It is a crisp, quiet Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. On campus, students are sleeping quietly in their dorms. But, just right across the street, the USC Hotel is buzzing with budding and seasoned chefs getting ready to demonstrate their latest culinary developments, with us there to capture it all. The main ballroom has been transformed into what looks like the set of CHOPPED: 8 kitchen stations lining an entire wall, cameras, a stage with a judges' table, rows of chairs for the audience, even an announcer. The USC Culinary Challenge of 2019 has begun.
Chef pairs from each USC and HSC dining hall and restaurant are put to the test to make their greatest dish utilizing two special ingredients: duck and eggs. Peep what the chefs dreamed up from the endless possibilities below! Though our insights may not be as professional as our fellow panelists, we thought we'd give you the rundown nonetheless.
McKay's - Jose Sironi & Mark Serpas
Roasted Cornish Hen, Brown Butter Spatzle, Cured Egg, Tomato Béarnaise, Crispy Leeks, and Bell Pepper
The Lab Gastropub - Ani Missaelian & Jane Ciau
Seafood Chawanmushi and Green Onion Tamogoyoki
HSC Marketplace - Alfredo Lozano & Ethel Sermeno
Roast Duck Breast with Julienne Vegetables, Spicy Duck Sauce, and Butternut Squash
Moreton Fig - Steffan Griggs & Kenny Gonzalez
Duck "Scotch" Egg with Root Vegetables, Sweet Potato, Chanterelles, and Golden Oyster Chasseur Sauce
The scotch egg was our personal favorite of the morning. The soft-boiled egg wrapped in lightly spiced sausage was deep fried to oozy perfection.
University Village - Daniel Parga & Justin Flores
Prosciutto-stuffed Ravioli with Panzanella and Egg Sauce
Everybody's Kitchen - Brandon Portis & Oscar Osuna
Pan-roasted Quail and Carbonara Risotto with a Soft-poached Egg, Pomegranate Gastrique, Parsnips, and Carrots
Parkside - Janet Castillo & Margarita Gervacio
Ropa Vieja topped with a Poached Duck Egg and Pan-seared Tomatillo
Little Galen - Elisabeth Figueroa & Edgar Panameno
Tlacoyo and Green Chorizo ala Poché with Esquite Egg and Corn Soup
Everybody's Kitchen - Marcos Sanchez
Duck Roulade with Port and Fig Reduction, Root Vegetable Batonnet, and Roasted Potato Tourne
The Ted Allen of the USC Culinary Challenge
Chef Eric Ernst (pictured on the right) is the head chef for USC Hospitality and the man in charge of organizing the event. The day before the Culinary Challenge, while in the midst of transforming ballroom, we met up with him to learn more about his background and the challenge. Eric is extremely well-versed in the food scene, having worked for *name drop* Katsuya and *name drop* Wolfgang Puck, in addition to others, so we are #blessed to have him in charge of food at USC. He's committed to creating a culture of hard work and accountability. Skills can be taught, but community selflessness and willingness to work for one's own merit can't.
Beyond training on campus chefs, creating a developmental curriculum, and overseeing all restaurants and dining halls, Eric began the tradition of the USC Culinary Challenge. Through the challenge, he has given his chefs a chance to show off their new skills from trainings and encouragement to keep developing on their own.
According to Eric, the competition is an incredible learning experience for the chefs because it forces them to think outside the box in a constrained amount of time. From meal preparation all the way to plating, each decision must be strategically thought out.
Another valuable aspect of the challenge is that it provides the chefs with an unbiased and standardized assessment on the caliber of their meals. Spoiler alert - the caliber is pretty high! Lucky for us, though, we got to join the judges and partake in the feast.
The Judges Panel
The judges for the event come from the Culinary Institute of America and other prestigious universities across the country. All having at least one of these titles behind their name: CEC, CCA, AAC, CCE, with one being a Certified Master Chef (CMC) and one of only 72 in the country. Eric has brought them to our campus for their honest critiques from decades-worth of experience. They also happen to be great friends of Eric's and each other, which made the dynamics much more enjoyable to be apart of.
There were certainly some outstanding favorites, but we would be lying if we didn't say that each chef truly did an incredible job. The challenge was such a fabulous experience and not just because we enjoyed the most decadent breakfast we've had in weeks. Observing the chefs up close and in their element was eye opening to the tremendous hard work, talent and teamwork that exists within our campus kitchens.
The competition really gave us incite on how much these chefs care about their work. Their commitment to developing into better chefs shows that they think of this as more career than a job. We know we've gained a new appreciation for the USC hospitality staff, and we hope that you now feel the same. So next time you're enjoying your morning dining hall omelet, don't forget to thank the hands that made it.