A contest to crown L.A.’s best community college culinary program

As a graduate of Orange Coast College, I’m honored to speak to community college students whenever I can. That’s why I was more than happy to accept an invitation months ago to be a judge at something called the Culinary Cup, which happened Friday at Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar.

I figured I’d taste a couple of dishes, say some inspirational words, and that would be that.

Oh, how wonderfully wrong I was.

The Culinary Cup is a tournament between Mission College, L.A. Trade-Tech College, and L.A. Harbor College going on five years. Hundreds of people streamed into Mission College’s huge Culinary Arts Institute building to cheer on the dozens of students ready to face off in three categories centered around Caribbean cuisine: savory, pastry and tablescaping — the art of setting a table that’s as exacting as it sounds.

I was assigned to tablescaping along with Greg Martayan, representing the Valley Economic Alliance. We were asked to judge as meticulously as possible, down to inspecting glasses to make sure there were no water spots and looking for any stray wrinkle on a folded napkin.

“Looks like it’s going to be a 15,000-calorie day!” Martayan joked as we pregamed on Bananas Foster French toast and strawberry tarts.

The competition itself was less “Top Chef” and more of an open house. Guests peered into industrial kitchens to see students prepare their dishes, or sat in on demos ranging from how to make Belizean stewed chicken over coconut rice to an ice sculpture presentation by Trade-Tech professor Martin Gilligan. The president of each college strolled around in chef’s jackets. Other Mission College departments also participated: The school’s choir sang calypso and reggae standards while wearing tie-dyed shirts, and photography students staged dishes to take photos worthy of Serious Eats.

Instructors stood by to cheer and mentor participants. One of them was Diamond Bar Golf Course executive chef Fionna España, who was in charge of the tablescaping competition.

“It’s humbling, but it makes [students] say, ‘I need to do better,’” she replied when I asked what was the value in having students compete against each other. “It’s a good thing because in the world, judging is happening constantly.”

Success stories were everywhere. One of them was 53-year-old Sam Arenas, who played baseball for Mission College 30 years ago before embarking on a successful career in car sales. He recently retired to reenroll at Mission College and pursue his true passion: food. He wants to open a restaurant based on his grandmother’s recipes.

“This is a great way to be under pressure but still have fun,” Arenas told me over shouts of “Behind!” and “Corner!” He was finishing up a Jamaican beef patty with colors that represented the country’s flag: a crust tinted black from activated charcoal, spinach sauce and a mango chutney. “To be able to start over in my career is just a blessing. But an even better blessing would be if our team wins!”

Upstairs, Linden Grabowski was making nonalcoholic cocktails in the VIP reception — I especially liked her ginger-spiked Jamaican punch. Last year, the Santa Clarita resident was part of Mission College’s tablescaping team. She’s going to transfer to a four-year university after finishing degrees in culinary arts, restaurant management and professional baking. “If you were to have told me two years ago I’d be at this point, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Grabowski said.

Political heavyweights showed up, like San Fernando Mayor Mary Mendoza, L.A. Community College District trustees David Vela and Kelsey Iino, and even longtime Congressman Tony Cárdenas, who retired last year. I caught him in line waiting for jerk chicken, picanha and lobster.

I asked if he had ever been invited to judge. Cárdenas immediately shook his head no.

“You have a bunch of competitors and just one winner. You don’t need a bunch of people mad at you.”

The competition ended with a delicious buffet lunch attended by 500 people. I unfortunately had to leave before the winners were announced, so didn’t have the chance to congratulate Mission College, which swept all the categories and thus won the Golden Chef’s Hat Trophy. Harbor College will host next year — see you there!

Today’s top stories

A portion of Palm Canyon Drive is blocked off after an explosion at a fertility clinic that killed one person.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

A clinic bombing leaves Palm Springs reeling

• The suspect in the bombing of a Palm Springs fertility clinic that injured four people was tentatively identified Sunday by the FBI as Guy Edward Bartkus, 25.
• Bartkus appears to have been killed in the Saturday morning explosion at American Reproductive Centers, according to FBI officials who are investigating the incident as an “act of intentional terrorism.”
• The FBI also confirmed it was reviewing a manifesto and other content to determine whether they were the work of Bartkus.

Newsom’s final stretch as governor may be a bumpy ride

• Newsom hopes to end his time as governor in an air of accomplishment and acclaim, which would elevate his political legacy and prospects in a potential presidential run.
• But the Democrats running to replace him have a much different agenda.

What El Salvador’s Bukele, a hero for the American right, isn’t showing the world

• Nayib Bukele has been largely successful in rebranding El Salvador from a poor backwater plagued by murderous gangs into an innovative and safe nation that he compares to Singapore.
• But his critics say he’s just following the playbook of previous Latin American strongmen, including the military leaders who ruled El Salvador as a dictatorship from 1931 until the early 1980s.

What else is going on

• Former President Biden has been diagnosed with an ‘aggressive’ form of prostate cancer.
• A heat wave is coming to Southern California, with triple-digit temps in the San Fernando Valley.
• As L.A. rebuilds from the Palisades fire, residents ask: What’s the plan?
• With its climate progress under assault, California takes up a multipronged defense.
• Edison’s safety record declined last year. Executive bonuses rose anyway.
• ‘We all need hope’: Altadena community park reopens four months after fires.
• President Trump said “we have to help” the Palestinians, but there was little progress on ending the Hamas-Israel war in the Gaza Strip.
• She brought ‘teeth’ as a juvenile hall watchdog — but claims the state defanged her.
• Bruce Springsteen speaks out on Trump again: ‘They’re persecuting people for their right to free speech.’

Commentary and opinions

• For Kamala Harris, it’s not just whether to run for California governor. It’s why, argues columnist Mark Z. Barabak.
• The Lakers should draft a big man who’s also a grown-up, argues columnist LZ Granderson.
• America was gaslit by the arrogance of Joe Biden and his enablers, columnist Robin Abcarian writes.
• Mole is place, family, memory and self for Mexicans and Americans. In these perilous times, it deserves to be celebrated, argues guest columnist Natalia Molina.

This morning’s must reads

California

In a state with a dire affordable housing shortage, does the Coachella Valley offer hope?

A decade ago, the posh resort communities of the Coachella Valley produced 38 units of affordable housing a year. Today, thousands of affordable units are planned or under construction in all nine desert cities. So what’s going right?

May 19, 2025

Other must reads

• With Barbra Streisand and Oprah as clients, this gardener has a simple goal: perfection.
• At this year’s Cannes film festival, bleak is the new black and miserable endings are très chic.

For your downtime

The Water Lantern Festival takes place across the country. In SoCal, it’s happening at Lake Gregory in Crestline and Elm Grove Beach in Lake Elsinore.

Going out

• Festivals: We’ve reached peak lantern festival mania. Experience these magical ones around SoCal.
• Restaurants: After a health department shutdown, celebrity-owned AC Barbeque restaurant reopens in Century City.
• Theme Parks: It’s Universal vs. Disney in an epic ‘prize fight’ for theme park dominance in Florida.

Staying in

• Television: Scarlett Johansson pilots a smooth takeoff, and rough landing in the ‘SNL’ Season 50 finale.
• Recipes: Here’s a recipe for gochujang glazed grilled chicken.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

A question for you: What is your go-to karaoke song?

Andrea says, “Ripple by Grateful Dead.”
Pamela says, “Dancing Queen by Abba.”

Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally ... your photo of the day

A photo of Big Bear’s Bald Eagle hatchlings.

(Friends of Big Bear Valley)

Today’s great photo is from Friends of Big Bear Valley at the nest of two eaglets, Sunny and Gizmo, who are expected to fly for the first time soon.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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