Students selectively chosen to enter food competition

By Zainab Khan

Four students from Fountain Valley’s Food 2 class went to Sacramento last Saturday to compete in the culinary arts competition called ProStart.

Management and Culinary are the two categories open in the competition. However, they will only be entering in the culinary portion.

The students selected to be involved with ProStart had to go through a selective process to be chosen, involving a mandatory boot camp and an essay about why they wanted to enter the competition.  After the elimination process, only the top four were picked to participate.

The four chosen seniors were Nadia Hamade, Morgan Esquer, Tyler LaMantain and Emanuel Ramirez. In the competition, they will be expected to make a three-course meal without the use of electrical equipment.

“We feel confident. Very confident and prepared,” said Hamade.

They have been practicing after school four days a week, including Saturday. During their after school sessions, they practice skills such as knifing, which is highly important for accuracy and precision.

“It’s a lot of commitment and dedication. We spent about two and a half hours on weekdays and five hours on Saturdays,” said Esquer.

The students get their inspiration from cooking shows such as “Food Network,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “Master Chef.” Their main role model is Gordan Ramsey.

Hamade said, “I want to meet [Gordan Ramsey] someday and be like him. It would be a dream come true.”

This is the first time any of the seniors to be entering a culinary arts competition with over 30 schools, but they are determined to win.

“We are so ready for this,” Hamade (’13) said. “We will out-chef you!”