After better than three hours of braising, baking and other cooking methods, Flint Hills Technical College alum Jessica Symmonds won the college’s The Cut cooking competition.
Symmonds sealed the victory with a cookie using ingredients like brownie, seaweed, tomato and Nerds candies. She was floored by the judges’ decision immediately afterward.
Former Culinary Arts department head Lance Nitihara was second. Nitihara was the lead chef from 2012-2015, and he’s excited for the future of the program.
Chef Chris Linebarger of Do-B’s finished third, while Radius Chef Justin Bays was fourth.
The event saw the celebrity chefs paired with student sous chefs:
*Symmonds was paired with Seth Browning
*Nitihara was teamed with Anthony Childers
*Linebarger was paired with Ava Kimmerly
*Bays was paired with Julia Zinke
The event has showcased the culinary arts and multimedia design programs, and college Foundation Director Mike Crouch says it has grown by leaps and bounds since it started.
The event was successful in another way as it raised $2,000 for the Wrangler Ranch food pantry beginning this semester. A pair of Evora Wheeler pies generated the funds.
Two hundred people attended. Amanda Hague of Union Street Social, Mike Phillips of Harry and Lloyd’s and two-time Cut winner Drew Bonnet were judges.
Photos by Anita Valdez and Chuck Samples/KVOE News
