You don’t have to leave Samuel Clemens High School to find an exceptional taco worthy of a restaurant. Just stop by the Culinary Arts kitchen and ask for Baylee Manselle. The senior has proven to be a superior chef and captured the recent ProStart Culinary Competition - the equivalent to state title.
Judges were astonished at her creation in the Taco With A Twist category - a shrimp taco which included her secret spicy sauce. “It was a struggle,” Manselle said. “I only practiced once or twice for my show, but then I got it right.”
In addition to her own special sauce, Baylee also made her own eel sauce (a Japanese glaze) to add to the tacos - and waited to see if that would capture the judges’ attention.
“I wasn’t confident at first,” Manselle admitted. “But one judge told me the tacos belonged in a restaurant.”
It didn’t take long for word of her exploits to get around town. “We did a job shadow at H-E-B and I was surprised with a bouquet of flowers,” she said. “My family and friends tell me I have to make it for them.”
Under the tutelage of her instructors at Clemens, Amanda Tharp and Heather Alonso, Baylee has seen her skills and confidence in the kitchen soar - to the point where she will pursue it as a vocation when she attends St. Phillip’s College in the fall as well as seek a business degree.
“Ms. Alonso and I are so proud of Baylee for the tremendous growth she has shown as a leader in and out of the kitchen,” Tharp said. “Her skill and creativity amaze us every day.”
Those talents will be on display when Baylee joins her Culinary Arts classmates at a competition at the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts on April 17th. Her experiences in the Culinary Arts program have changed her perspective on her skill set. It’s no longer a question of whether her creations are good enough.
“I doubted myself so much during this competition,” she said, adding the judge’s validation and the announcement of her title have changed her perspective. “Oh my gosh, that made me feel great. I was stoked. I’ve never gotten out of my seat so fast.”