Sizzling Talent on Display

Twelve teams of teen-age chefs labored over hot stoves at El Camino College on Saturday in the Fourth Annual Young Chef’s of Los Angeles Contest, an event organized by two South Bay restaurateurs to encourage youths to become professional cooks.

The students, all juniors and seniors from local high schools, were asked to prepare a three-course meal including a soup, a main dish using sliced turkey breast and a strawberry-based dessert. Among the judges were restaurant critic Paul Wallach and event sponsors Michael Franks and Robert Bell, who own four South Bay restaurants.

First-place winners Mitch Poncel, 16, Misty Winstead, 18, and Karl Ziegler, 18, all of West Torrance High, each won $500 scholarships and a set of professional chef’s knives. Their winning entree was turkey breast, wild rice and red bell peppers in filo dough, with a white wine sauce. They also served ginger carrot soup and, for dessert, a meringue torte with fresh fruit and Romanoff cream.

“It was absolutely scrumptious, and the presentation was just great,” said Bettylu Kessler, who coordinates the culinary program at El Camino College and served as a judge.

Second-place team members each won $400 scholarships; third-place team members, $300.