Dicing for Dollars at the 10th Annual Culinary Competition No, students won't be throwing the dice, but they will be demonstrating their dicing and slicing, poaching and plating skills - among others - at the upcoming annual culinary competition slated for Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, at Johnson & Wales University in Norfolk. This is the tenth year that area students have competed for high-stakes scholarships to some of the country's most prestigious culinary arts programs. Twenty-six junior and senior high school students from area school divisions will demonstrate their skills before eight to ten professional chefs who will act as judges. Dressed in their chef's toques and white chef coats and aprons, they'll be preparing a wide variety of dishes, everything from poached chicken to tournéd vegetables to elegant French sauces, hoping to tempt the judges' palates and earn their praises - and, with luck, their votes to win the competition and earn valuable scholarships ranging from $500 to $40,000. The culinary cook-off competition is part of C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program), which was created and developed by former chef and businessman Richard Grausman twelve years ago. This year, C-CAP is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Hampton Roads schools. Scholarship award winners will be announced for this year's competition at a celebratory 10th Annual Awards Breakfast hosted by the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, located in Virginia Beach, on Monday, February 11, 2002, from 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. As part of the Careers in Culinary Arts Program, teachers and students receive training in the food service's industry standards and skills, which also coordinates with and enhances the work and family studies curriculum. In addition, the program provides a host of support services including academic and financial counseling, academic support, apprenticeships, summer workshops, and placement opportunities. Schools have benefited from the C-CAP funded teacher-training component, as well as from corporate donations of thousands of dollars worth of appliances and ingredients. In the past 10 years, C-CAP has awarded $1.5 million in scholarships to area students. For more information about the C-CAP "cook-off" or program, please call Work and Family Coordinator Linda Spruill in the Office of Technical and Career Education at 473-5671. ###