Culinary Hot Food Team takes first step toward 2011 ACF national competition

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has again won the state championship in the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Hot Food Team competition, winning a silver medal in Charleston. The team will next compete in the southeast regionals in Atlanta in February. At that competition, the best teams from eight states gather to compete. The STC team earned a silver medal at the 2010 ACF National Competition, signifying Savannah Technical College as one of the top four culinary programs in the country.

This year’s team includes three returning members – Zebulon Berry, Alex Jabr and Kevin Jump. Joining for the first time is Marlon Simmons with Carol Lanser serving as alternate. The four-course menu featured:

Artichoke, White Asparagus, Carpaccio

Poached Flounder and Sauce Normande

Poulet Saute a al Catalane

White Chocolate Souffle

Chef Jean Vendeville is the team coach and Culinary Department Head at Savannah Technical College. He is an ACF Certified Executive Pastry Chef and member of the National Pastry Committee and La Chaine Des Rotisseurs. Chef Vendeville’s passion for the culinary arts has brought him to the realm of many competitive venues. He won the Grand Prix International du Chocolat in Paris, France, medals in pastry sugar and chocolate in Canada and the Grand Prize Winner in Toronto and London Culinary Shows. In addition, he served as the Pastry Chef for the Regional Canadian Team that won the 1998 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg.

Savannah Technical College currently has more than 100 students enrolled in culinary arts programs.

A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech) is the premier provider of career-ready technical education in Coastal Georgia, offering a comprehensive range of nearly 150 market-driven programs, preparing students for high-demand careers including Aviation Technology, Cybersecurity, Health Sciences, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Automation & Robotics, Information Technology, Culinary Arts, Public Services and more. With campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, Savannah Tech serves more than 13,000 credit and non-credit students with a variety of pathways to success, including dual enrollment programs for high school students and specialized support services for military veterans and their families. Beyond academics, Savannah Tech is an economic and community development partner, collaborating with industry leaders to provide customized training programs, assessment services, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Savannah Technical College complies with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The TCSG State Board prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any TCSG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except the preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law.