Culinary Student Earns Milestone Certification
Brice Camarota becomes first Clark student to complete national sous chef exam
Pictured: Culinary student Brice Camarota plates his dish during the ACF Certified
Sous Chef practical exam, held in the MCIThe kitchen in the McClaskey Culinary Institute (MCI) was unusually quiet as culinary student Brice Camarota carefully worked through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Certified Sous Chef practical exam. Three of Clark’s chefs evaluated every move and every ingredient, scoring everything from safety and organization to craftsmanship and the finished dish. Focused on the momentous task before him, Brice admitted he was in his own world as he cooked.
When the two-hour exam had ended, Brice made history as the first Clark College student to complete the ACF Certified Sous Chef exam while enrolled at the college.
The ACF certifies industry professionals based on their education and work experience. Each certification includes both written and practical exams that emphasize best practices and industry standards. Clark’s Chef Earl Frederick, Chef Aaron Guerra, and Chef Sonny DeMartini served as evaluators — a full-circle moment for them after helping guide Brice to this moment.
Chef Aaron noted that Brice’s calm and methodical manner stood out throughout the exam. He was thorough in his cleaning and safety, and his process was well thought out and organized. He was also vigilant and checked his cooking as he went.
Pictured: Brice served poached fish on plates inspired by his time in the United States Navy
Because Brice completed the exam while he was still a student, Clark covered the exam fee, giving him one more reason to pursue the certification before graduation. But more importantly, he felt prepared.
To ensure students meet industry standards and are prepared for the next steps in their careers, final exams for first- and second-year students incorporate the criteria for ACF’s Certified Culinary and Certified Sous Chef, respectively. By graduation, students have already practiced many of the skills required before the certification process.
Most students wait until after graduation to pursue the Certified Sous Chef credential because it requires at least three years of industry experience with an associate’s degree or five years of experience without the degree and two years of experience managing a shift or food station, which might hold other students back from completing the exam. But Brice had already met those qualifications before enrolling at Clark.
Brice spent five years as a culinary specialist on a submarine in the United States Navy, where he cooked for 180 people every day — an experience that has prepared him to enter the professional culinary world. “It was hard work, and I’m grateful for it,” he said. “That kind of work builds resiliency.”
That experience also reaffirmed why he loves to cook.
“People appreciate good food,” he said. “And that’s important on a submarine, because a lot of people would look forward to the next meal.”
Shortly before completing the exam, Brice completed his capstone project, “Hop, Skip, and a Jump”. His menu included smoked kangaroo, rabbit, and frog, which he admits was a high bar for himself.
“As much as it’s a unique experience for me — executing it and planning it and making it come to fruition — I want people to walk away from it and be like, ‘Wow, this is so crazy!’” he said. “I’m just glad all my silly ideas came to life, and people enjoyed it.”
The ACF certification exam was Brice’s final gauntlet before graduation. After the last dish was plated and he waited for the final evaluation, the overwhelming feeling was relief. “I’ve done [this process] two times already and feel like I practiced it, not just to make the food taste better, but do it in a faster time,” he said. “But part of what makes it fun is doing it faster and better. But I feel relieved. I guess I can breathe a little bit now!”
Brice graduated in June with an Associate of Applied Technology in Cuisine Management and plans to move to Colorado in the fall, where he will continue building on the skills that helped him make Clark College history.
Learn More About Clark's Culinary Institute
The Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College is the only public, accredited culinary program in the metro region offering a two-year associate in applied technology degree. Students benefit from a rigorous curriculum, a seasoned team of instructors with real-world experience, state-of-the-art culinary facilities, and strong industry partnerships.
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Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl
Story by Malena Goerl, Staff Writer, Communications and Marketing