The colloquialism “freshman 15” has been said to be the “freshman 50” for college culinary students, who are frequently surrounded by delectable foods. The recent SkillsUSA competition may cause this to happen to AHS Culinary Arts students, while simultaneously paving the way for their success in the industry.

“[The students] will be doing the work with me and going to restaurants to work on [their] skills with other chefs so they have real experience,” Culinary Chef Christine Gloninger, SkillsUSA Advisor said. “Then [they] will come back to me to work on the type of skills they will be judged on for [states].”

The following students were successful at the Feb. 5 District Championship and won: seniors Laura Garcia, Food and Beverage Service; Sergio Alacandra, Commercial Baking; senior Bobby Pradachith, Culinary Hot Foods; and senior Adam Goodison, Hot Foods.

“Laura [Garcia] worked on setting tables, carrying trays, not being nervous as she began taking orders and connecting with people, having soups and not spilling [and] taking orders,” Gloninger said.

Senior Adam Goodison is projected to make it to the national level this year as a result of his stellar performance in 2010 at the district and state levels, which earned him first and second place respectively. Goodison then traveled to Kansas to observe his competition and prepare himself for the 2011 National Competition. The winner of this competition will receive a full scholarship, valued at ten thousand dollars, to a four-year culinary school.

The State competition will be held in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on April 1 and 2.

Until then, the students will continue to practice, like Alacandra, who will practice baking as well as icing and decorating cakes and Pradachith, who will use classroom time to work with various menu styles by breaking down the processes behind a finished meal.