by Emily Mosier
Troy University professors served up some saucy competition Tuesday at the fourth annual ‘‘Cook Your Way: Professor Edition” – a mystery ingredient cooking contest held by Troy Dining.
The teams had two hours to prepare a main course and either an appetizer or dessert that incorporated cold brew coffee (provided by Fuse Coffee) and three types of vegan cheese.
The team names were just as cheesy as the ingredients: the Sorrell College marketing department (Main Course), the Hall School of Journalism and Communication (Chop-olitan), the counseling and psychology department (Psy-cou Chefs) and International Programs (International Flayva) all went head-to-head to win bragging rights and an engraved cutting board.
Not only did International Flayva win fan favorite, voted on by students, but the team won first place in the cooking competition for the second year in a row. The team’s dishes included stir fry and Asian dumplings.
“We learned a lot from last year, so we started strategizing as soon as they announced the contest,” said Sharron Becton, the International Sites director. “We're a very close-knit department. We're very close-knit . . . so we’re really grateful that they voted for us.
“We all work together as a team in our daily jobs, and today we really did too.”
Main Course won a close second, and Chop-olitan came in third.
The competition was judged by the contest’s sponsors: Ben Kay (head chef and the owner of Bayou La Roux food truck), Nikki Miller (Fuse Coffee co-owner) and Kelly Grenon (owner of Walnut Cookie Co).
“The whole point is to enjoy food in a community, so if we can achieve that, then I think today is a success,” Kay said. “This is fabulous because I spent a lot of time participating in competitions like this . . . so to be on this side is really an enjoyable experience for me.”
Students were able to share in the winning, earning prizes in a raffle and from answering random food trivia questions. Many of the prizes came from the sponsors, including a $15 gift card and shirt from Walnut Cookie Co, a $25 gift card for Bayou La Roux, and a $20 Fuse Coffee pack.
The emcee of Cook Your Way, Paige Ray, Troy University’s TV production coordinator, said she hopes the teams walk away with a new dish they can incorporate into their personal kitchens, but most importantly, she hopes they have fun.
“It is hectic, but exciting, and there's a lot of fun going on,” Ray said. “Don't get me wrong, the competition is real.
“These professors want to win really badly, but it's all in good fun.”
The Chop-olitan team, named after the Tropolitan Newspaper, made a fusion inspired masala taco and a molten chocolate coffee cake.
“The scariest part is when they were saying one minute, 30 seconds, and we were running out of time,” said Tropolitan adviser Stefanie East, a lecturer in the Hall School of Journalism and Communication. “We were getting really stressed, but we knew what we were doing and . . . we're really proud of the food that we came up with.
“It's just so much fun to have all of the different departments come together in a friendly competition.”
Comentários