Laurel Meadows 

My Family is a Well-Oiled Machine               

As the end of my second year at Midwest Culinary Institute rapidly approaches I find myself reminiscing and re-living the things that I have done and seen in the past twenty months.  With the help of my chef instructors and fellow students, I, or we, have been well groomed and trained.  Countless amounts of knowledge and skills have been ingrained into our souls. We are taught to look like chefs, to talk like chefs, and most importantly to cook like real chefs.  We live and breathe everything that we have ever learned here and in the end we have become a force to reckon with.  But one of the biggest parts I will miss about MCI is my family.  I have attended classes with the same students for almost two years.  We lean on each other and provide support.  We help one another if someone flounders.  And most importantly, we are brutally honest with one another.  We know how one another cooks and we know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.  Together we are able to accomplish great things and I am so greatly honored to have met and worked with these wonderful people.  These are the people that I will be entering the industry with and who better to be in the thick of it all then with your family.  My family is a well-oiled machine.  This is our time and we have been taught everything we need to rise to the top.  We will take this life and make something amazing out of it. We will help each other along the way, even after school has ended, and in ten or twenty years, these people, my family, will be at the top and I am so proud to say that I knew and worked with all of them.

   On January 31st 2010, five Midwest Culinary Institute students (six if
you count our loyal and trusted friend Dominique Carter) embarked
on a journey to Hocking College to compete in the ACF State of Ohio
competition against Hocking and Sinclair. The competition consisted
of a timed skills segment (butchering a chicken, fish, knife
skills, and pastry skills) and a four course meal that included the
classical Sole de Floreal each plated four times. The team,
comprised of Christina Chia, Stephanie Boertlein, Andrew Mersmann,
Derek Bush, and Robert Whitmer, placed second and brought home a
silver medal. They received high marks on their menu, organization,
sanitation, kitchen discipline, and the ability to work together in
tight spaces. The team's experience was wonderful and each member 
took away something different from each other, the three judges, 
and the other junior culinarians they came in contact with.
   Since April of 2009, the members have been working hard studying 
Escoffier thoroughly and honing their knife skills at home. Around 
the month of October, the team began Friday practices where they 
would hone their knife skills, dissect and rework recipes, create 
a menu, and work closely. The team didn't come together as a whole 
until the weekend of the state competition in Hocking when they 
were really brought together as a team and family. The team is 
thankful for the time they were able to spend with each other 
becoming one big family full of differences, diversity, and 
support and are extremely sad to see the season end. In the season 
ending though, there are some thanks in need for those who have 
supported the team as a whole as well as individuals making 
success possible.

     The team would like to thank the mentors and 
instructors who have been with them since day one allowing them to 
flourish under their watch. The team would like to thank Chef 
Neace, Chef Kinsella, Chef Myatt, and Chef Potter for their 
infinite wisdom, quick wit, excellent ideas, and intelligent 
information. A thanks to the Midwest Culinary Institute as a whole 
is needed for being so supportive, allowing the team the kitchen 
space of 012 every Friday along with any equipment needed, 
allowing the team to strive, and to have practice funds paid for 
by the Junior Chapter headed by Chef Lasorella. We would like to 
take time for a big shout out to the wonderful Chef Burdsall for 
always going the extra mile for us and supplying all of the food, 
c-fold towels, equipment, and deli containers we needed to be 
successful. We would also like to thank our wonderful hosts from 
Hocking College, who made us feel comfortable and welcome, didn't 
think twice before rushing to make us peanut butter and jelly 
sandwiches with a hot chocolate, and couldn't have been more 
hospitable. Out of everyone, there is one person who has always 
been there for us no matter what, shown us how we need things to 
be done, gave us all our wings in order to fly and succeed, acted 
as a mentor, friend, and mother, gave us courage and strength to 
continue on, and helped make the team what it was. Sarah Huskey, 
without you the team would have been slump!
     Each of us enjoyed the competition in a different way for a 
different reason, but in the end, we all love competitions and 
encourage others to participate. On March 20 and 21 of 2010 there 
will be a culinary jamboree held at the MCI and we would love for 
you to compete. The jamboree gives you a chance to push yourself, 
dish out your skills, and receive great feedback from chefs who 
have been in the business for years. The jamboree is not an event 
set up for competing with another student, but to battle and 
compete with yourself. There are no losers in the jamboree and at 
the end hopefully you will feel accomplishment, honor, and 
pleasure for all of your hard work. If you ever have any questions 
about competing, competitions in general, or anything else, please 
do not be afraid to ask or contact us as we are always open for 
questions. Rules and regulations regarding the jamboree in March
are available in the competition packet through the ACF which can
be found on the ACF website or through Chef Lasorella.