Culinary students cook up a second place

MOSES LAKE — The culinary arts team at Moses Lake High School took second place in hot foods at the Boyd Coffee ProStart Invitational.

The team was a final contender for first place, said teacher Susan Moberg.

The team tied with Oak Harbor High School for first place, but lost the tie-breaker.

“Both teams were excellent and deserved to go to nationals,” Moberg said. “Our kids were disappointed but they can be proud of their performance in the state competition. They represented Moses Lake with dignity, honesty and integrity, and I am honored to be their coach.”

Judges examined students’ professionalism, safety, sanitation, team work, cooking skills, menu development and the meal’s visual appeal and taste.

In 60 minutes, five students prepared a meal of tender scallops with apple salsa, seared duck breast with apple cider and cherry reduction, red and gold beets, Cougar Gold mashed potatoes, and huckleberry parfait with frozen chocolate ganache and huckleberry compote.

“So many of the teachers commented on (the students’) professionalism, both in how they looked and how they acted, and to me that means more than anything,” Moberg said.

Team members included Kacie Ogg, Taylor Buron, T.J. Pryor, Cassie Keller and Kayla Scott.

Scott, a senior at the high school, was named ProStart Student of the Year by the Washington Restaurant Association Education Foundation.

The award included a trophy and a $1,000 college scholarship.

“I was pretty shocked,” Scott said.

She said she was already nervous because she was still waiting to hear the results of the hot foods competition.

The application for student of the year included a typed essay from student and teacher, and two letters of recommendation.

Scott is considering attending Johnson & Wales University, in Denver, Colo., Kitchen Academy in Seattle, or Spokane Community College.

Her goal is to own a bakery, which would allow Scott to work on her passion for decorating cakes.

“I’m actually very interested in baking and pastries,” she said.

Scott caters for weddings and makes cakes through Memories R Forever in Moses Lake. She also works part time for Griffins Bakery in Moses Lake.

Scott started making cakes when she was 14 years old.

“It’s a calming thing to me,” she said.

She particularly enjoys the decorating and piping involved with cake-making.

Scott thanked coaches Catherine McPherson and Susan Moberg, mentors Chris Rimbey and Nathan Jacobs, and her teammates.

“We had an amazing team this year, and we all got along so well,” Scott said.

She thanked her parents for their support, noting they drove her to school for practices morning and night before she received her driver’s license.