Chicago, IL – Kendall College student David Reyes was awarded a $20,000 culinary scholarship by Kraft Foodservice for winning the 2008 Chefs of Grey Poupon Student Culinary Competition with his original recipe, Dijon Surf and Turf in a New World Romesco Sauce.

Laura Curtis, a student from The Culinary Institute of America, received a $5,000 scholarship for second place with her recipe, Dijon-Ancho Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Chayote and Tequila Rice. Johnson & Wales University student Elizabeth Bova took third place and a $2,500 scholarship for her recipe, Sole Mousseline with Lobster in a Filo Pastry Crust, Israeli Cous Cous Ragout and Dijon Lobster Sauce. The competition, judging and awards took place at an evening reception hosted by Kraft Foodservice on Monday, April 21, 2008, at The Chopping Block inside the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

The judges for the student competition were the three 2008 Chefs of Grey Poupon, who were honored at the reception. They are Adam Baird, executive chef and vice president of Mimis Cafe; Andrea Curto-Randazzo, executive chef and owner of Talula Restaurant in Miami Beach; and Dave Woolley, executive chef for Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.

Now in its third year, the Chefs of Grey Poupon program was developed to celebrate the accomplishments of chefs who embody the spirit of culinary creativity, and to spread the inspiration of Grey Poupon mustard. The student culinary competition was added two years ago to inspire the great chefs of tomorrow, furthering the partnerships Kraft Foodservice has with the nation’s top culinary schools.

“Kraft Foodservice is proud to award these three students from the nation’s top culinary schools with more than $27,000 in scholarships to support their culinary education, the very basis that inspires culinary accomplishments from great chefs,” says Tom Sampson, president of Kraft Foodservice. The students’ dishes were judged on taste, which accounted for 40 percent of their total score, use of Grey Poupon, creativity and appearance. In addition, the students were judged on kitchen organization and their verbal presentation of their dish.

Kendall College selected David Reyes to represent the school in this year’s competition. Reyes is his family’s third-generation culinary entrepreneur, with many of his family members having owned and operated restaurants in his hometown of Chicago. Reyes’ passion for cooking began at a young age as he helped prepare banquets for his family’s catering business. A third-year student, Reyes has already completed a nine-month internship at a five-diamond resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and another internship at Le Grand Ecuyer in southern France.

Reyes says his repeated practice helped secure his confidence in the recipe he developed for the Chefs of Grey Poupon competition and his win. “My first experience with Grey Poupon was as a child. My parents would buy it as a condiment for the Eastern sausages they would get from special shops in Chicago,” says Reyes. “By getting acquainted with it through all the recipes I tried for this competition, I learned what an amazing ingredient Grey Poupon really is; and when used correctly, it can really enhance a dish’s flavors.”

Now, with the support of the $20,000 scholarship from Kraft Foodservice, Reyes looks forward to carrying on his family’s culinary tradition. “This scholarship means the difference between continuing my culinary education or having to pause and wait until I could find the financial means to continue,” says Reyes. “Now I can move forward with my education. This is a big deal.”

Representing The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), student competitor Laura Curtis placed second in the competition. Curtis is finishing her first year at the CIA at its Hyde Park, New York, campus and she has a focus in promoting sustainable practices. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Curtis’ love of cooking stems from volunteering at FOCUS summer camp in Martha’s Vineyard during her summer breaks from Dartmouth College, and working at an on-campus bakery during school. Curtis’ dish received positive remarks on the tenderness of the pork tenderloin.

The third-place winner of the 2008 Chefs of Grey Poupon Student Culinary Competition, Elizabeth Bova, is in her second year at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Bova says she has always had a love for cooking and cites her Italian mother and grandmother for her fondness for Italian food. Her dish involved many components, and the judges’ comments included high praises for her overall focus, work ethic and organization in the kitchen.

Guests at the reception enjoyed the original Grey Poupon-inspired recipes of the 2008 Chefs of Grey Poupon: Chef Baird’s BBQ-Dijon-Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Creamy Chicken Soup with Whipped Mascarpone & Mustard Cracker, and Dijon-Macadamia Nut Halibut Tenders with Balsamic Baby Greens and Mustard Crema; Chef Curto-Randazzo’s Italian Sausage-Stuffed Pork Chops and Apples, Seared Scallops and Spring Greens with Vanilla-Mustard Vinaigrette, and Country Dijon-Potato Gnocchi; and Chef Woolley’s Pecan-Crusted Catfish with Mustard Rémoulade & Cheesy Grits, Warm Toasted-Mustard Spinach Salad, and Roasted Corn-Lobster Fritters with Poblano-Mustard Dipping Sauce.

For more details about the Chefs of Grey Poupon program, the chefs, student winners and original recipes, please visit the website at www.chefsofgreypoupon.com.

Kraft Foodservice is a division of Kraft Foods Global, Inc. (NYSE:KFT), one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. Kraft Foodservice provides a diverse portfolio of brands, marketing and sales expertise and resources to the U.S. foodservice industry. Visit www.kraftfoodservice.com for more information.

Recipes from: David Reyes    Laura Curtis    Elizabeth Bova