University of Montana Chefs in the News...
University Dining Services
Press Release  Campus and Local
Contact: Elliot Westwater, Marketing Manager 406/243-6433

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2003

Tom Siegel Awarded ACF Bronze Medal
2003 NACUFS Region VIII Culinary Challenge
University Dining Services is proud to announce that UDS Executive Chef, Tom Siegel, CEC, was awarded a Bronze metal at the 2003 NACUFS Region VIII Culinary Challenge. Chef Siegel prepared a Tuscan-Inspired Beef Tenderloin Medallion laced with Portobello and Date Olivada, finished with Chianti Balsamico Jus Lie, accompanied by Cannellini Bean and Braised Greens Ragu in Zucchini Noodle Nest.

This Culinary competition is hosted by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) and sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). This years Region VIII challenge, held February 18th at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, provided a venue for outstanding college and university culinarians to showcase their talents, techniques, and regional food styles. Each contestant was given sixty minutes to produce four portions of a creative beef tenderloin entree, with up to two side dishes. Three certified executive chefs judged the competition based on the taste of the finished product, the chefs demonstrated cooking skills, knife-handling, culinary techniques, organization and sanitation principles.

Preparing for an event like this is not an easy task. Chef Siegel had to create an original dish, dissect its flavor profiles, research the history of its components, and repeatedly test the dish and make modifications. Tom fully prepared his dish over ten times, trying to simulate as closely as possible the conditions of the competition. Four of these practice sessions were even performed on the University of Montana campus with a live audience and mock judges.

The complexity of Chef Siegels dish was one that truly tested the parameters of the sixty minute timed competition. In practice I had developed some techniques to stay within the one hour time limit, but in the heat of competition, I ran over by 30 seconds, said Tom, You practice, and practice and practice, but you can never really simulate the conditions of a real competition. Everything moves a little faster. Unfortunately, in this strictly judged competition, running over the sixty-minute time limit resulted in a 1.5-point deduction and slipped Chef Siegel from a Silver medal to a Bronze medal.

Although everyone wants to win a gold medal, these competitions were created to help chefs and cooks to showcase and enhance their culinary talents. Tom Siegel agrees, "All the activities you do to prepare for an event... flavor profiles, history, testing, time trials& they all help to make me a better competitor and a better chef. That is the real goal."