medal, Best in Category
- Austyn Polker – Silver Medal
- Emily Rozema – Gold Medal
- Steven Stempnik – Gold Medal, Best in Category
- Maya VanBuskirk – Silver Medal
- Emily Sweet – Bronze Medal
- Allison Walters – Gold Medal, Best in Category, Best in Show Overall
Congratulations to all on your awesome achievements!
About Culinary Institute of Michigan
The award-winning Culinary Institute of Michigan, a division of Baker College, offers associate degree programs focused on some of the fastest-growing areas of food service. CIM students, who can study culinary arts, baking and pastry or food and beverage management, learn from experienced industry professionals and develop technical skills through intensive hands-on training in world-class culinary facilities. Student chefs also gain real-world experience working at Courses, a teaching restaurant, open to the public and located on each CIM campus. For more information on Baker College and the Culinary Institute of Michigan, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter and Facebook.