Skilled to Work: Savannah Tech culinary student becomes gold-medal winner

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah’s culinary scene is littered with award-winning chefs and restaurants.

One man could add his name to the list this week at a national competition.

Sohan Bolle knows his way around a kitchen.

“I used to help my mom like since childhood cutting vegetables and stuff.”

But after high school, he decided to get serious.

“I decided to join the Culinary Institute. A lot of things I was doing wrong, but learned the right way to do after coming here.”

Three semesters later, Bolle is gold-medal winner.

In March, he won Georgia’s Skills USA culinary competition in Atlanta.

“Any challenge that we’ve given him he’s faced and tackled and just made us all proud that we have such a sponge on our hands,” said Brandon LeGrand, Savannah Tech Culinary Instructor.

Bolle is Savannah Tech’s first Culinary student to win the state Skills competition and compete at nationals.

It’s a five-hour cooking challenge.

Competitors are given a basket of food items to create an appetizer, a soup, and two entrees.

They’re judged on their skills... as well as the finished product.

“I have few ideas, but I’m just working on the techniques now, to like be ready for anything,” said Bolle.

“I’ve eaten some really good food over the past two months with him preparing dishes,” said LeGrand.

Bolle’s spent some time in kitchens in Savannah already... but has bigger plans once he finishes at Savannah Tech.

“I just want to work in some good restaurants for like 5 or 6 years and then open my own restaurant,” said Bolle.

“Going into the national competition, he just has to shine again, because his star is bright and growing,” said LeGrand.

While he may be shining in class and on the competition stage... Bolle says he’s still the understudy in his mother’s kitchen.

“She’s the boss in the kitchen. Yeah, she doesn’t let me do anything new.”

Maybe another gold medal will change her mind.

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