Meet the CIV Perfect Pairing Guest Judge: Kayla Davis

Meet the CIV Perfect Pairing Guest Judge: Kayla Davis

Local homemaker Kayla Davis adores cooking shows. So when she saw a chance to be a part of the Culinary Institute of Virginia’s Perfect Pairing competition, she jumped at it. Kayla wrote her entry about her favorite celebrity chef, Tom Colicchio from Top Chef, and why he was her favorite culinary judge.

Remarking on his tough but fair style, it was only a few days later when she found out that her entry had won! Kayla was going to be the guest judge at CIV’s Perfect Pairing competition.

Inspired by her favorite cooking TV shows, she stated, “I figured since I'm not a professional cook, I could give judging a shot! And I'm so glad I did.” As for what she was expecting from the competition Kayla related, “I just tried to go in there with an opened mind because I had no idea what the ingredients were until they opened the mystery baskets.” She adds that she was confident in the professionalism and skills of the chefs and students, so she knew the competition would be fun and interesting.

The mystery baskets, a key part of the competition, contained some unusual ingredients. From butter popcorn to lime Jell-O to the durian fruit, also known as the world’s smelliest fruit, the bar had been set for creativity and ingenuity. Kayla was excited to see what the competitors would come up with. “I don't eat very outrageous foods, so it was my first time eating most of the ingredients!” She said.

“I couldn't believe what the chefs could come up with though. Who would have thought I would be going back for seconds on coffee-encrusted fish paired with a sauce made out of durian sauce? But it was delicious.”

During her time at the Perfect Pairing competition she had a chance to meet her fellow judges, most of whom where professional chefs. Although she was a little nervous about meeting these seasoned professionals, she remarked later, “They all were very nice and friendly. I enjoyed meeting all of them. “

Kayla’s favorite part of the competition was definitely the food. She shared, “I've never really eaten anything that ‘gourmet’ I guess I would say. The fanciest restaurant I've been to is Outback so having such fancy plating was an experience of its own.”

For the students who worked so hard to provide their finest dishes, she has only compliments and encouragement, “Keep doing what you're doing! Every single plate was delicious in its own way. Thank you for such an awesome experience.”

Do you long to be in a professional kitchen, cooking up amazing food? If you’re considering an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts degree path, contact ECPI University today to discuss your options. With year-round classes and an accelerated classes, you could earn your culinary arts degree in as little as 15 months.

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