Sodexo Sponsors NAACP Student Culinary Competition
By Michele Posehn, Senior Recruiter with Jennifer Tschilar, Senior Recruiter

Sterling Smith, Corporate Chef for Sodexo and one of the Chef Judges for the event.

Tears were shed as the winner was announced at a recent culinary competition in New York City, sponsored by Sodexo, Hyatt Hotels and ACT-SO, the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics, a major youth initiative of the NAACP.

The event was designed to "promote camaraderie and educational opportunities among student culinary professionals, build a competitive atmosphere, and have fun.” Beginning in the early morning hours, the competitors showed off their cooking skills by creating an appetizer or starter course and a main course for tasting. The five student competitors, each members of the BCA, a non-profit organization that provides educational and professional opportunities for individuals of color in the fields of culinary and hospitality, were given fifteen minutes to develop a menu using ingredients of their selection from the community storeroom. Assisted by mentor chefs from their respective culinary institutions, the students worked in individual cooking stations open to observers from ACT-SO, Sodexo and various culinary schools.

Just before noon, the competitors turned off their burners and plated their food for the formal presentation. The judges rated each dish based on the organization the students displayed in their stations, the skills and techniques they demonstrated, and the overall flavoring, nutritional balance and presentation of the dishes. Victor Angeles, a competitor who has been in his culinary program for less than three months, said that the competition brought "butterflies. But I focused and with the help of my mentor chef, I think I blew it out [of the water].” His mentor chef, Dennis Williams, said, "He was spectacular with the pressure,” and described the event as an opportunity for the students to define their futures. "They have crossed the line by entering a culinary program. By participating in an event like this, they make the determination that this is what they really want to do.”

Once judging was complete and the scores were calculated, the chef judges provided feedback in what Sterling Smith, Corporate Chef for Sodexo, described as an opportunity to "develop and encourage. The more comfortable [the competitors] get, the sharper their skills will become. There will be one in first place and one in fifth place, but they will all be winners.”

At Sodexo, we have worked hard to help students explore their culinary passions. Over the course of this year alone, our commitment has involved organizing visits for students to Sodexo accounts that provide a view into the daily life of a culinarian, to helping plan mentoring opportunities for students and involving them in the NAACP event. "These students are extraordinarily passionate about their future and really learn from their participation in grassroots training that prepares them for what really happens in the kitchen!" notes Jennifer Tschilar, a Sodexo Senior Recruiter who has been deeply involved in these efforts.

Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo, is hopeful that this pilot competition will turn into an event in multiple cities in years to come. "This event was extremely significant for Sodexo and the community,” she said, "because of the many years and the commitment it took to bring it to fruition. What’s amazing is the ripple effect events like this will have on the community, by giving hope to [the students’] families and the competitors.” Anand was proud that so many Sodexo employees showed support for the event. "I am always happy to see how much Sodexo employees give back.”

You can learn more about opportunities for students at Sodexo here.