Coos Bay's Culinary Students Shine at International Culinary Olympics

Eight student chefs from Southwestern’s Oregon Coast Culinary Institute (OCCI) in Coos Bay, USA, participated in the IKA/Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany. They were part of the USA Junior National Team, led by Executive Chef Randy Torres. This was the first major competition for most of the students. The event featured teams from 55 nations and over 1,200 participants.

The USA National Team, which included professional chefs from across the country, won a Silver Medal. Chef Torres, who also participated in the event in 2008, expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance.

The USA Junior Team, all aged 25 or younger, won a Bronze Medal in the “Restaurant of Nations” competition and a Silver Medal in the “Junior Chef’s Table” competition.

OCCI hosted the practice sessions for both teams. This provided a valuable learning opportunity for the students, as they worked with professional chefs from around the country.

The team members were Elena Smith, Liam T. O’ Brien, Jesone Khantikone, Brooklyn Hansen, Oliver Cowan, Chef Randy Torres, Maxwell R. Smith, Maddison Valdez, and Paige Hoene. Congratulations to Chef Torres and the OCCI students for their achievements at the IKA/Culinary Olympics.

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