Culinary students dish it out in QUEST for top contest prize

Seventeen-year-old Loren Worley packed rice pilaf O'Brien into a cup and paused.

The cup molded the rice into what would be a neat mound. But Loren couldn't figure out how she'd get the rice onto a plate.

"I can't do this," the Garrett Academy of Technology junior said, looking for help from her teammates, juniors Ashley Blake, Nathaniel Washington and Jerame Smalls, all age 17.

The Garrett Academy teens relied on teamwork while competing in the culinary contest at the 22nd annual QUEST Academic Competition on Saturday at Trident Technical College's North Charleston campus.

The team hustled in the kitchen, preparing pecan-encrusted chicken breasts with onion mushroom cream sauce, stuffed zucchini and rice pilaf O'Brien. They originally planned to make couscous instead of the rice, but they found out at the competition that they'd have to cook something else.

Loren knew what to do with couscous. Rice pilaf was a bit tricky.

"Let me help," Ashley said as she slightly lifted a plate so it'd be closer when Loren flipped over the cup of rice.

"Next time, try putting the plate on top and flip it," Nathaniel chimed in.

Jerame looked up from slicing the chicken and beamed at his teammates. "Oh my God, y'all look so good," he said.

"Whew!" Loren said, relieved when they finished with the rice.

The Garrett teens competed against teams from Stratford, Wando and Fort Dorchester high schools. Three judges sized up their dishes on appearance, craftsmanship and taste.

Chef Miles Huff, one of the judges and an instructor at Trident Tech's Culinary Institute, said the culinary contest was a great way to usher young people into what could be their future. "We really want them to love this business," he said.

About 1,200 students from throughout the tri-county area competed in several events during the QUEST competition, including team competitions in math, science and social studies and individual contests in public speaking and visual arts. The students accumulated points along the way for those core events, and the schools with the most points overall in each of the four levels, ranging from grades 6 to 12.

While the culinary contest has been around for a while, Trident Tech added a new competition this year in which students could show off their hospitality skills. Students played host to judges, and they set and waited on a table.

Pat Robertson, vice president of academic affairs at the college, said the QUEST competition is a fun way for students to seek academic enrichment and is a good way for Trident Tech to acknowledge students for excelling. "Hopefully, they will recognize the importance of continuing their education," she added.

Loren said she can't see herself becoming a chef, but she's thinking about getting her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. She also has a backup plan.

"I'm going to college. I'm going to get married, and I'm going to be a desperate housewife," she said.

Reach Tenisha Waldo at 937-5744 or twaldo@postandcourier.com.