Keith Blauschild, owner and executive chef at The Cook & The Cork restaurant in Coral Springs. {Cook & The Cork}
By Sharon Aron Baron
The American Master Chefs Order prepares for its upcoming three-day assessment event tailored to chefs preparing for the prestigious Master Chef Exam.
Among the select group of chefs participating is Keith Blauschild, the owner and executive chef of Coral Springs’ The Cook & the Cork.
The Master Chef Exam is the zenith of professional culinary accomplishment in the United States, setting the standard of expertise and skill.
Designed as a precursor to this elite exam, the American Master Chefs Order’s assessment program aims to offer chefs a comprehensive critique of their abilities, allowing them to hone their craft under the watchful eyes of some of the industry’s most accomplished figures.
Keith Blauschild, 55, is no stranger to culinary challenges. Beginning his journey in the restaurant industry at 13 as a dishwasher, Blauschild later attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York when he was 17. Since 2007, he and his wife Dena have run Florida’s premier catering company before answering the call of their clientele and opening The Cook & the Cork in 2014. The restaurant has earned nine consecutive Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence since its opening and has received the DiRona Fine Dining Award for seven straight years. Just last month, Miami Eater stated the restaurant is one of the top 15 in Broward County.
Keith said that The Master Chefs in America have been super-heroes, having a beyond-human quality level of being a chef, and becoming one would be the pinnacle of his career and life.
He said, “When less than a hundred people have accomplished this in my lifetime, why would I not strive to be one of them? This is what I love to do for a living.”
Other participating chefs come from across the country, bringing a variety of specialties and experiences. The assessment will put them through a series of culinary tests covering organization, planning, menu writing, technical skills, creativity, teamwork, and performance under pressure.
A panel of Certified Master Chefs, including Olivier Andreini, Gerald L. Ford, Joachim Buchner, Brian Beland, Kevin Gawronski, and Drew Sayes, will oversee the assessment.
The assessment is held from September 16 to 18, 2023, at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan,
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