The Daily Sauce :: A Daily Sip of Hip

May 13th, 2008 edition of The Daily Sauce: Food and Wine. Visit Our Food and Wine Archive.

Where Did Your Chef Go to High School?

Diners may soon ask this question because there’s a new crop of homegrown chefs graduating from the culinary arts programs of two local high schools – Clyde C. Miller Career Academy and North Technical High School. On May 1 [cue Iron Chef theme], the two schools squared off in the First Annual High School Culinary Cook-Off, complete with surprise ingredients like white truffle oil, shrimp and salmon. Chef Jason McGraw of Levy Restaurants at America’s Center helped develop the format; other local chefs served as judges.

The North Tech team devised a three-course menu featuring pecan-encrusted goat cheese on a bed of greens with diced apple and charred tomato vinaigrette; shrimp risotto with roasted grape tomatoes; and pineapple-glazed pork loin with sweet potato hash and pineapple salsa. Miller’s team countered with a mixed spring salad with smoked salmon, dried cherries, carrots, tomatoes, blue cheese with an apple and pear vinaigrette; a roasted chicken and garlic skewer on spinach pesto; and pork tenderloin stuffed with chorizo and Boursin cheese, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a spring vegetable medley.

After the last pan was put away, North Tech was the winner by just two points. More importantly, the St. Louis restaurant scene’s got quite a talent pool to pull from in the coming years.

Sauce pick: Congrats to our own Iron Chefs

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