Many of the students who enroll in Drexel’s Culinary Arts program dream of competing with top-tier aspiring chefs for a chance at culinary stardom. On March 11, that dream is coming true for senior Emma Louth: she is headed to Napa Valley for the finals of the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition, a contest featuring the best students from America’s top culinary institutions.
Throughout the weekend, Louth’s skills will be tested as she whips up complex, delicious dishes for judges in three competitions. In the Mystery Basket Competition,contestants must think on their feet to prepare an entrée in two hours using only ingredients in a basket presented to them. The Signature Dish Competition is an opportunity for participants to shine, as they prepare their own recipes for guests at a reception. The Peoples’ Choice Competition allows guests to vote on their favorite signature dish. The winner of the competition receives $10,000 and a paid internship with one of the participating chef judges.
The star of Louth’s signature recipe, called “Smoke+Ocean+Prairie,” is a rare bison tenderloin nestled atop a fig reduction, and topped with smoked deep-fried oysters. The dish is completed with a crispy potato Napoleon and an arugula and pine nut salad.
Local food blog Messy & Picky sat down with Louth in Drexel’s Academic Bistro to dish about her budding career as a chef, the inspiration behind Smoke+Ocean+Prairie, the cuisine she most enjoys cooking, and her favorite spots to eat in Philadelphia.