Mexican Shrimp Council Forms Partnership with
The Art Institute of California – San Diego
Mexican Shrimp Cooking Contest Provides $6,000 in Scholarships to Emerging Chefs
San Diego, CA; May 30, 2006 – The Mexican Shrimp Council has teamed up with The Art Institute of California – San Diego culinary arts program to raise awareness of Authentic Mexican Shrimp among emerging regional chefs. The highlight of this hands-on educational showcase, taking place from May 30 through June 2, is a Mexican shrimp cooking competition where $6,000 in tuition scholarships will be awarded to three top students.
“Based on the fundamental role chefs play in familiarizing other chefs, food lovers and home cooks with premium ingredients, tomorrow’s culinary leadership needs an appreciation of all-natural and sustainable food choices,” said Hugo Camou, president of the Mexican Shrimp Council. “So we are very pleased to partner with The Art Institute to offer this week-long program for their enterprising student chefs.”
The culinary collaboration is prefaced with guest lectures by Mexican Shrimp Council representatives designed to educate the school’s 300 culinary arts students on Mexican shrimp fishing and farming methods, product traceability, sustainability practices, product purchasing, and quality aspects of Mexican shrimp. Authentic Mexican Shrimp will also be provided for practical instruction.
The educational forum culminates with a cooking contest on June 2, which will be directed by Art Institute culinary arts instructors and judged by local American Culinary Federation member chefs. Participating students will produce a shrimp entrée using Authentic Mexican Shrimp plus additional ingredients within a designated market basket of goods.
“As these aspiring chefs will discover, Mexican shrimp is so good, it requires only a few, fresh ingredients to reveal its superior taste,” said Camou.
Contest submissions will be judged on food safety and sanitation, originality, technique, presentation and taste. The grand-prize winner will be awarded $3,000 in tuition assistance. First and second-runners up will earn $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
“Nothing excites our students more than good old-fashioned competition,” said Mark Sullivan, culinary arts academic director at The Art Institute of California—San Diego. “And, the generosity of the Mexican Shrimp Council in providing hard-to-come-by tuition dollars for student chefs will ensure an animated contest.”
Following the competition, the Art Institute’s on-campus, student-run Palette dining room will feature Authentic Mexican Shrimp as a signature item at a special luncheon for visiting Grossmont College culinary classes on June 6 and 7.
Known for their bold, intense flavor and firm texture, Mexican Shrimp already enjoy a level of prestige among culinary connoisseurs and seafood lovers because of an idyllic habitat and the long-standing commitment of Mexican shrimp producers, processors and importers to optimum quality assurance from harvest to package.
The Mexican Shrimp Council is a binational group of producers, processors, suppliers and marketers working together to educate trade and consumer audiences about the quality aspects and price-value relationship of Authentic Mexican Shrimp. For more information, please visit www.mexicanshrimp.org.
The Art Institute of California – San Diego is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 32 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals.
Chef2Chef News Desk