Aspiring Horsham Chef Earns State, National Honors

A Hatboro-Horsham High School rising senior and aspiring chef proved in April that she was the best in the state. Now, she's proven that she's a force to be reckoned with on the national cooking stage as well.

Lauren Bissig of Horsham, an Eastern Center for Arts and Technology culinary arts student, won first place at the SkillsUSA State Competition in April, and recently returned from competing at the national-level in Kansas City, Miss., placing 12th in the nation against a total of 43 competitors. 

This is a feat never before accomplished by a first-year Eastern culinary arts student. 

Lauren’s competition consisted of preparing a four-course menu including a salad with emulsified dressing, cream soup, and salmon and chicken entrees.

“It was cool being surrounded by all that energy and drive and being able to gain a new perspective on food. Plus there's a good chance that I could see a lot of my competitors in culinary school,” said Lauren in a press release. “I just cook and try to keep my head down and really just push myself every day, and where it has taken me is a result of that."

In the end, it's only a competition, according to Lauren.

"What really matters is how you use what you learned from it," she said. "I have learned a lot about myself from going, and it has only helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses.”

Her favorite part of the competition was being surrounded by people from all over the country who have the same passion for food that she does. 

She only plans to compete next year if someone else in her culinary arts class at Eastern does not. For Lauren, competition is a great way to better your culinary skills, and it is only fair to give someone else a shot if they're willing to put forth the effort, time and practice.

To complement her culinary arts education, Lauren is a stage at Mica Restaurant in Chestnut Hill. 

Stage is a word commonly used in the culinary field for an internship, and originates from the French word stagiaire, meaning trainee, apprentice or intern. 

Lauren works several days a week and values the experience and knowledge that she gains each day. Her parents visited the restaurant and enjoyed it so much that they felt compelled to speak with the chef about their daughter’s culinary ambitions. She has been there every week since October. She also maintains a journal detailing her experiences at Mica.

After graduation from Eastern and Hatboro-Horsham High School, Lauren plans to go to culinary school and work in the field.