The Wine & Food
Foundation of Texas Presents
The Sixth Annual
Stephan Pyles Scholarship Competition
Background and History
The Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship is one of the ways in
which The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas, a statewide charitable
organization fulfills its mission of education and research in
wine and food. The $15,000 scholarship is named for renowned
Texas chef and author, Stephan Pyles, who is recognized internationally
as one of the founding fathers of Southwestern cuisine. Now in
its sixth year, the scholarship is awarded to the winner of an
annual cook-off competition in which the three finalists must
create their own three-course meal using a pre-determined ‘basket’ of
Texas ingredients.
Rules governing the selection process are set and closely monitored
by the Foundation’s Scholarship Awards Committee.
The goal of the competition is to test the creative planning
ability, food knowledge, cooking expertise and presentation skills
of each participant. The cook-off is Chaired by Quincy Adams
Erickson, a Paris, Cordon-Bleu trained Chef and long-time Board
member of the Foundation. Judges are selected by the head of
the judges’ panel, Texas Monthly Senior Food Editor, Pat
Sharpe.
Cook-off Process
Information packets are sent to culinary schools throughout Texas
in mid-late October and should be posted throughout schools by
November 1st. Applications are accepted by the Foundation through
January 15th.
Applications are throroughly checked and all references to location,
gender or race are hidden. The applications are forwarded to
a screening committee who score and eventually select their top
ten choices.
The top ten candidates are then sent to Stephan Pyles, who selects
the final three for the competition. Students and their schools
are notified and the competition takes place in March. Again,
both students and judges’ identities are hidden from each
other. A three-person panel of independent judges then rates
the final competition and selects a winner.
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