A team from Kapiolani Community College has brought home a silver medal from the American Culinary Federation’s Western Region Student Team Championship held last week in Reno, Nev.

"Team Hawaii had been practicing for four months … and they were as close to perfect as is possible," said chef Grant Sato, who coached the students alongside chef David Brown. "Everyone was blown away by their performance."

The competition had three phases: garde manger (cold buffet), skills in basic cuts for vegetables and butchering chicken and fish, and producing a four-course meal.

Team Hawaii used local ingredients such as Kona abalone, Kona lobster, ehu and sea asparagus.

Team members are captain Cliff Manansala, Megan Carpenter, Trevor Jackson, Aya Hori and Scott Honjiyo. Team apprentice is Jennifer Homea.

The group competed against teams from Alaska, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Colo­rado and California. Team California won the gold medal.

EDUCATOR HONORED

Chef Frank Leake, a culinary arts professor at Kapiolani Community College, has won the American Culinary Federation’s Western Region Chef Educator of the Year award. He is among four finalists for the national title, to be awarded in July in Orlando, Fla.

Leake has been involved in planning the Culinary Institute of the Pacific and coached the 2009 ACF National Student Team champions.