CIC student Elizabeth Freer won the prestigious People’s Choice Award in Napa March 11-13 during the 9th annual S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition. Ten of the most talented culinary students from Italy, Mexico and Puerto Rico competed with rising stars from the U.S. and Canada. Students were critiqued on taste, texture and aroma of their dishes, presentation, kitchen skills and the ability to perform under pressure. Freer’s winning dish was Rabbit Two Ways.Hosts Gail Simmons and Ralph Pagano were joined by media judges Dana Cowin of Food & Wine Magazine, Sophie Gayot of Gayot.com, Mitchell Davis of The James Beard Foundation, and Bonnie Stern of The National Post. The lineup of world famous chefs present to judge and mentor the student chefs consisted of Chefs Rick Moonen of rm seafood, Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia, Jean Joho of Everest, Gary Danko ofRestaurant Gary Danko, Brooke McDougall of ByMark and Bob Hurley of Hurley's, and Michel Richard of Michel Richard Citronelle, winner of numerous awards, including two Michelin stars.
To qualify for the competition, Freer had to first win the Southeast Regional San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition in Atlanta, Ga. She competed against Johnson & Wales, Charlotte; Art Institutes, Atlanta; and Le Cordon Bleu, Atlanta, for the coveted prize. This is the second time that a Culinary Institute of Charleston student has won the Southeast Regional and continued on to win the People’s Choice Award. CIC Adjunct Instructor Joe Branton was CIC’s first winner when he was still in school.
Elizabeth Freer has a BA in Art History and Studio Art from the University of Virginia. She is pursuing Certificates in Culinary and Pastry Arts at CIC, with projected graduation in May 2011. She is a Pantry Chef at Peninsula Grill.
About the S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition
For centuries, Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water and S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water have complemented fine food, wine and the dining occasion. In support of this passion for gastronomy and their commitment to the culinary arts, The Almost Famous Chef Competition was founded in 2001 as a mentoring program that connects top culinary students with established chefs and influential media. Since then, this program has helped to launch hundreds of culinary careers and refined the skills of a new generation of chefs. Through the Almost Famous Chef Competition, student chefs are given the opportunity to gain unmatched experience, while cooking in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world. For more information, please visit www.almostfamouschef.com, ###
1 comment:
I know Liz from her hometown in Hanover, PA. She used to make this chocolate treats every Christmas holiday and bring me some. My son went to school with Liz in Hanover, PA. She is a gem of a person. Miss her sweet treats during the holidays.
Julian Roldan
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