Ready, set, cook!

The sixth annual American Culinary Federation gathering, Jan. 11–13 at Skidmore, features "seminars, demonstrations, tastings, and networking," says Mark Miller, director of Skidmore's Dining Services. "It's important that our staff are actively learning and testing new recipes that can be incorporated into Skidmore’s menus." 

Capping the ACF event is an intensive cooking competition from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, at Murray-Aikins Dining Hall on campus. The public is welcome as spectators for any part of the day, and admission is free.

This year's contestants are dining staffers from the University of Connecticut, Swarthmore, Cornell, Williams, Tufts, the University at Albany, the University at Buffalo, Ithaca College, SUNY-Geneseo, SUNY-Cobleskill, and Skidmore, whose dining staff has won gold in the past three competitions and also earned such honors as a #2 rating (right behind the Culinary Institute of America!) from Niche.com.  

The contest requires each four-person team to prepare a gourmet four-course meal using the same ingredients supplied to all. Each team has one hour to develop its menu and four hours to prepare and plate the dishes. At 1 p.m. the judging panel, including two certified master chefs and four certified executive chefs, will evaluate originality, taste, and presentation and may add or deduct points for such criteria as timing, teamwork, and sanitation. Awards will be presented at 3 p.m.