SMU dining chef Elias Acosta prepares a beef tenderloin in the Real Food on Campus kitchen Thursday afternoon in Umphrey Lee. Acosta won a gold medal in the Southwest Region’s Aramark Culinary Excellence competition. (MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus)

SMU chef Elias Acosta took the gold medal at last week’s Southwest Region’s Aramark Culinary Excellence (ACE) competition.

Acosta will advance as part of the three-person Southwest team that will compete against all other regions in the country in the national finals next month.

“This is a great opportunity for me. I am very excited and proud to be recognized,” Acosta said.

The Southwest regional competition asked the higher education chefs to present a meal made from a mystery basket to three judges.

Chefs had to prepare one show plate each for the students and judges, as well as a taster plate for each judge. Chefs had exactly three hours to prepare their meals from prep to finish.

Each of the competition’s partici-pating chefs was selected because they consistently strive for culinary excellence and focuses on surpassing customers’ expectations with great meals.

“SMU Dining is honored to have Elias as part of our team and we are extremely proud to be represented nationally amongst some of the best chefs in the country,” SMU Dining Services Marketing Manager Philip DeMeo said.

Acosta’s winning dishes were his pan-seared, pistachio-crusted sea bass and handmade crepes with Grand Marnier goat cheese, both consistent with his passion for French cuisine.

Acosta has worked as a chef for the past 25 years. He joined the SMU Dining team in 2007.

“His recognition on the national level is a testament to the high level of service and quality provided to this campus and community, where we strive to uphold the SMU standard,” DeMeo said.