Since childhood, Amanda Dopler of Jackson Township has heard the call of the kitchen.

"Most kids watch cartoons, but Mandy watched cooking shows," said her mother Cynthia Dopler.

Hoping to make her passion for cooking a career, Amanda has already applied and been accepted to the culinary arts program at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

To help her get there, she recently entered and won the Art Institute's 2005 Best Teen Chef regional competition held March 12.

Competing against nine other incoming Institute students, Amanda won a $2,000 scholarship and the chance to compete for a national title.

To enter the competition, applicants had to submit detailed recipes for a two-course meal.

Once chosen, contestants in each region received the same recipes for use in the regional competition.

The menu included shrimp cocktail, chicken Chasseur, rice pilaf and a broccoli sauté.

"It would appear that the recipes are basic recipes, but what we focus on is the proper cooking technique," said competition judge Tim Michitsch, a certified chef and culinary educator at Loraine County Vocational Technical School in Oberlin, Ohio.

To prepare for the competition, Amanda prepared her menu several times, adjusting the seasonings and practicing her and timing.

Dining on the results of her daughter's many trial runs, Cynthia Dopler anxiously awaited the completion of the competition.

"I like shrimp and I like chicken, but I don't want to see them for a while," she said.

On competition day, contestants were given two hours to prepare their dishes.

"They provide us with all the ingredients," said Amanda. "The only thing we need to provide is a uniform, knives and a peeler."

To make her finished foods stand out even more, Amanda purchased square plates for her presentation.

As they went to work, chopping, stirring and sautéing, three judges circled the kitchen, watching for good knife technique, sanitation and organization.

Though the observation heightened the intensity of the competition, Amanda remained focused on her task.

"They were standing around and writing and watching you … I'm used to it at work," said Amanda, who has worked in the kitchen at Bravo's restaurant in Cranberry Township for several months.

Once all the contestants were completed, the judges adjourned to discuss the preparation and success of each contestant's dish.

After deliberating, it was announced that Amanda was the winner.

"She was very organized, she was very much focused on what she was preparing," said Michitsch of the winning competitor.

"She started off with a very nice written plan that kept her on task."

"They said my sanitation was excellent, same with my knife skills, taste and plating," said Amanda.

Attributing much of her success to her preparation, Amanda said the judges were impressed that she laminated copies of the recipes, retyped to suit her needs.

Though Amanda has never taken a cooking class, her restaurant experience coupled with years of cooking shows and at home practice prepared her for success.

"In order to get good flavor, she had to have good technique," said Michitsch. "She executed her plan very well.

Amanda will advance to the national competition in May at the Art Institute of Philadelphia.

Competing against regional winners from across the country, the national winner will receive a full-tuition scholarship for the Art Institute, valued at $30,000.

Still awaiting the complete recipes for the competition, she is happy to have a break from cooking and spend time with her friends.

Despite the challenge, Cynthia Dopler is not surprised at her daughter's education.

"She's just an average kid, but when she gets something in her head she does everything she can do to get what she wants."

½ pound frozen shrimp, headless, shell onWater3 tablespoons pickling spice2 leaves romaine lettuce1 cucumber4 ounces prepared cocktail sauce1 lemonsaltpeppercrushed icePlace a pot of water with salt on the stove and bring to a boil.Place the pickling spice into cheesecloth and tie into a bag. Add the pickling spice sachet bag and half of the lemon to the water. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.Add the shrimp, bring to a boil, and immediately remove to an ice water bath.Peel, devein, and wash the shrimp. Refrigerate in a covered container until required for service.Thoroughly wash, drain, cut, and reserve the lettuce leaves and cucumber.Wedge and trim the other half of the lemon.Assemble as desired to accentuate creativity.Makes 2 servings.

2 Roma tomatoes, concassé2 4-ounce chicken breasts, skinless and bonelessAll-purpose flour2 ounces clarified butter8 ounces mushrooms, sliced2 cloves garlic, minced3 ounces onions, diced4 ounces demi-glace sauce2 ounces white wine¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped, washed and driedSaltBlack pepperPlace a pot of water with salt on the stove and bring to a boil. Score and core the tomatoes.Place the tomatoes in the boiling water and remove before the water returns to a boil. Quickly submerge the tomatoes in an ice water bath.Peel, seed, chop, and reserve for service.Preheat a skillet on medium heat.Season the chicken breast to taste and dredge in flour.Add approximately 1 to 2 ounces of clarified butter to the skillet and allow it to heat to the proper temperature.Sauté the chicken breast on the presentation side until golden brown.Turn the chicken over and continue to sauté until both sides are golden brown.Remove from the sauté skillet and reserve in a heated oven on a roasting rack placed in a roasting pan.Pour off the excess fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the range.Sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, taking care not to burn them. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are wilted.Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the tomatoes and demi-glace sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer until sauce is the desired consistency.Add the chicken breasts and the parsley and heat thoroughly.Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and place on an appropriate dish.Makes 2 servings.

¾ pound fresh broccoliWater1 ounce clarified butterSaltPepperPlace a pot of water with salt on the stove and bring to a boil.Wash broccoli and cut to the desired shape. Place the broccoli in the boiling water and remove when the water returns to a boil.After removing the broccoli, quickly submerge the broccoli in an ice water bath.Remove and drain the broccoli from the ice water bath. Reserve.Preheat a skillet on medium heat on top of the range. Add approximately 1 ounce of clarified butter and allow heating to the proper temperature.Add the broccoli and sauté. Add the appropriate seasoning.Remove from the range and arrange the broccoli on the serving dish.Makes 2 servings.

1 ounce clarified butter1 ounce olive oil1 bay leaf1 pint long-grain rice1 quart chicken stock, boilingSaltHeat the butter and olive oil in a sautoir or saucepot. Add the onion and bay leaf and sauté until tender, but not brown.Add the rice and stir to coat completely with the hot fat. Do not allow the rice to brown.Pour in the boiling chicken stock and season with salt.Cover the pot tightly and place it in a 350 degree oven. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy and tender.Transfer the cooked rice to a pan and fluff with a fork. Remove the bay leaf and keep the rice hot for service.Makes 8 servings.