Students at The Art Institutes Battle for the Title of Top Dish

ATLANTA, April 05, 2018 -- The Art Institutes, a system of schools with culinary programs in 28 locations across the United States, and a non-profit organization, is pleased to present Meal Through the Arts, an event to benefit the fight against childhood hunger. Hosted by actor Jaleel White, the culinary competition takes place Thursday, April 12, 2018, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Stave Room in Atlanta.

The Meal Through the Arts is a culinary showcase competition that highlights original recipes of students from culinary programs across The Art Institutes system of schools. The 12 student finalists earned an expense-paid trip to the national event where they will prepare their canapé, salad, entrée or dessert for critique by the live audience and a panel of chef judges.

Three accomplished culinary professionals will determine which dishes reign supreme in the competition. Executive Chef Ito Fuyuhiko is a 31-year culinary industry veteran who leads the culinary team at Umi. Chef Jamika Pessoa, a 2005 graduate of the Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts program at The Art Institute of Atlanta, was featured on a number of television programs including the daytime ABC food talk show, The Chew, and The Next Food Network Star, season 5. Certified Master Chef Daryl L. Shular, a 1994 graduate of the Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts program at The Art Institute of Atlanta, became the first African American and minority to successfully pass the Master Chef exam.

The winning student from each category will earn a $5,000 tuition scholarship to support their culinary education. Their winning recipes will create an exclusive four-course meal to be served at Art Institutes student-run restaurants across the country the week of May 14 – 18. For every meal purchased during that time, The Art Institutes will make a donation to No Kid Hungry. 

“This competition not only provides an avenue for our culinary students to showcase their skills in recipe creation and gain experience in a competition environment but to use their talents to be part of something larger than themselves – helping the fight against childhood hunger,” said Chef David Hendricksen, CCE, CCC, national culinary director, The Art Institutes.

The finalists include:

Canapé

• Caramelized Onion Duck Rillette: Aries Do, The Art Institute of Atlanta, Culinary Arts, Associate of Arts
• Shrimp Toast Benedict: Steven Koss, The Art Institute of Austin, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston, Culinary Management, Bachelor of Science
• Qui-licious Quiche Cups: Stacey "Moe" Moore, The Art Institute of Houston, Culinary Arts, Associate of Applied Science

Salad

• Braised Kale & Beet Hummus Salad: Caitlin Ryan, The Art Institute of Philadelphia, Culinary Arts, Diploma
• Spring Beet Salad: Candice Mosely, The Art Institute of Las Vegas, Culinary Management, Bachelor of Science
• Southern Roasted Corn Salad: Gabrielle Cortes, The Art Institute of San Antonio, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston, Culinary Management, Bachelor of Science

Entrée

• Crispy Pork Belly with Tostones & Avocado Salsa: David Marroquin: The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, a campus of Argosy University, Culinary Arts, Associate of Science
• Braised Duck with Mixed Vegetables and Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Larry Colbert, The Art Institute of Atlanta, Culinary Arts, Associate of Arts
• Pan Seared Duck Breast with Beet & Carrot Gnocchi: Michael Wallace, The Art Institute of Washington, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, Culinary Arts, Associate of Arts

Dessert

• Berry Swirl Cheesecake with Chocolate Cookie Crust: Rebecca Martinez, The Art Institute of  California – Sacramento, a campus of Argosy University, Culinary Arts, Associate of Science
• Raspberry Macarons: Cherriana Brooks, The Art Institute of Charleston, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, Baking & Pastry, Associate of Arts
• Key Lime Pie Pops: Nicole Holtzman, The Art Institute of California – Orange County, a campus of Argosy University, Art of Cooking, Diploma

The event is open to the public and there is no cost to attend. For more information, to register to attend, or to view the livestream, visit https://creative.artinstitutes.edu/throughtheart.

About The Art Institutes
The Art Institutes is a system of non-profit schools through the United States. Programs, credential levels, technology, and scheduling options vary by school and are subject to change. Not all online programs are available to residents of all U.S. states. Some institutions in The Art Institutes system are campuses of Argosy University. Administrative office: The Art Institutes, 1500 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 © 2018. The Art Institutes. All rights reserved. Our email address is [email protected].

About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. Using proven, practical solutions, No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast, eat healthy summer meals, and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of the national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

Media Contact:
Richard Krueger
TallGrass Public Relations
(908) 420-0512
[email protected]