Cadence Winter and ShaNiya Thomas earned silver and bronze medals in their first competitive cooking event at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte.
LAURINBURG — Scotland High School’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Club competed in the North Carolina FCCLA Culinary Competition for the first time and made quite a showing.
The competition, which was held at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, brings together 11th and 12th-grade members of NC FCCLA to demonstrate skills in baking and food service techniques to produce a quality meal.
Seniors Cadence Winter and ShaNiya Thomas earned silver and bronze medals in their first competitive cooking event. Winter competed in the hot food section of the contest and Thomas competed in the baking and pastry section.
Winter and Thomas were two of about 45 students who participated in the competition.
According to Chef Jim Kitzmiller, SHS FCCLA’s advisor said the students were given the recipes they’d be judged on six months before the contest. The advisors work with the students before the competition to perfect the recipes, but on the day of the competition, Kitzmiller said, the students have to work alone and use time management to get everything done.
Thomas, who made chocolate chip cookies, banana chocolate chip muffins, and cream puffs and decorate a cake, said, “Getting the constructive criticism and the tips that I needed really helped me throughout the competition.”
And though she was nervous, Thomas said it was a great experience.
Winter, who made chicken piccata, glazed carrots and orzo with basil, said in the competition you really have to keep your composure. “Because if you don’t, that time just runs out so quickly. I had a really good experience,” she said. “I liked it and I would love to do it again.”
She admits that culinary wasn’t always her first choice, but the more she worked in the program, something clicked in her and she sees her future in the industry.
Scotland County Schools CTE program equips students with the tools needed for successful participation in an ever-changing global economy.