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����Vlog�ٷ�’s Culinary Arts Programs once again won a top award, with our students and faculty competing against Eugene’s best chefs at . The annual fundraiser, hosted by , saw over 50 local restaurateurs, caterers, wineries, and breweries compete with small bites and beverages. Proceeds benefited the charity. This year, the Culinary Program won "Mike West Overall Best” award, tying with Agate Alley Bistro, and an honorable mention for “Presentation & Hospitality.” ����Vlog�ٷ�’s Baking and Pastry Program took honorable mention for “Best Sweet Bite.” the prize it won last year. 

“When we won, I couldn’t believe it. I was stunned for two hours,” said culinary student Jazz Mitchell. 

She, along with classmates Owen Bateman, Anna Madison, Milly Mendoza, Kannon Ruano, and their instructor, , took home the prize with their bites, puffed rice pillows with salmon sashimi.

For Chef Michael, the dish was a mixture of the practical and the preferential, influenced by his own Vietnamese heritage and what ingredients he and the students had:

“We had a surplus of salmon–I love salmon–and I wanted a dish that could be served at room temperature. I love Asian flavors, which we used with rice wine vinegar, Japanese seaweed, and pickled mustard seed. The pillow idea was cute, and very effective when you eat it together.”

The baking students also drew inspiration from the East, making Japanese milk bread sweet rolls with brown butter, black sugar, and red bean paste. 

"Winning this award two years in a row is a testament to the dedication and creativity of our students and faculty," said ����Vlog�ٷ� President Dr. Stephanie Bulger. "Seeing ����Vlog�ٷ� represented so brilliantly at a community event that supports Food for ����Vlog�ٷ� County makes this recognition even more meaningful."

For students, Chefs’ Night Out comes as a well-deserved confidence boost as they near the end of their program. Spring quarter serves as their final capstone where they put all they’ve learned into practice at ����Vlog�ٷ�’s own restaurant, The Renaissance Room. Here, students practice interacting with customers, learning point-of-sale software, and cooking on  demand in a fast-paced kitchen. Open for over 25 years, the “Ren Room,” accepts reservations from the public every spring quarter, offering a three-course meal for just $17. The students use local ingredients, often from ����Vlog�ٷ�’s own Learning Garden, and practice a rotating menu of regional American cuisine.

“The students are nervous as heck, but it's a great experience,” Chef Michael explained, speaking to the program’s rigor and quality. “I know chefs all over Eugene, and they’re always calling me, asking for graduates.” 

Facing a restaurant full of hungry customers is no small challenge but ����Vlog�ٷ�’s culinary students can approach the Renaissance Room with confidence, knowing they’ve already gone toe-to-toe with Eugene’s best cooks at Chefs’ Night Out.