Carol: Results of The Copper Chef Competition are in.

The Eleventh Annual Copper Chef Competition rose to the occasion with the competing chefs producing five amazing dishes.

This competition started in 2004 when a student saw the "Iron Chef" competition and wondered why Linn-Benton Community College couldn't do something similar. The head chef of the Culinary Arts program at the time named them copper chef, saying they are not yet iron chefs.

When asking the competing chefs why they enter this competition they all gave similar answers.

"It's good experience, and we are all good friends just testing ourselves. Our enemy here is time,"said Kara Carsner.

This year,five second year culinary student chefs met with their instructor, Chef Sami Hopson in the Santiam Restaurant to go over the rules for the competition. They decided who would go first, and in what kitchen they would be cooking.

The grand prize for the Copper Chef is a piece of copper cookware valued at about $350.

All chefs were given 90-minutes to prepare their dishes using only the ingredients that Chef Hopson gave them. Each made elaborate, colorful dishes they presented to the judges.

Contestants had two student helpers and Chef Todd Ketteman to help keep track of time giving five minutes warnings. Their helpers were allowed to give dish descriptions and answer any questions by communicating with Chef Hopson or Chef Todd.

Chef Todd and the volunteers were forbidden to touch or taste their dishes in any way. They were also not to give feedback or critique.

Once the chefs decided who was first, they were lead to their kitchens in 10-minute intervals.

Maegan Pimm was first in the Santiam kitchen, Jeremy Turetzky second in the Catering kitchen, Kara Carsner third in the Quantity kitchen, Winny Hu and Kelsey Ramer also in the Quantity kitchen.

Once the cooking began, different styles of food being prepared at each table. Carrots being chopped, onions being pealed, and chickens were carved and sliced.Sauces were made, spices and herbs sprinkled, soups stirred, and stuffed mushrooms were prepared.

All five chefs decided to use the hindquarters of their whole chickens to make their amazing dishes. All five were creating their culinary masterpieces.

Even in competition, you could see the camaraderie between the competing chefs.

"We are all winners, and I will cheer for whoever wins," said Hu.

Throughout the competition the chefs were running around the kitchen like bees around a hive. They were so busy making their starters and entrees that they weren't in one place every long.

Before you knew it, the five minute warning was announced. It was time for the chefs to plate their dishes to be judged.

The judges were Tove Spencer Pastega, Foundation, Mike and Michelle Storrs ,Mike teaches math on campus, and Michelle is a manager at American Dream, Charlie Eads owner of KGAL/KSHO radio station in Lebanon.

The judges were seated in the Santiam Restaurant awaiting the dishes that the chefs were preparing for them.

It seemed that the judges were thinking about every bite they took. They had that far-away stare in their eyes, like maybe they were trying to remember where they had tasted the flavor before, and trying to identify just what kind of spices were included.

They cut the chickens and looked to see the color of the meat, making sure it was the right color and texture; they put a small piece in their mouths, taking in the flavors as they chewed it.

The judges scored what they thought about each bite they took, trying everything that was prepared.

After all dishes were tasted and given points, Chef Hopson thanked the judges and collected the score sheets from them and they.Each judge was given gift certificates for their time..

The scores were close, but the winner was Maegan Pimm.She cooked Tuscan braised chicken in a mushroom and red wine sauce with roasted rosemary zucchini and garlic, and celery root mash potatoes. With carrot, celery root and sage soup.

The whole culinary department cheered for Pimm as she cried, Chef Hopson was teary-eyed as she presented Pimm with the grand prize.

When asked how she came up with the winning dish,Pimm said"I didn't know right away what I was going to make,so I took a minute to meditate,then I put my head in that space where I'm at home,and this is what I got. So make something good, now go!"

The other chefs and the two student helpers received gifts valued at around $40 each.

At A Glance
Culinary Arts program.
Friendly competition.
The Eleventh Annual Copper Chef Competition.
Five second year culinary students.
Five Judges
Santiam Restaurant at LBCC.