Four culinary students from Technical College of the Lowcountry won a combined $9,000 in awards at the second annual US Foods TCL Chefs Table Student Culinary Competition, held October 8 at the College’s Culinary Institute of the South in Bluffton.
The competition is part of the College’s annual Chefs Table Benefit & Auction, which raises funds for student scholarships and academic programs. Winning students earn scholarship awards and professional chef mentorships, and their dishes are featured at Chefs Table, held this year on November 19 at the Harbour Town Clubhouse at The Sea Pines Resort.
Fourteen students competed in three categories, preparing original dishes for nearly 100 guests. Chefs Table VIP supporters served as judges, selecting the winning dishes:
- Appetizer: Asher Schagelin — Southern Spring Roll
- Entrée: Sophie Tomlinson — Autumn Chicken
- Dessert: Catherine Jones and Miracle Cuthbert — The Speakeasy Sponge
Each category carried a $3,000 scholarship award, with Jones and Cuthbert sharing the dessert award.
The winners will now work with professional chef mentors from The Sea Pines Resort to refine their dishes, learn about purchasing and production, and prepare to serve their winning dishes at Chefs Table.
The professional chef mentors are Aaron Cox, Executive Chef of Catering; Michael Porter, Resort Chef de Cuisine; Ian Jones, Resort Executive Pastry Chef; and Christina Ranck, Pastry Sous Chef and Culinary Institute of the South alumna.
“Winning the competition was an amazing experience, and hearing my name called was a moment I won’t forget,” said Schagelin. “I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and look forward to preparing my dish at Chefs Table.”
The competition is made possible through the support of US Foods, The Sea Pines Resort, and donors to the Technical College of the Lowcountry Foundation.