PITTSBURGH, April 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This spring, high school seniors with a love and passion for food will bring heart, soul, and considerable culinary skills to compete for the title of 2011 Best Teen Chef at The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes across North America.  

The Best Teen Chef Local Cook-off Competitions will be judged by professional chefs and culinary faculty to determine each Art Institutes school's Best Teen Chef, who will earn a $5,000 scholarship toward a culinary degree program at The Art Institutes school at which they compete.  

The competitors will each prepare a two-course meal from recipes distributed in advance by The Art Institutes. The meal consists of a shrimp cocktail, sauteed breast of chicken with creative garnish, rice pilaf, and broccoli saute. The budding chefs will be judged on technical skills including knife skills, safety, sanitation, organization, cooking techniques, and clean-up, and specific qualities of the finished dishes – temperature, taste, texture, portion size, and presentation.

The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef Competition, now in its twelfth year, is an opportunity for high school seniors across North America interested in pursuing a culinary career to experience the excitement and discipline of the industry.  

"The level of enthusiasm, passion, and creativity that we've seen from the students who compete in The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef competition underscores the important role that the culinary arts play not only in the students' lives, but in the lives of their family and friends – and the community. We are delighted to be able to develop that raw talent through our role as culinary educators," says Chef Michael Nenes, assistant vice president of culinary arts, The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes.  

For more information on The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef Competition 2011, visit http://www.artinstitutes.edu/pr.aspx?ID=AI2127.  

About The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes

The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes is North America's largest system of culinary programs offered at over 30 Art Institutes schools.

Based on classical Escoffier, Asian and Latin culinary techniques, with an emphasis on progressive trends and practices, the schools' curriculum are designed to develop and sharpen fundamental cooking techniques and professional skills and introduce a variety of international cuisines. Internships, student-run school restaurants, guest lectures and Web-based seminars, and study abroad programs help broaden the scope of learning for students.

Program offerings vary at each school. Prospective students should check the course offerings at The Art Institutes school they are interested in attending before enrolling. To learn more about The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/culinary.  

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu) is a system of more than 45 education institutions located throughout North America. The Art Institutes system is America's Leader in Creative Education providing an important source for design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. Several institutions included in The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University.

SOURCE The Art Institutes