Triumphant SUNY Delhi culinary team gets hero's welcome

The five SUNY Delhi students who make up the school's culinary team were feted on the school's campus yesterday after winning a national championship at the American Culinary Federation's annual convention last week. The video above, featuring SUNY Delhi President Candace Vancko, is one of several of the celebrations, more of which you can see on the aptly-named SUNY Delhi Rocks YouTube channel.

Here's the team's winning menu, according to a press release from the college:

First Course – Northeast Region Seafood Appetizer: Seared Diver Scallop with Lobster Terrine and Corn Emulsion

Second Course - A Tasting of Baby Heirloom Tomatoes and Arugula with Artisan Handmade Mozzarella

Third Course - Trio of Catskill Mountain Beef: Seared Beef Strip Loin with Braised Cheek and Corned Beef and Sautéed Leek Croquette Potato, accompanied by a Spinach and Mushroom Compression and Stewed Peppers and Madeira Sauce

Fourth Course – A Summer Celebration of Pistachios and Stone Fruits

The Delhi team has competed in the ACF national championship five times in the past decade, but this is the first time it's hit gold. The win is a big one for the Catskills -- the team's captain, Sarah Thurgood, hails from Bovina Center.

It's no secret that SUNY Delhi's culinary program is excellent -- it's currently the subject of a documentary that's slated to be released next year called Mise En Place. Here's the trailer, which is the perfect set-up for the team's win. (You've got to wonder -- did Kent Garrett, who is producing the documentary, have a particulary prescient Magic Eight Ball?)