The Official Chef Robert Irvine Blog

I wanted to let everyone know that I will be attending the Culinary Arts Expo, 2009, in Mays Landing, New Jersey, which takes place from June 15 to 19.

The Expo is put on by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program. I attending last year in Philadelphia to serve as a judge in their “Iron Chef” competition, a role which I will be reprising this year.

I love the back and forth and the fun that comes easily when take that takes place working with great kids who are both willing to learn and not afraid to fail, which is just as important.

Every chance I get to work with young chefs in training, I try to take, because I always end up learning as much as I end up teaching.

These kids aren’t rich, aren’t famous, but their love of food and passion for learning is easy to spot a mile away. Sixty-four aspiring young culinarians will be competing in sixteen teams representing 15 Job Corps centers and academies in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.

The winners are competing for the 'Iron Chef' title, professional culinary tools and serious bragging rights amongst their peers. During the competition rounds, each team will have three hours to prepare a meal of nine servings, create a decorative centerpiece and present to a panel of professional judges. Teams will be judged on food preparation and knowledge, taste, sanitation and overall presentation. After the judging, guests and professionals from the food service industry will observe and taste the food. Four teams will compete during the final round on Thursday, June 18 and the winning team will be announced Friday, June 19.

I was really impressed by the dedication, passion and levels of expertise of the students last year. They worked hard, showed imagination and skill, listened to and learned from criticism with courtesy and intelligence. In the end, as I’ve said before, we learn from those we cook with and those we cook for. The day you think you know it all, hang up your apron, because you’re toast. I hope that day never comes, for you or for me.

Kids who are willing to work this hard to make something of their futures deserve your good wishes and support.

The week-long event is taking place at Atlantic Cape Community College's (ACCC) main campus.

The Job Corps is the nation's largest and oldest federally-funded job training and education program for "at promise" youth ages 16 through 24. With 123 centers nationwide, the program trains and educates approximately 100,000 youth each year in more than 75 career areas, including the culinary arts. For more information, call 800-733-JOBS (5627) or visit http://www.jobcorps.dol.gov

Job Corps’ culinary students from nine states and the District of Columbia competing for 'Iron Chef' title at 2009 Culinary Arts Expo held at Atlantic Cape Community College near Atlantic City, N.J.

Students vie for bragging rights during 21st year of annual competition sponsored by Labor Department

MAYS LANDING, N.J. – Sixty-four aspiring chefs currently enrolled in the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Corps program are preparing to compete in the 2009 Culinary Arts Expo June 15 through 19. The week-long event is taking place at Atlantic Cape Community College's (ACCC) main campus at U.S. Route 322, 5100 Black Horse Pike in Mays Landing, N.J. Events generally begin at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

Sixteen teams representing 15 Job Corps centers and academies in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, New Jersey and the District of Columbia are competing for the 'Iron Chef' title and professional culinary tools.

The Wilmington, Del., Job Corps Center is the defending champion from the 2008 Expo held in Philadelphia.

During the first round of competition, each team will have three hours to prepare a meal of nine servings, create a decorative centerpiece and present to a panel of professional judges. Teams will be judged on food preparation and knowledge, taste, sanitation and overall presentation. After the judging, guests and professionals from the food service industry will observe and taste the food. Four teams will compete during the final round on Thursday, June 18 and the winning team will be announced Friday, June 19.

"The culinary arts expo is a great opportunity for our students to gain recognition for their extraordinary talents, expand their skills and market themselves to potential employers," said Lynn Intrepidi, Job Corps' regional director in Philadelphia. "Competitors will participate in workshops and receive valuable critiques and feedback from the industry’s finest."

Numerous well-known celebrity chefs will serve as guest judges and workshop presenters during this year's event, including Chefs Kelly McClay and Bruce Johns, dean and director respectively, of ACCC; Robert Irvine, host of the Food Network’s “Dinner Impossible”; Chef William Tillinghast, current president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Culinary Federation; Wilma Stephenson, culinary arts teacher from Frankford High School in northeast Philadelphia featured in recent independent film “Pressure Cooker”; and Chefs Jonathan Jernigan and Darius Peacock, the chef duo known as "Twice Baked" who competed on the Food Network’s "Chopped", that was won by Peacock. “Twice Baked” is based out of Trenton, N.J.

The Connecticut Culinary Institute and Clemens College will provide $50,000 in scholarships for all students participating in the Expo.

The Job Corps is the nation's largest and oldest federally-funded job training and education program for "at promise" youth ages 16 through 24. With 123 centers nationwide, the program trains and educates approximately 100,000 youth each year in more than 75 career areas, including the culinary arts. For more information, call 800-733-JOBS (5627) or visit http://www.jobcorps.dol.gov.