Two Arizona high school students from the Careers for Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Culinary Lab Scholarship Program have won the Greek Cream Cheese Challenge, sponsored by Franklin Foods.
They were tasked with serving up healthy snack recipes including Greek cream cheese, with prizes going to the best savory and the best sweet recipe. And the winners are Peter McQuaid of Tempe, AZ, in the savory category with his Greek Cream Cheese Bruschetta, and Kelsey Anders from Tucson, AZ, with her Greek Cream Cheese N’ Fruit Kabobs in the sweet category.
Franklin Foods, a local Arizona company that makes Greek Cream Cheese, sponsored this challenge as a way to introduce these young chefs to their innovative product, which has more protein and less fat than regular cream cheese. Each of the winning students will be featured on Franklin Foods’ blog and social media channels and receive a $100 gift card.
[Click here for more on Franklin Foods’ website]
The Careers through Culinary Arts Program works with public schools across the country to prepare underserved high school students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. C-CAP Arizona is part of this national program supporting culinary arts classes across the state.
C-CAP Arizona students participate in Culinary Lab sessions conducted by C-CAP Alumni Chefs. Culinary Lab sessions include:
- Cheese Making and Use
- Healthy Breakfasts
- Healthy Snacking
- Dairy Farm Tour and Smoothie recipe.
Students have the opportunity to work with their culinary teacher to bring the information back to their culinary class to present to the other students.
Dairy Council© of Arizona (DCAZ) partners with C-CAP to further Fuel Up TO Play 60 goals in local schools by offering the opportunity for senior culinary students to participate in the Fuel Up To Play 60 / C-CAP Culinary Lab program and earn a scholarship to an Arizona culinary school.
Meet Kelsey Anders and Peter McQuaid
Kelsey
- Where were you born? Tuscon, Arizona
- What’s your favorite course/technique taught at C-CAP? Learning the different knife cuts I think would be my favorite thing that I have learned and worked with so far, and how speed, skill, and patience become a big part in correctly making everything in the competition.
- What do you like most about C-CAP? I love how C-CAP has so many different opportunities and can provide so many connections for each student.
- What are your hobbies? My hobbies include baking, painting, 3D sculpting, swimming, ice skating, traveling, swimming, trying new things, and going out with friends.
- What is your favorite song? That’s hard, top three would be Tori Kelly -All In My Head (Acoustic), Shawn and Hailee cover of Stiches, or Sai-Big Girls Cry
- What is your favorite thing to cook? My favorite thing to cook is French Macarons, I love being able to combine and mix different flavors, not to mention being able to specially decorate each one.
Peter
- Where were you born? Phoenix, Arizona
- What type of cook do you consider yourself? I am definitely a savory cook, and love to meld many flavor profiles together, as well as using many influences from around the world!
- What do you like most about C-CAP? I love all the opportunities I have to work along side some of the best chefs in Arizona. C-CAP offers tons of amazing opportunities and it is an honor to be part of such a wonderful organization.
- What are your hobbies? Along with my love and passion for food and cooking, I love to travel and explore new places. I also have been doing martial arts for ten years and have attained seven black belts.
- Who has influenced your life the most? The biggest influences on my life are my two mentors, Chef Beau MacMillan and Chef Silvana Salcido Esparaza. I currently work for Chef Beau and have worked for Chef Silvana in the past. They are huge influences on my life, both in my culinary knowledge and career, in life aspects such as being humble and always going after opportunities and attaining my goals. My parents and family are also some of the biggest influences in my life of course, they are always so supportive of me and push me to be my best.
- What is your favorite thing to cook? I am always looking to cook new things and use techniques and ingredients I have never heard of before. I am always searching for new things to try and experience.
