The top five student finalists from The Art Institutes converged on Las Vegas on Saturday to compete in the 2nd Annual Alouette® Culinary Stars Recipe Contest final event held at The Culinary Institute of Las Vegas, a division of The Art Institute of Las Vegas.

Matthew Crowe from The Art Institute of Dallas took first place and a $1,000 check in the competition with his Onion Fondue Cheesecake Appetizer that incorporated both Alouette® Crème Fraiche and Alouette® Garlic & Herb spreadable Cheeses.

Judges evaluated each finalist dish based on the same criteria used at the semifinalist competition: versatility, functional ease, taste and food presentation. The contest was launched in an effort to excite and energize culinary students by challenging them to develop innovative and appealing recipes incorporating various Alouette cheese products.