A table decorated with seasonings, flour, oil, and eggs. Secret ingredients of squash, spam, quinoa. No, it's not a warped Thanksgiving dinner; it's the UPC Culinary cookoff.
Some of Auburn's student chefs made their way from their personal ovens to the culinary kitchen of Spidle Hall to display their love and skill for the craft of cooking at UPC's Culinary Cookoff on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
The competition consisted of three rounds: the appetizer, entree and dessert round- each a time limit of 30 minutes, 45 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively.
Soon after the timer began ticking, aromas of sauteed onions, herbs and spices and prosciutto wove themselves together in the kitchen.
Brandon Ponder, executive chef on campus and one of the judges, strolled around the room to peer at the dishes the teams were preparing.
Ponder said he looks for plate presentation, taste and creativity. When asked to judge the contest, he said he was thrilled, especially when it means supporting aspiring chefs.
"You really have to have a passion for it. If you love cooking, then it's right up your plate," Ponder said. "Go for it."
Five teams competed at the Culinary Cookoff, each consisting of two or more students. Brenna Seymour, senior in music performance and public relations, was amongst the competitors in her team of two.
When Seymour heard about the UPC event, she said its seeming reflection of the TV show "Chopped" really drove her to participate.
Seymour also said she has a passion for cooking that started when she came to Auburn. Cooking seemed to give her a sense of home.
"I realized that food is such a strong connection that connects you to memories," Seymour said. "And I think that's why I fell in love with it."
Seymour and her partner Crenshaw Kilgore won the grand prize of $100 after the competition simmered to a close.
Victoria Richardson, sophomore in software engineering and administrative vice president for UPC, explained how she sees the passion behind the competitors in the event, and how UPC tries to give students the opportunity to express themselves.
"It's always interesting," Richardson said. "We get to allow the students a place to showcase their creativity in the kitchen."
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