Southwest Regional Young Chef and Young Sommelier Competitions

March 5, 2011

Story and Photos by Jim Ray,

Southwest Chargé de Presse Provincial

The Southwest Regional Young Chef and Young Sommelier Competitions are two events that occur (usually at the same time) once a year; however, preparing for these events take many months. The normal pattern is that once these two events end, preparations will normally begin almost immediately for the next one. There are a total of four competitive chef events and four competitive Sommelier events within the Chaine. All originally begin with the local bailliage and through a process of elimination of candidates, then progress to the Regional, then to the National level, and on the International level. No sooner than the International event completes, the whole process starts over again.

The Southwest Region competition for the Young Chefs was held at the San Antonio Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the competition for the Young Sommeliers was held at Bohana's Fine Steak and Seafood Restaurant, owner and Chef, Chaine member Chef Rôtisseur Mark Bohana. There were eleven Young Chef and three Young Sommelier contestants competing to have the right to go on to the National competition.

The National Chef Competition will be conducted again here in San Antonio on June 23, and the National Sommelier Competition will be held in Oregon close to the same time frame. The winner of the U.S. National Chef competition will then go on and compete with the winners from other countries for the top international (world) title in Istanbul Turkey. 

Competition 2011:

Judges for this event: (See photo - left to right are . . .

Hinnerk von Bargen, CHE / Chef - Associate Professor - CIA

Moe Lazri, Maitre de Table Restaurateur, Fig Tree, Little Rhein Steak House - General Manager

Ed Tijerina - Culinaire Writer - San Antonio Express News

Franelle Rogers - Officier, Houston Bailliage (soon to be the next Bailli of Houston)

John Wade - Vice Conseiller Gastronomique, San Antonio Bailliage

Marvin Jones - Maitre De Table Restaurateur, San Antonio Country Club - General Manager

Wayne Brooks - Executive Chef, University of Texas Golf Club 

Previous Competitions: This annual event has had detailed coverage, concerning chef qualifications, age limitations, mystery ingredients basket, cooking and food preparation time limits, judges & judging, and the top winners for the previous years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. For those of you who would like to further explore the rules and regulations of this competitive event, please see "Recent Events" and scroll down to those particular stories. This story will cover just the participants, the judges, the winner, and the celebration reception. 

 Preliminaries:  As mentioned previously, planning for this event started many months ago with the first meeting in Bohanas Restaurant, downtown, across the street from the Majestic Theater. Chaine members from San Antonio, Houston, and National met here and started the initial planning. This initial coordination meeting lasted for two days with dozens of phone calls and emails to follow over the next ten months.

Ok, the big day is tomorrow. Let's take a look at some photos. from the night before (click on any small photo to enlarge).

Day 1

Bohana's, where all the dressed up people go Ah, ha, the first of the first have arrived Vivian says, yes! this will do just fine! Hon.Con Cullinaire Nat. Jacques Fox, Denver Bailli Jeff Grundman VC Gastronomique John Wade & the rear side of Viv Barnes CC Ed Pavelerk, Bailli Prov Joel Klein, Bailli  Vivian Ray, John Wade       Janace Wade, Chargé de Presse SW Provincial Jim Ray   Chef Mark Bohana himself - The only photo of him in the world (almost) No thanks, I would like to have a larger one.  Ed and John crying about something  Carol Klein, Delores Pavelerk, Officier Franelle Rogers, Jacque Fox, Viv Barnes Same group with Vice Conseiller Gastronomique – Barbara Ann Billings        It is going to be a very long day tomorrow. It's time to hit the sack and wake up bright and bushy tail. Ed, Joel, John, Vivian, Bailli Denver Jeff Grundmann, Janace  John, Viv, & Vivian  The night is over. Now where is my car??  Day 2  - Morning and Afternoon Chef H von Bargen, Chef Moe Lazri, Ed Tijerina (writer), Officier Fran Rogers, VC Gast John Wade, GM SACC Marvin Jones, Chef Wayne Brooks Contestant One Amarys Koenig - New Orleans Mary Bartholmen, Sponsor   Contestant Two Michael Mills - Houston Michael Parmet, Sponsor         Additional help has arrived: Galveston Leslie Bartosh, Officier Catherine Milbourn, Officier GG Patton, Delores Pavelerk Wow! This stuff tastes really good. Pass me seconds please.  Contestant Three Michael Smith - Denver Jeff Grundmann, Sponsor  Contestant Four Aaron Cousineau - Vail Suzanne Hoffman-LeBlanc, Sponsor       Contestant Five Matt Baum - San Antonio John Marotta, Sponsor Contestant Six Sarah Leavell - Tulsa Chef Sam Brachen, Sponsor Contestant Seven Andrew Mark Gay - Denver Jeff Grundmann, Sponsor       Contestant Eight Steven Vale - Galveston Leslie Bartosh, Sponsor Contestant Nine Cory Smith - Houston Exc. Chef Charles Carroll, Sponsor Contestant Ten Ryan Hallsted - Etoile Solitaire Chris Dempster, Sponsor       Contestant Eleven Jaime Palacios - Vail Suzanne Hoffman - LeBlanc, Sponsor Cathrine Mibourn Ok, let me get this to the judges while it is still hot! Whoops, we found someone here with a different agenda. Our Bailli Prov. Joel Klein Yeaa, come on Amarys. Make New Orleans proud!  Some Stock supplies. Use as needed.              Yea, come on Andrew, Yea, come on Michael!  Some more Stock Supplies - Spices etc.  A quick shot of the kitchen staff - I think? Dang! that person sure looks familar.  Runners all in place ready to grab the plates and head for the judges.  Here they come, da, da, de dum, Miss America. No no, sorry, she's part of the kitchen staff.    When the young chefs do their cooking and individual plate layout, they make a three-course dinner and make enough for four full servings. Two servings go to the six judges (three judges taste from the same plate), one plate goes on the judges display counter so each judge can have, at anytime during the judging, an opportunity to compare "food eye appeal" between the  contestants; and plate #4 goes to an area outside the judging area in order for contestants, family, friends, visitors, etc. have the opportunity to see what each and every chef prepared. Ok, here's the line up. Everyone grab a fork!              Two plates go here  One plate will go here and . . . one plate goes here. (Amarys & Michael M.)             Michael Smith Arron Cousineau Matt Baum and . . Sarah Leavell Andrew Gay Steven Vale     Young Chef Winner        Note: Did not get photo of Cory Smith & Ryan Hallsted above. #11 Jaime Palacios was unable to complete his meal on time and was disqualified from the contest.             Chief Chef John Barrios, Matt Baum's mother, Matt Baum (winner), and John Marotta (Argyle) Catherine says "the party is over, time to drink wine, and eat the good stuff on this table.  John, Vivian, Delores, says the same thing!   I'm full of wine, full of food, too far to go home. I guess I'll stick around here for the next three hours.  O'boy, misery loves company. Welcome "the Kleins and the Wades" Hey guys! I found the party room. Come on over.                Family, friends, contestants, etc getting ready for the ceremonies.             The Professional table:  John Barrios/John Marotta, Ray Ayala, Moe Lazri The happy chefs, staff, and students of the CIA.  Recognition of the CIA staff   Charlie thanks Mark Bohana for allowing the Sommelier Competition to be conducted at Hohana's. Hey guys, thanks for all of your support.  Grundmann, get up here and get your bronze star.              OK.  Time to honor the chefs  and the big winner is chef Matt Baum from the Arygle; John Marotta, General Manager     In addition to the Young Chefs competition going on at this time, there was also the Young Sommelier's competition going on at Bohana's.  Charlie Bennett, Echanson Provincial SW provided us with the following information. Thanks Charlie, it's kind of hard to cover two events at the same time. The winner of the Southwest regional Young Sommelier competition was Brandon Tebbe of the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs. Denver Bailli Jeff Grundmann was on hand at the awards reception to cheer him on.  The runner up was Liz Dowty of New Orleans, who did exceptionally well, and we will encourage her to continue to compete in future years.  Unfortunately, although he did make the journey to San Antonio from his hometown of Dallas, D’Lynn Proctor’s sinusitis was still plaguing him yesterday and he decided in the final minutes that he could not successfully compete because he had no sense of smell.  He would have been a strong competitor.  Thanks to our other two SW regional judges, San Antonio Vice Echanson Larry Cohen and Cesar Chavez, who was co-founder (along with Ponce Heloise) of the San Antonio bailliage, and is a wine importer and wine writer for San Antonio Magazine.  Cesar Chavez Larry Cohen Our awards reception at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio was a big success thanks to SW Bailli Provincial Joel Klein, San Antonio Bailli Vivian Ray, and SW Culinaire Ed Pavelek.  Thanks also to Mark Bohanan of Bohanan’s Prime Steak and Seafood for providing the facilities for our competition.     Brandon Tebbe, Liz Dowty, D’Lynn Proctor, Charlie Bennett   Please send comments, corrections to JRAY@SATX.RR.COM