For the second consecutive year, Kendall College School of Culinary Arts students took home gold medals as winners of the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) National Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl. The students beat finalist teams from Colorado, Georgia and Pennsylvania at the event, which was held today during the 2011 ACF National Convention at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas. The Kendall College team, representing ACF’s Central Region and consisting of Gabriele Ausraite, Robert Baki, Jacob Clara, Paige Rogers and Jacqueline Wallner (captain), competed against teams representing foodservice-training programs at schools in ACF’s Northeastern, Southeastern and Western Regions.

“We are extremely proud of our students who excelled admirably in ACF’s national Knowledge Bowl for a second year in a row,” says Renee Zonka, RD, CEC, CHE, MBA, dean of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, who was on hand in Dallas to cheer Kendall students along with team coach and Kendall chef-instructor Dina Altieri, CEC, CCE. “They worked hard for months following their win at ACF’s Central Regional Conference in New Orleans in April, and their dedication and commitment to studying and practicing paid off. This is a win for everyone at Kendall.”

The Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl—which celebrates its 20th year in 2011—tests the acumen of culinary-arts students via a “Jeopardy”-style subjects grid that includes challenging culinary, baking, nutrition, sanitation and math questions as well as sensory perception. The competition is named after the late Chef Baron H. Galand, CEC, who served as national president of ACF from 1983 to 1987. First held at the ACF’s 1992 National Convention in Washington, D.C., today the four geographic regions of ACF hold the competition at their respective conferences in winter and spring to qualify teams to compete for the national title at the ACF's convention in summer.