BYU Dining Services

On Sunday evening, I attended an opening sessions of the regional NACUFS Conference (National Association of Colleges and Universities Food Services). They had Mike Schlappi come and speak as the motivational speaker. He is a para-Olympic gold medalist in basketball. He is paralyzed from the waist down because when he was about 14, one of his friends accidentally shot him in the chest. The event was held in the Provo Marriott Hotel. The speaker was great! The food..... not so good. The mashed potatoes tasted and looked like a clump of wallpaper paste. So it was with great interest that I tasted the buffet lunch the BYU chefs put on today at the Garden Court in the WSC. While we ate, we watched the culinary challenge with 5 chefs from different parts of the country. BYU's Cannon Center chef, Joseph Costellano, competed for the first time in his life. We won't know the results of the competition until tomorrow morning. I will say this -- I am really proud to be part of BYU Dining Services. The quality of the food today was unbelievable. Tomorrow night the BYU chefs put on a huge, spectacular meal for everyone and then we get to have a performance by Vocal Point. I am truly looking forward to the night. I have seen the menu (I can't pronounce half the words), I have purchased a lot of specialty foods for this dinner and now I get to eat it!!

Here are some pictures of the competition. It was fun and educational to watch the event.

 Some of the BYU chefs watching the party.  Adam should recognize Mindy Johnson (2nd from the right).

 I chose this picture for Mike. This cheese all came from a local cheese maker in Woodland, Utah. I focused on the Rosemary Mint because it was probably one of the best cheeses I've ever tasted.

 Avocados and heirloom tomatoes waiting to be put on a sandwich.

 All this went on the sandwich, too. So delicious!

 Fruit that went on a salad with a breaded goat cheese square. Yum......

 Here is Joe, the BYU chef, just getting started. They all had to use live lobsters.

 Love that flame I caught. :)

 The competing chefs had to draw numbers and Joe got the last one so he was the last to finish. They staggered them so the judges could see everything they were doing.

 No pressure, here, Joe. Just all the chefs (BYU) watching you finish.

 Finished products.

 Judges tasting the food.

And here is Joe's fnished plate. It was by far the most beautifully presented. I don't know the outcome, but I sure was proud of him and all the BYU chefs today. It has been a nice break from the routine, stressful days.