Sharing of Culinary Diversity, School Spirit “Reign Supreme” at 3rd Annual Iron Chef Competition

The third annual “Iron Chef” student cooking competition took place on Oct. 29 in the Palm Courtyard of the Loker Student Union (LSU) at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Four teams competed for the title with an hour and 15 minutes to prepare two dishes that included the “secret ingredient,” ostrich. Team Blend, made up of individual students who had never met before the competition, took first place, which included a professional chef’s coat donated by Republic Master Chefs and a $50 gift certificate from the University Bookstore.

Lakesha Harris, senior, business administration was one of the students who made up Team Blend. She said the spirit of collaboration was part of what propelled them to victory.

“It was great,” she said. “We all worked around our school schedules and came [together] in the evenings to meet. We’re all from different cultures and wanted to make sure that everybody was represented, so we came up with the team name, ‘Blend.’ Our dishes are also multicultural, touching on the different cultures represented here at Dominguez Hills.”

The winning entrees were a spicy African red stew and gorditas with avocado and strawberry dressing. Sherice Norris, a senior majoring in human services, was the source for the diversity of the recipes they used.

“I’ve been waiting 20 years for this opportunity to show my cooking expertise,” she said. “I’m an international cook. I cook Filipino, African, Belizean, Italian, French, Mexican, and soul food. After graduation, I want to start an international restaurant.”

Richard Chester, director, Campus Dining Services, said that the contestants were invited to train in the student union’s kitchen before the competition and work with the staff. He was impressed by their abilities.

“Most of these kids seem to be pretty savvy in the kitchen,” he said. “I don’t know if they’ve [cooked] at home, but they don’t seem to be afraid of it.”

Chester said that the teams were also evaluated on the level of school spirit and competition displayed. The competitors were asked to invite their own cheering sections, and guests filled out cards telling which team they were rooting for. Joy Masha, president of Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) formed “Team Hot Tamales” with fellow student government leaders, the first such team since Iron Chef was established.

“ASI came together and said, ‘Let’s do it, we can make it happen this year,’” said Masha, a senior majoring in human services. “We wanted to make sure we took the lead as student leaders and participate. We’re having fun and it’s a bonding moment for us.”

Toby Bushee, director, University Ceremonies and Events, played the part of “The Chairman,” presenting the secret ingredient to the teams and emceeing the event.

“I’ve got to say that the dishes the students are preparing are out of this world, a step above anything that I thought they would prepare,” said Bushee, who established the Iron Chef event on the CSU Dominguez Hills campus in 2007. “We have some quality stuff going on here, some quality dishes coming out. I wish I was a judge and I was going to get to taste them.”

Iron Chef III was judged by Greg Saks, vice president, University Advancement; Kim Clark, executive director, LSU; Ron Vogel, provost and vice president, Academic Affairs; Laura Robles, interim dean, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences; and Randy Zarn, associate vice president, Office of Student Life.

Clark said that she enjoyed being part of an event at the student union, where she is normally behind the scenes. She looked forward to Iron Chef becoming a campus tradition for years to come.

“These are the kind of events we built this building for, events that unite our students, bring their cultures together, and bring [the best] out of them,” she said.

Alison Bruesehoff, executive director, Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum, was in attendance to promote the upcoming centennial of the 1910 Air Meet, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of CSU Dominguez Hills in 2010. Bruesehoff described the shared histories of the Adobe and the Manuel Dominguez family after whom the university is named. She noted that ostrich was popular both on the table and in the fashion industry during the time of the first exhibition of flight in the United States, which took place on the Dominguez rancho lands near the Carson campus.

“What most people may not know is that the most popular item sold in December of 1909 and January of 1910 was actually ostrich,” she said. “Ostrich was used for the plumes on women’s hats and their scarves, and people actually ate ostrich burgers at the Air Meet.”

One spectator who enjoyed the students’ efforts at creating with the secret ingredient was junior Hector Del Pino, who was on the winning team at last year’s Iron Chef event. The digital arts major said that after the competition, he continued to experiment with cooking and hopes to someday produce his own cooking show on television.

“I’ve been doing a lot of Asian food and a lot of Cuban food too, that’s where I’m from,” he said. “I’m just cooking at home, experimenting with different flavors. I’m actually considering becoming a saucier on the side.”

“Team Blend” was made up of Lakesha Harris, Sherice Norris, Lauren Romero, and Alexander Jones. “Team Tasty Dish” took second place in the competition, with international students Suong Ly, Kim Nguyen, Lan Nguyen, and Luan Phan adapting ostrich to traditional Vietnamese dishes. “Team Hot Tamales” highlighted fresh and healthy produce in their presentation by Masha, Khaleah Bradshaw, Daphne Brooks, and Tashiana Bryant. Finally, “Team Feisty Phi Sigs” represented their sorority with tropical flavors created by Mayra Aguilera, Cheyenne Francis, Abby Hamdam, and Angelica Jimenez.

Clark and Carole Desgroppes, LSU program coordinator, will present “How to Implement an Iron Chef Competition on Campus” at the regional conference of the Association of College Unions International. Desgroppes says that they are hoping to establish a CSU-wide competition.

“Iron Chef III” was sponsored by Campus Dining Services, the LSU, Toro Productions, the University Bookstore, Follett Higher Education Group, Sysco Foods, Republic Master Chefs, and Anza Rentals.

- Joanie Harmon

"Team Blend" takes first place at the 3rd Annual Iron Chef. L-R: Sherice Norris, Lakesha Harris, Alexander Jones, and Lauren Romero

ASI's "Team Hot Tamales" meet the challenge of ostrich, the "secret ingredient." L-R: Joy Masha, ASI president, Khaleah K. Bradshaw, director of Legislative Affairs, and Daphne Brooks, vice president of Academic Affairs

The panel of judges dig in to the efforts of "Team Blend." L-R: Randy Zarn, associate vice president, Office of Student Life; Laura Robles, interim dean, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences; Ron Vogel, provost and vice president, Academic Affairs; and Kim Clark, executive director, LSU

Photos by Romel Edmond