The kitchens are prepped, aprons are pressed and supplies are in order. Culinary kitchens and staff are prepared for six students vying for the right to represent Las Vegas at the fourth annual S. Pellegrino "Almost Famous Chef" Competition. The event will take place Sept. 18, from noon. to 2 p.m., in Room 226 of Beam Hall, located on the UNLV campus.

The competition is designed to help students learn from some of the world's most famous culinary personalities what it takes to become a professional chef in today's competitive marketplace.

UNLV student contestants Josh Green and Christopher Lindsay, along with students Sarah Wong and Michelle Hendry from Le Cordon Bleu College, and Michael Sandoval and Tim Tatel from the Community College of Southern Nevada, will be given two hours to prepare an entr?e and presentation dish for a panel of 10 judges. The panel, which will be comprised of local chefs and media, will judge the contestants on culinary skills, creativity, presentation, personality, and their ability to perform under pressure.

Judges for this weekend's competition include Chef Andrew Martin Hillman from Mesa Grill, Chef Barbara Brown from Caf? Cordon Bleu at Le Cordon Bleu, Chef Francesco Schintu from ZeffiriNo Ristorante, Chef Nico Chessa from Caffe Giorgio and Ristorante, Chef Wendy Jordan from Rosemary's Restaurant/Le Cordon Bleu, Nick Catanella from Bertolini's, Vincenzo Granata from PaneviNo, Chef Chrisophe Bonnegrace from Bleu Gourmet, Heinz Lauer from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and Dr. Yen-Soon Kim from the UNLV Food and Beverage Management Dept.

Media judges include Elizabeth Foyt from the Las Vegas Sun, Hillary Hutton from Vegas Magazine, Max Jacobson from Las Vegas Weekly, Joyce Kotnik from KVBC Channel 3 and R.H. Duke from Vegas! Dining Out.

The winner of this weekend's competition will join standouts from other top culinary schools at the national competition in October at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa, California and for the possibility of becoming the 2005 S. Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef. Contestants on the national level will participate in three categories: a "mystery" ingredient basket contest, in which contestants have two hours to prepare a dish created from previously unknown ingredients; a signature dish contest, which shows off regional flavors and traditions; and a people's choice contest, where competition attendees vote on their favorite dishes.

Last year, UNLV Student Stephen Gillanders cooked his way to the national title of "Almost Famous Chef", winning a trip to the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners, a $1,000 prize from contest sponsor S. Pellegrino, and an appearance on NBC's Today Show in New York.

Note to media: The media are welcome to attend UNLV's campus competition, meet the contestants, and taste the results. Contact UNLV Public Affairs at 895-5327 or 510-4628 for additional information and directions.