Cape Tech Takes Top Honors At Cookoff with Crab Cake Sandwich
Cape May County Technical School’s culinary arts students are “shell-ebrating” after earning several awards at the recent 12th annual New Jersey Association of Counties Cookoff.
The 2025 conference will be held at Caesars Atlantic City on Friday, May 9.
The students’ shrimp and crab cake sandwich with beet ketchup, a Cape May classic, won gold for the People’s Choice category and a $1,250 scholarship for Cape Tech’s culinary arts program.
Cape Tech Medals At Cookoff
Cape Tech paired their sandwich with a “Beach Plum” ice cream and Jersey strawberry fudge. The winning combination took home several medals.
- A Gold Professional Chefs Award for Food presentation
- A Silver Professional Chefs Award for Taste
- A Silver NJAC Judges Award for Station Display Presentation
- A Bronze NJAC Judges Award for Taste
“I am so proud of the students for their achievements at the cookoff, but also for the dedication, creativity, and work ethic they displayed,” said Cape Tech’s culinary arts instructor, Chef Stephen Serano.
“This event was a wonderful, hands-on learning experience that provided them with valuable insight into a culinary arts career.”
Tough Competition at Cookoff
The Cape Tech culinary students competed against 12 New Jersey vocational schools.
They were critiqued by renowned judges such as culinary titan Chef David Burke, Man vs. Food star Casey Webb, and celebrity Chef Alexandra Donnadio.
Guests at the event also had a chance to taste the mouth-watering menu and cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award.
“Congratulations to the culinary arts students on their magnificent and deserving achievements at the NJAC Cookoff,” said Cape Tech’s Superintendent Jaime Moscony. “Our students impress me every day with their talent and skills, and now they have dazzled experts in their field, too.”
Each culinary team participating in the event consisted of 5-6 students and 2 school staff members. The teams had a budget of less than $700 to create 300 samples of their menu items.
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