TCL and King Arthur Baking Company launch ‘Tastes Like Home’ student recipe contest

The Culinary Institute of the South at Technical College of the Lowcountry has partnered with King Arthur, America’s oldest baking company, to launch a recipe competition for area students.

The “Tastes Like Home Recipe Contest” is open to all 11th and 12th graders enrolled in Beaufort, Hampton, Jasper and Colleton county schools and to current students at the Culinary Institute of the South.

“We are thrilled to launch this exciting endeavor and work with the Culinary Institute of the South at TCL,” said King Arthur Baking Company CEO Karen Colberg.

As Colberg related, after representatives from King Arthur visited the institute earlier this year, the company decided to partner with the college on an initiative that would be both fun and educational for students.

“When we saw firsthand what the culinary institute was doing in South Carolina and in teaching the professionals of the future, we knew we wanted to collaborate,” she said.

Chef Francine Marz, Dean of the Culinary Institute of the South, mirrored Colberg’s excitement for the new contest.

“We have long since been admirers of the King Arthur brand,” said Marz. “We use their flour and kitchen tools in our classes and have always been impressed with their commitment not only to the quality of their products, but to educating cooks and bakers everywhere, so this was just a natural fit for us.”

Based in Norwich, Vermont, King Arthur was founded in 1790, making it the oldest baking company in the United States. Today, the employee-owned company offers premium baking mixes and flours, kitchen tools, bakeware and pans and a variety of online and in-person classes.

“It’s considered by many to be the country’s premier baking resource,” said Chef Jacqueline Orak, department head and pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of the South. In May, Orak attended a professional development workshop sponsored by the company at their headquarters in Vermont. While there, she was also able to spend time with one of its master bakers.

“It was rewarding and inspiring to work with them and see their mindset on how to work sustainably and give back to the community,” she said. “It is our hope now that this contest will inspire future bakers and chefs in much the same way.”

Lowcountry students interested in entering the contest have until Feb. 11 to enter via an online application. Contestants are required to use King Arthur’s high-quality unbleached all-purpose flour in their recipe and will be provided a voucher to purchase the flour for free, while supplies last.

Finalists will be notified in March and will compete in a live competition held at an open house on Saturday, April 6, at the Culinary Institute of the South, in Bluffton, to determine the top recipe in several categories.

Winners will receive a scholarship to the Culinary Institute of the South or a trip to King Arthur in Vermont.

For additional details including contest rules, guidelines and contest application, visit https://www.tcl.edu/tasteslikehome.

About TCL and the Culinary Institute of the South at Technical College of the Lowcountry
The Technical College of the Lowcountry is the region’s primary provider of higher education and workforce training. The public, two-year, multi-campus community college serves approximately 5,000 students annually. TCL has campuses in Beaufort, Bluffton and Hampton and serves Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties. For more information visit https://www.tcl.edu.

The Culinary Institute is a 30,000+ square-foot stand-alone campus featuring six academic classrooms, two teaching kitchens, a show kitchen, baking lab, lecture theater, teaching restaurant and a café. A FOODseum, an interactive museum which will tell the story of Southern food, is set to open on the campus in 2024. Students can choose from one of three program areas – Baking & Pastry, Culinary and Hospitality – and can elect to earn an associate degree or certificate in these areas. For more information visit https://www.tcl.edu/culinary-institute. 
 

About King Arthur Baking Company
King Arthur Baking Company has been sharing the joy of baking since 1790. Headquartered in Norwich, Vermont, a certified B Corp, 1% for the Planet member, and 100% employee-owned, King Arthur Baking is the ultimate baking resource, providing the highest quality ingredients for the most delicious baked goods, while inspiring connections and community through baking. King Arthur's superior flours and mixes are available in supermarkets nationwide. Visit KingArthurBaking.com for more specialty baking items, mixes, gluten-free products, recipes, guides, and more. Follow King Arthur Baking Company on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.