Just Another Day in Paradise

By Natalie Hodous

“Just another day in paradise” was words echoing out of David Urams mouth every Sunday morning. Since October 2006 five loyal competitors came in ever Sunday morning at 6 am to be yelled at, hit and / or kicked by two old school chefs. Never the less the team loved every minute of it and with coffee in hand the team was always ready to go.
The team consisted of 3 Pennsylvania Culinary members and two of our own Art Institute students, myself as one of them, formed the 2007 American Culinary Federation Junior hot foods team for the Pittsburgh chapter. Tristan Haseler is a graduate of P.C.I and a currently working at the Omni William Penn hotel. Tristan was in charge of a standardized classical course. Natalie Hodous is a student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and is currently working at the Duquesne club. She was the team captain and also prepared the first course fish appetizer. Ashley Komara is also a student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and is currently working at the Marriott Hotel in downtown. Ashley was our pastry chef. Anthony smith is a student at the P.C.I. and working for Armark. Anthony was our alternate this year and we could have not competed with out him. David Uram was our fifth member that also attends P.C.I. and works at the Marriot Hotel in downtown. David was in charge of our second course which was a salad. Together we all came together and competed as one.
Together our team had no fear we relied on each other and each one of our personalities balanced us out when it came to the crunch time. On March 3, 2007 the team competed at the Rgional level in our backyard of Pittsburgh. During phase one the team stood in a line and the judges eyed you up and decided what can they not do. The finger of the reaper selects. You chicken, you fish, you pastry, you vegetables. My fellow team members waited our fait all afraid of getting our weakest skill. The guys lucked out getting the fabrication of chicken and fish while Ashley and I got our fears. The team huddled together as I the captain simply told them we got this we can do this. “David, Tristan, get the fabrication done as fast as you can we want to have cushion time for Ashley and I. Make sure you work clean and do what you can do. Hands in.” The team rallies together fist in and all yell “Shake and bake…shake and bake.” The anticipation and nervousness was welling up inside each person of every team. Each member going over and over in their heads of the routine they had practiced. All of a sudden you hear begin you have 80 minutes. Beep beep beep all of the alternate timers starting so they can keep track. Next thing you hear is one minute left. Our team got done within the last minute cleaned the station and got to relax for 2 hours till our next start time for the second phase. You could see the stress and the exhaustion crossing everyone’s faces after the first phase was done. For those who had to wait and those that got done early and had to stay to find the critiques.
Our team was the fifth team to go in our favorite kitchen within P.C.I. We had 30 minutes to set the kitchen we hulled in all our boxes and cart and unload and set up all our station. We realized “hey we have 10 minutes left.” Tristan starts grooving to the music stuck in his head. David and I start joking around and letting off all the tension while Ashley finished her set up. The other team sharing our kitchen stared at us like we were crazy. The team was all cool calm and relaxed. We knew what we needed to do and just left everything else go. Once again we gather around for one last talk. “Listen guys it’s like any Sunday practice. We are here to cook. Have fun and do our best. Check on everyone. Relax it’s just another day in paradise. Shake and bake.” The love wasn’t all there and suddenly we were in a huge group hug feeling the energy transfer from one another. Next thing the team was in our usual groove. Each checking and talking with each other. “Make sure u salt the greens David.” “Tristan saves some meat.” “Anthony please get me the fish from the cooler.” The second phase was going perfect we were all on time even ahead. Tristan and I were trying to think of a way to kill time because we were ahead. The judges came in and said 15 minutes left. By the time our alternate had we still had 20. So the alternate talked with the judges. We all imeadiatly changed our time to what the judges had. The judges asked us will the team be ok. I just said we will have to be. The team kicked it into high gear and started nailing out the menu. The team was stressing we lost 5 valuable minutes. The time sounded for our fifteen minute window to plate. I pulled my dishes out and began plating. The judges walked in once again and talk to the alternate. “You were correct you still have five minutes till your window.” The fish course was plated we all had to slow down but I knew my plates were going to be cold. Once our window opened again we finished the plating and second course followed. The team was back on our ball yet still startled by the time changes. Tristan and I began plating the third course it went smoother than any practice we had ever had. Our plate was done and sent out. Next thing that was up was pastries but they were not done yet. I moved towards Ashley’s tiny oven and I hear “Don’t even go near my oven. My plates are going out when I say they are ready. 30 seconds left and the soufflés were plated and all of us were walking into the judge’s room to lay them in front of the judges. The team then had to wait around for another three hours until we went in for our judges meeting. The problem with the judges meeting is they are very vague and you do not find out immediately what your results are. After the meeting and cleaning the team departed to nit pick and debate over what we really placed.
Sunday even the team was able to dress up and go to a President Ball. There the team would find out the results. We were ready to have a great evening. After our first course came out the first awards they were to give out were the junior hot foods. I remember saying I don’t want to know, I don’t want to know, not now it’s too early. They went from the 9th place up. Our team knew we would be top three not to be conceded but once it came to third we were all holding hands praying. 3rd place with a bronze medal Columbus. Sigh. 2nd place goes with a silver medal is … Pittsburgh. The team was excited yet still heart broken we had not won. New York won the competition. We went into the hall way with our coaches and we let loose Ashley began crying because she felt so bad. I was apologizing to the chefs because I felt as if I had failed them. The coaches pulled us in and said the team did our best. There is always next year. You all worked so close and as one you guys have been one of our best team. We all hugged stopped our tear and walked in strong. That evening everyone saw how Pittsburgh represented ourselves. We held our heads up high and danced the rest of the night away. And in July of 2007 the team will reunite to begin the 2008 tryouts. And once again the words “Just another day in paradise” will be echoing from David’s' mouth as we pull out our knives with a coffee close by.