Culinary Arts alum takes second place in Student Chef of the Year competition

2022 graduate recognized for professionalism, culinary skills and passion

Former Southern Westchester BOCES Culinary Arts student Aaron Anderson headed up to SUNY Erie Community College in Buffalo the first weekend in March to compete in the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Student Chef of the Year competition.

Aaron, a 2022 graduate from Pelham High School, is currently a culinary arts student at Monroe College. He also works as a line-cook at the Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, Connecticut.

“SWBOCES paved the way and helped to uncover his talent and passion for Culinary Arts. We developed his skills, and we exposed him to all the possibilities that were available to him,” said John Damiani, teacher of Culinary Arts. “I connected him with respected professionals in the industry where upon graduating, he accepted a position in one of Connecticut's top country clubs. There, with the proper guidance, his skills advanced to the next level, and he was able to achieve so much in such a short time. His BOCES experience will always remain a part of his success story.”

The ACF Student Chef of the Year recognizes a student who possesses a high degree of professionalism, culinary skills and passion for the Culinary Arts. Aaron was given one and a half hours to complete and present a dish for the judges. He needed to create four identical plates of a four-rib pork roast with the chine removed. Three plates were for tasting, and one was for show. He also needed to follow strict guidelines and was judged on a specific set of criteria, such as organization, cooking skills and culinary techniques, and taste. Aaron was awarded second place in the competition.

“Chef Damiani prepared me for where I'm today. I owe him a lot,” said Aaron as he looked back at his time in the Culinary Arts program at SWBOCES. “I felt confident with my skills heading into the competition because I had the support I needed to be successful.”

When asked what advice he would give to current Culinary Arts students at SWBOCES he said, “I would advise them to work hard, spend the money on school, and definitely get somereal-life experience.”