OCC’s kings of the kitchen

Jim Carnett

Orange Coast College’s culinary team will be chasing its second

successive Western Region culinary title Saturday in Sacramento.

OCC’s squad, which captured its sixth straight state crown last

month, will compete this weekend against six other teams from Hawaii,

Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The competition is sponsored by the

American Culinary Federation and will be staged at Sacramento’s

Doubletree Hotel.

Last year in Colorado Springs, Orange Coast finished just tenths

of a point ahead of Kapiolani Community College of Honolulu to win

the regional championship. Following that competition, OCC went on to

place second in the national culinary finals, held in Orlando.

Johnson & Wales University, a private culinary school in

Providence, RI, won last year’s national title. OCC was second.

Johnson County Community College of Overland Park, Kan., finished

third and Sullivan University of Louisville, Ky., placed fourth.

“In the regional finals, the competition is always fierce,” said

OCC culinary team advisor Bill Barber.

Barber is Orange Coast College’s head chef and an associate

professor of culinary arts.

“You never win by more than a point or two, and one little glitch

-- a single mistake -- can knock you out of the running.”

OCC’s culinary team has won the Western Regionals three times

since the competition was established in 1993. Titles came in 1995,

1997 and 2004.

“We have a very good team this year, and expect to do well in the

competition,” Barber says.

Two of the five members of this year’s team competed for the

Pirates last year.

“You never quite know what to expect in this competition because

the opposition is so strong, but I think we’ll be OK,” Barber added.

“Our students are focused, and have been working hard in practice

sessions. They don’t seem to be feeling any pressure ... though

that’s not the case with our coaches!”

The winning team in Sacramento will advance to the national finals

in San Antonio in July.

Members of OCC’s squad include Ashleigh Lewis of Riverside and

Lauren De Rouen of Huntington Beach, both veterans of last year’s

team. Other team members include Brian Hathenbruck of Anaheim, Thomas

Sanborn of Corona del Mar and Joshua Rodriguez of Huntington Beach.

Each team will be required to prepare a four-course meal.

Professional chefs from the American Culinary Federation will judge

the competition.

Established more than 25 years ago, Orange Coast College’s

Culinary Arts Program is one of the nation’s finest. The department

offers three different programs: a one-year Culinary Arts Certificate

Program that acquaints students with the basics of cooking; a

two-year Advanced Culinary Program that prepares students for

employment in the restaurant and hospitality industry; and a

three-year Cook Apprentice Program that provides students with more

advanced skills.

ALASKA EAGLE SAILS TO TAHITI THIS SUMMER

OCC’s spectacular 65-foot sailing vessel, Alaska Eagle, will sail

with students aboard to Tahiti this summer on its 21st sail training

voyage.

The journey will begin on July 11. Alaska Eagle will return home

to OCC’s Sailing Center in Newport Beach three months later, on Oct.

23.

In the 23 years that she has been operated by the college, Alaska

Eagle has ferried Orange Coast students to Hawaii and Alaska more

than a dozen times. She’s also journeyed through French Polynesia six

times; to New Zealand five times; to Antarctica twice; and through

the Caribbean and across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.

She’ll begin her upcoming voyage by participating in the 43rd

annual Transpacific Yacht Race, from Long Beach to Honolulu. She’ll

be the communications vessel for the fleet. Subsequent legs of the

voyage will go to Tahiti, the Tuamotus, Fanning Island and Hawaii,

San Francisco, and Newport Beach.

All legs are open to the community. For information, contact OCC’s

Sailing Center at (949) 645-9412.

Red Cross to visit Campus March 2 and 3

The American Red Cross will be on campus on March 2 and 3 to carry

out a blood and bone-marrow-registration drive.

The drive will take place in the Student Center Lounge, from 9

a.m. till 6 p.m. Donors are asked to sign up in advance at the

Student Center information desk, or in the student government office.

For information, call (714) 432-5730.

* JIM CARNETT is senior director of community relations at Orange

Coast College. He writes the biweekly On Campus at OCC Column. Reach

him at jcarnett@occ.cccd.edu or by calling (714) 432-5725.