OCCI Students Make the 2016 Culinary Youth Team USA, Aug. 12

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) has selected two Oregon Coast Culinary Institute (OCCI) students to join the 2016 ACF Culinary Youth Team following the national convention in Kansas City last month. More than 1,000 chefs, cooks, students and foodservice professionals attended the 2014 ACF National Convention, hosted by the ACF. OCCI’s students, Megan Bamford and Trae Shriner, excelled in the rigorous competition. Megan scored a gold medal and Trae scored a silver medal; the second and third highest scores in the country. The OCCI duo will join the national culinary team as it represents the United States at the Expogast Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup, Nov. 22–26, 2014, in Luxembourg, Germany; and at the American Culinary Classic, July 30–Aug. 2, 2015, in Orlando, Fla. All the teams will be competing at the 2016 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) International Culinary Exhibition, also known as the “culinary Olympics,” in Erfurt, Germany. Earlier in the year, both Megan and Trae competed at the ACF Western Regional Conference in Oakland, CA. Megan, a former student who specialized in baking and pastry at OCCI, scored a silver medal. Trae, a current culinary student, earned a bronze medal. Their wins propelled them into the next phase of the tryouts at the Hot Food Competition at Nationals. Trae prepared and presented a cold platter. Megan, as a Pastry Chef, prepared plated desserts. The students worked for many months in preparation for the competitions.