Cooking prodigy

At 17 she seems to have all the right ingredients for success, it’s a

recipe she knows well and it has it has earned her the opportunity to

compete in the finals in New York City on May 17 for the title of

Best Teen Chef in America.

Cooking is a passion of Allyson Ames of Corona del Mar, and

winning the Regional Semifinals in The Art Institutes’ Best Teen Chef

in America in March at The Art Institute of Southern California has

changed her life.

“I read an article in the food section of a newspaper about the

competition,” Ames said. “I called the school and they told me how to

enter and that I needed a portfolio. I came in for an orientation on

the recipes, guidelines and expected judging with Chef Lauderdale.”

He gave the hopefuls tips and Ames went home and started

practicing, explaining that over the three weeks before the

competition she had to get familiar with the recipes, practicing

making the courses several times and putting together prep cards as

reminders.

“I wasn’t nervous when I was practicing,” Ames said. “When I got

there I saw it was so big and got butterflies, but when I started

cooking I got into this perfect zone.”

But this competition wasn’t Ames initial interest, she knew by age

10 that she has wanted to pursue a career in cooking.

“I am passionate about cooking, baking and creating in the

kitchen,” Ames said. “Since age 10 I have been cooking, watching the

“Food Network,” and collecting hundreds of cookbooks to learn as much

as possible about food, ingredients and recipes.”

Because her parents never cooked she decided that she would be the

chef in the family and that’s been the main source of her culinary

education. She also started her own catering company called Paradise

Chocolate Shoppe.

Like most graduating seniors her future was uncertain until this

competition pointed her in a path she is looking forward to pursuing.

She graduates next week from high school and applied at the Art

Institute in Orange County.

“Hopefully I’ll start in July in the Culinary Arts Program,” Ames

said. “Before the contest, I wasn’t enrolled anywhere and kind of all

of a sudden I get this great opportunity. I figured it was so

perfect, and what I want to do.”

She said she feels lucky to have this chance to compete in this

competition -- it will be her first time in New York, but she

stressed it is not for leisure but to work.

Ames has been practicing diligently for the finals for a few weeks

now.

“I’ve been going to the Art Institute every Tuesday and Thursday

meeting with Chef Lauderdale and Chef Gilligan to learn what is to be

expected,” Ames said. “They are totally preparing me.”

She is looking forward to the competition and explained that there

are 17 winners from the Art Institutes from across the country that

won the regional semifinals, which will be competing in the finals.

“I’m excited to meet everyone because we share the same

interests,” Ames said. “And I had such a great time competing at the

semifinals.”

The winner at the national finals at The Art Institute of New York

City will receive a full-tuition scholarship worth more than $30,000.

Ames already received a $5,000 tuition scholarship and will hopefully

win more of the $190,000 in scholarships that the institute is

awarding through this competition.

One of her trainers, Chef Martin Gilligan, who used to be

executive chef for the Plaza Hotel in New York and with the Four

Seasons Resort, said he is amazed with Ames talent.

“I’ve been around the block a few times and have been in this

industry for almost 30 years,” Gilligan said. “Through my experience,

I’ve never found someone with such raw talent and natural ability to

remember recipes, ingredients and to be able to not only duplicate it

-- but be able to out do me. She’ll be the next girl on the Food

Network.”

He couldn’t believe that she was just 17 and has so much ahead of

her.

“She has been coming in with stuff that I wouldn’t have thought

of,” Gilligan said. “She’s amazing -- her style, flair and comfort

and her incredible manipulation of food has never been done before.

It looked like I went to Le Cirque in New York.”

Ames of course aspires to be Best Teen Chef in America and after

that she hopes to go to the institute to become a pastry chef.

“I want to open my own place anywhere in Orange County that serves

pastries, desserts and drinks late night and after dinner,” Ames

said. “They don’t have that here but they do in New York and

Chicago.”