EL MONTE – Students from Mountain View and Arroyo High School were awarded top prizes in the annual Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Los Angeles – College Scholarship Cooking Competition at Mission Tech College in Long Beach this spring, concluding their studies in El Monte Union’s career technical education program on a high note.

Arroyo High School senior Carolina Bon was awarded a $34,775 scholarship to the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), which has campuses in both Los Angeles and New York City. She was also offered a team member position from the executive chef at the Jonathan Resort Beach Club, located in Santa Monica.

Mountain View High School senior Denise Heredia won a $33,389 scholarship to the Baking and Pastry program at ICE. Both scholarships provide the students with full-rides to the acclaimed institution.

The C-CAP competition brought together 32 students from schools across Los Angeles County to showcase their skills through challenges that ranged from preparing a variety of specific dishes to presentation skills and following safety and sanitation practices. Outstanding students received awards and scholarships to some of the nation’s top culinary schools during an award breakfast ceremony in April at the Jonathan Club in LA.

“My instructor Ms. Wobrock inspired me to pursue my goals and encouraged me to participate in this competition,” Bon said. “It feels surreal knowing my hard work and dedication has been recognized, and I don’t think the magnitude of this award will fully hit me until I step foot on the ICE campus.”

Bon is currently taking an advanced food science course at Arroyo High, where her Food Science instructor, Genevieve Wobrock, focuses on building hands-on kitchen experience and presenting students with weekly cooking lessons that prepare them for culinary careers.

Heredia said she worked hard to prepare for the competition, and received support from her teacher, Chef Teresa Wong, who helped Heredia hone her passion for cooking and gain confidence in the kitchen. Heredia said that winning the scholarship felt like a crowning achievement after her years in Mountain View’s Food Science and Hospitality program.

“It was such a great experience.” Heredia said. “Not only did I meet a lot of new people, but I got to do something I love, which is make food, plate it beautifully, and have people enjoy my cooking.”

Heredia looks forward to attending the culinary institute and continuing to develop her skills, in hopes of attending a four-year college and receiving a degree in business so that she may someday open her own bakery and a small restaurant.

In addition to El Monte Union seniors taking these top prizes, Arroyo High School junior Galilea Orozco won top Junior in her group and was awarded a $400 scholarship to attend the summer boot camp at the Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College.

“We are extremely proud of the successes our young scholars were able to achieve in the Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation industry sector and this recent cooking competition,” Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “I want to thank the C-CAP Program and our amazing El Monte Union culinary instructors for ensuring our students receive all the right tools and knowledge to hone their cooking talents and techniques to be successful in their future careers.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

EMUHSD_CCAP COMPETITION_1: Scholarship winner Denise Heredia (left), a Mountain View High School senior, receives her full-ride scholarship for the Baking and Pastry Program at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) at the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Los Angeles – College Scholarship Cooking Competition at Mission Tech College in Long Beach this spring with her mom Claudia Sanchez (right).

EMUHSD_CCAP COMPETITION_2: Scholarship winner Carolina Bon (right), an Arroyo High School senior, receives her full-ride scholarship to the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) at the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Los Angeles – College Scholarship Cooking Competition at Mission Tech College in Long Beach this spring with Food Science instructor Genevieve Wobrock (left).