Kingsbury kids know their way around kitchen

By Leslie Kelly
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July 12, 2006

It was like hitting a walk-off home run, throwing the winning touchdown or scoring a half-court basket at the buzzer to win the game when the team from Kingsbury Career Technology Center took top honors at a statewide culinary competition this spring.

"They were ecstatic. They were jumping up and down," said Betty Hall, teacher and the team's adviser.

It was the first time a culinary team from Memphis City Schools has placed first in state.

On Monday, these culinary whiz kids -- Helana Taylor, Chris Buckner and Krystal Easley -- chopped, peeled, seared and sauteed their way through a culinary competition at the Family, Community and Career Leaders of America national leadership meeting in Nashville. The coveted first place prize means

more than prestige and a trophy, though. There's more than $16,000 in scholarship funds awarded to the winners. Results will be announced Thursday; check online at blogs.commercialappeal.com /leslie and in next week's food section.

Hall said the students were lauded by the judges in the state contest for their teamwork and professionalism.

Those skills, Hall said, have a lot to do with the KCTC's launch of a pilot program for the state of Tennessee. ProStart is a partnership with the National Restaurant Association, which requires students to work in professional kitchens for at least 400 hours during their two years of study.

"That experience in the industry made all the difference in the world," Hall said.

The ProStart program is available as an advanced placement option in schools around the country, but last year was the first time it had been offered in Tennessee.

"It's the wave of the future," Hall said. "The culinary field has just exploded. I'm not sure if it's because of the Food Network, but kids are beginning to realize it's not just about flipping burgers. There's a lot of money to be made."

For at least one of the students on the KCTC team, it's much more than money.

Helana Taylor is passionate about food, her teacher said.

"She's the best student I've had in 26 years of teaching," Hall enthused.

Taylor said she thinks about food all the time. This fall, she'll start working toward her career goal at the prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island.

For the past two years, Taylor, 18, has been sharpening her skills at Felicia Suzanne's, the upscale restaurant in Downtown Memphis that has a New Orleans accent.

"She's got a natural talent for it," said chef/owner Felicia Willett. "She has impressive knife skills. She handles herself well in the kitchen. She's going to be a star someday."

On a recent afternoon, Taylor methodically worked her way through a list of duties at the restaurant, preparing dishes for that evening.

"I have two stations, salads and desserts," she said. "I love making salads look beautiful."

Like any chef worth her salt, Taylor thinks nothing of multi-tasking: simultaneously sauteing pans of onions, making a chocolate filling for a pastry, chopping vegetables for a garnish.

"I love doing different things," said Taylor, who dreams of opening a bakery. Right next door to her restaurant/nightclub.

She's not sure when she decided that cooking was her calling. "I wanted to be a lawyer in seventh grade," she said.

Friend and mentor, Katherine O'Connor, who she met in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, introduced her to Willett at a dinner in the restaurant's kitchen. It wasn't long before Taylor was working in that very kitchen.

"She's like my right hand man," Willett said. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do without her. I'm going to miss her."

Taylor said she's nervous and excited about going away to school.

But first there's the big competition.

Last week, as Taylor helped her teacher gather the equipment and tools for the competition, she tried to guess what the team might be required to cook.

"Each competition gets a little harder," she said. "I heard during one national competition, they had to fillet fish."

The team will have an hour to prepare a three-course meal. At state, the teams had to share one stovetop. For the nationals, teams will work in a kitchen at the Opryland Hotel.

Hall is hoping the hands-on lessons the recent graduates soaked up working in restaurants will give them the edge this time around.

Krystal Easley, 18, worked at Boscos Squared, and general manager Andy Feinstone said she was a quick study.

"She excelled at everything," he said. "She went through all the stations, did pizzas and salads, even worked on the grill line."

Chris Buckner, 18, worked at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, and has already started the culinary program at Sullivan University in Louisville. He will join the team in Nashville for the competition.

"We're going to have fun," Hall said. "But it's always more fun to win."

--Leslie Kelly, 529-2594

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The following recipes were dishes Betty Hall's award-winning culinary students prepared for their classmates at the Kingsbury Career Technology Center.

Italian Flag Manicotti

1 (6-oz.) container ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded

3/4 lb. ground chuck

Salt, fresh ground pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, to taste

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup frozen spinach

1 (1-lb.) box manicotti, prepared according to package directions

1 jar mushroom and olive tomato sauce

1 (1-lb.) tub fresh mozzarella, sliced

Brown ground chuck and season to taste with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder. Drain and mix with ricotta, Parmesan, onions and spinach. Chill.

To assemble, in a rectangular pan, spoon a layer of sauce. Add meat and cheese mixture to a piping bag and fill manicotti. Place on top of sauce. Spoon sauce over filled pasta and top with mozzarella.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until hot and brown and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Source: Helana Taylor

Chicken Verde Lasagna

2 cans Campbell's Creamy Chicken Verde soup

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp. fajita seasoning

2 tsp. taco seasoning

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

4 cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded

5 large flour tortillas, cut into 2- to 3-inch strips

1 cup Mexican cheese, shredded

Salsa, optional Mix soup, seasonings and chicken. Layer the tortilla strips, chicken mixture and cheese in a 10- by 9-inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Top with salsa.

Source: Chris Buckner

Oatmeal Carmelitas

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup butter, softened

12-oz. jar caramel ice cream topping

3 tbsp. flour

6-oz. package semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13- by 9-inch pan. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In a large bowl, blend 2 cups flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter. Blend at low speed until crumbly. Press half mixture into the bottom of greased pan. Reserve remaining crumb mixture for topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine caramel topping and 3 tbsp. flour. Set aside.

Sprinkle warm crust with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours until filling is set. Cut into bars.

Source: Krystal Easley