Queens, NY Teen Wins Local Culinary Competition at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale

Moves on for national win and full scholarship in The Best Teen Chef 2009

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, March 14, 2009, - Today, at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Bernazir De la Cruz, originally from the Dominican Republic and now a senior at Edward R. Murrow High School in Queens, NY, won first place and the gold medal at The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef 2009 Local Culinary Competition. Now, it's on to Charlotte, NC, where on Saturday, May 9, she will compete with 33 other high school seniors at the Best Teen Chef Final Round Competition for a chance of taking the Best Teen Chef 2009 title and a full-tuition scholarship.

In addition to the scholarship and the title, the first place winner in the national competition, in partnership with Food Network, will be an "Intern for a Day" at the Food Network Kitchens in New York City. The winner will also receive a tour of the Food Network Studios, dinner for two at a Food Network chef's restaurant and a library of Food Network Kitchens cookbooks.

The Art Institutes created the Best Teen Chef competition in 2000 to encourage and recognize young culinary talent.  According to Chef Jack Kane, "The interest in culinary arts among young people has literally soared in recent years."  Kane explains, "This is due to many factors, among them, working parents, the proliferation of cooking shows on television, and the desire to participate in family traditions."

The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale is one of The Art Institutes, a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale culinary arts program was established in 1992, training and educating students under the tutelage of culinary professionals to grow and flourish in today's food service industry. In 2005, the college's student-run restaurant The Chef's Palette won The American Culinary Federation Achievement of Excellence Award in the category of Culinary Program Full Service Restaurant Facility.