Orange Coast College culinary arts students won a silver medal at the 2025 American Culinary Federation (ACF)’s National Student Team Championships held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 29.
Representing the Western Region, OCC’s Hot Food Team competed against four other top regional teams in a challenging culinary showdown. The five-member team successfully prepared a four-course meal in just 90 minutes, using only limited electric appliances and no gas.
The team, composed of Nykolas Peppers, Blanca Granados, Josias Rodriguez, Georgia Williams, and Khoa To, achieved an impressive score of 88.75 out of 100, narrowly missing a gold medal performance, which requires a score of 90 or higher.
"OCC’s culinary student team demonstrated extraordinary talent, creativity, and composure at the American Culinary Federation National Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada," says OCC culinary arts instructor Chef Davina Dunner. "To earn a silver medal against the top five teams in the nation — and to do so with a menu as inspired and beautifully executed as ‘Las Californias’ — is an incredible achievement. From showcasing sustainable local seafood to weaving in the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine, these students cooked with both skill and heart, representing the OCC Culinary Program with an outstanding performance and score."
The judging process was rigorous, with ACF-certified judges evaluating teams on a 100-point scale across multiple categories, including taste, menu progression, sanitation and safe food handling, organization and teamwork, cooking technique, and timing. Each category held significant weight, ensuring that teams were recognized not only for flavor and creativity but also for technical skill, professionalism, and adherence to the highest culinary standards.
OCC’s Hot Food Team is funded by donations and fundraising events, with support from industry donors, such as Ingardia Bros, Santa Monica Seafood, Braun Linen, and New Chef. The 2025 Chef Coaches for the team were Liz Mendoza, April Thompson, and Davina Dunner.
The ACF is the largest professional chefs' organization in North America. OCC’s Hot Food Team has been competing with the ACF since 1996 and has earned several regional titles and a national title in 2005.