La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

Bailliage du Minneapolis

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Jan 19, 2008 - The Art Institutes International,
     Jeunes Commis Rôtisseur Competition

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Photography by Lara Leimbach.

   As part of its mission, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs sponsors an annual cooking competition, known as the Jeunes Commis Rôtisseur Competition, to encourage and promote the culinary expertise of aspiring young chefs by exposing them to a competitive environment with their peers.  The contest enjoys considerable prestige and draws participation from member organizations located throughout the world.  In the United States, there are ten Regional events, followed by a National event, and the winner of the National event will be sent, this year, to Paris, France to participate in the International competition on 19 September, 2008.

Amanda Bove Sill Amanda Bové Sill

   Each year, the Bailliage du Minneapolis sponsors a local contest designed to stimulate interest in the Jeunes Commis Rôtisseur Competition and to select the best candidate for the Regional event.  Once again this year, the contest was masterfully orchestrated by Vice Chargée de Missions Amanda Bové Sill.

   One has to admire the young people (under 27) who step up to the challenge for they face a formidable task in terms of the professional rigor that is required; this is not about creating something that might please a celebrity judge.  Rather, it is a contest demanding everything from originality, flavor, and presentation to organization, kitchen technique, sanitation, and timing.   In this year’s competition, there were more professionals with clipboards or notepads keeping score than there were cooks in the kitchen.

   In keeping with the French heritage of the Chaîne, the young competitors are referred to as Jeunes Commis Rôtisseurs.  The Jeunes Commis are asked to prepare a three course meal for four people in a period of four hours.  On the day of the competition, the contestants draw lots for start times.  As each start time arrives, the contestant is handed an identical mystery basket and is given half an hour to design a menu using some portion of all of the ingredients therein.   He or she then has three hours to prepare the meal and half an hour to plate three dishes consisting of an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert.

Joseph Marzano Joseph Marzano

   The competition is normally held in a cooking school where identical facilities and equipment can be made available to each contestant.  This year the Art Institutes International Minnesota graciously provided the site for the competition as well as the mystery basket of food and a pantry of additional food stocks. We were both charmed and welcomed by Ai Minnesota President and Chevalier Joseph Marzano.

   The competition is judged by three groups of judges: Professional, Gastronome, and Kitchen.  The Professional judges are typically Executive Chefs from Chaîne member organizations.   The Gastronome judges are Chaîne members with special knowledge of food and fine dining.  The Kitchen judges are typically professionals associated with the host school who are asked to judge the work habits of the contestants.

   Spectators were invited to watch the activities from the other side of a glass partition separating the kitchen from a reception area.  Three and one half hours from the starting time an appetizer prepared by the first contestant emerged from the kitchen, one plate for each of the three sets of judges and one for presentation in the viewing area.  The balance of the six contestants’ work appeared at appropriate intervals.

   After the formal judging had been completed, but before the results were tabulated, the Jeunes Commis, the judges, and the visitors gathered in the reception area to talk about the body of work on display.  While this may have been an ordeal for the contestants, it was truly a treat for the onlookers.  One by one the judges offered general comments on the dishes placed before them.  They were impressed by the improvement that had occurred over previous years’ work and all spoke passionately both to the mistakes that were made and to the occasional soaring of eagles.  To us amateurs in the audience, it seemed like a master class in the art and craft of cooking.

Group Picture (L to R, standing) Margaret Leto, Don McMillan, Chef John Thompson, Chef Paul Lynch, Chef William Niemer, Chef John Cappellucci, and Chef Richard Fisher, (middle) Yvonne Moody and Amanda Bové Sill (front) Colin MacDonald, Robert Schoonover, Shawn Cooper, Lacy Lueth, Steve McMullen, and Daniel Wesener

   After standing for pictures and much applause, the Jeunes Commis were invited to attend a formal dinner later that evening at which the winner of the competition would be announced. (see: Dinner)

   This years contestants, in the order of their draw were:

   The Mystery Basket consisted of:

 

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