Only two months after enrolling in the culinary program at Cypress College, he cooked his way to the top spot with two irresistible dishes: '"Gone Shrimpin’ "' — a cold shrimp-garnished salad with avocado, radish, lime, cilantro and red onion (garnished with a deep-fried green olive and served in a martini glass) and '"Je Ne Sais Quoi"' — perfectly roasted beef tenderloin with Cabernet Sauvignon veal demi-glace sauce served with mashed potatoes and spinach augmented with bacon bits and shallots.

'"Three months ago he couldn’t even hold a knife,"' said Liêm Bùi, Kevin’s proud father trembling with joy. '"He could have gone to Harvard or Princeton. He could have been a doctor or lawyer, but he wants to cook. He loves to cook."'

Before the competition Kevin worked hard to perfect his dishes, consulting with his chef instructor at school and practicing over and over. He visited Fleming’s to watch the restaurant’s chefs and see how the broiler functioned. He made crucial adjustments in technique and timing.

The contest was part of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar’s 10th anniversary celebration. Six finalists from Orange County culinary schools competed in the cook-off. The student-finalists worked with the same core steakhouse ingredients: beef tenderloin, jumbo shrimp, baking potatoes, mushrooms and either spinach or asparagus. They had to craft two courses and prepare them in 90 minutes.

There were scrumptious elements in each of the candidate’s dishes. How do I know? I was a judge, along with celebrity radio host Chef Jamie Gwen and Russell Skall, Fleming’s executive corporate chef.

Yes, it was a great gig.