Kaitlin Payne spent a month and a half on research before she seared the first scallop.

She studied recipes, techniques, ingredients and creations by favorite chefs Bobby Flay and Rick Bayless to come up with an award-winning dish with a southwestern twist.

"It was a long process," she admits.

But those many hours of work paid off, when her dish -- pan-seared scallops with corn salsa, fried plantains, grilled asparagus and cilantro-lime emulsion -- was selected as a finalist in the 19th annual National High School Chef of the Year competition at the renowned Johnson & Wales University. The dish, which judges pronounced "phenomenal," went on to win third place.

Twenty finalists, 10 for entrees and 10 for desserts, chosen from more than 500 entries, were flown to North Miami, Fla. earlier this month for the competition. Payne, a senior at Douglas Freeman High School in Henrico County, was the only Virginian selected.

"I wasn't surprised she made it to the Top 10," said Winslow Goodier, culinary arts instructor at Hermitage Technical Center, where Payne takes her afternoon classes. "She has a passion for cooking."

During the competition, the student chefs had three hours to prepare their dishes.

"I was pretty nervous before the competition, but once I got in there I was OK," Payne said.

The presentations were judged on overall quality, flavor, taste, texture and doneness; presentation; creativity; mise en place (having the ingredients ready when they are needed); sanitation and cooking techniques.

While creating the recipe was a lengthy process; creating the dish itself was easy.

"I was done 45 minutes early," said Payne, who works part time as a line cook at the Country Club of Virginia.

Not bad, considering that she had only practiced making the dish four times.

"I tried it one time at home and three times here [at the culinary arts kitchen] to practice using the gas stove," she said.

"The judges said the sear on the scallops was perfect."

She practiced searing them for two and a half minutes on each side, until each was perfectly golden brown. She credits Goodier with helping her hone the technique.

"I had an idea what the judges were looking for," said Goodier. "A lot of complicated dishes can turn the judges off. They're more concerned with technique and composition."

Payne's third-place finish includes a $5,000 scholarship, renewable for four years, to Johnson & Wales. "I knew I was going to go there anyway, so this helps a lot," she said.

Payne plans to earn a bachelor's degree in food service management and associate's degree in culinary arts.

Contact Lisa Crutchfield at (804) 649-6362 or lcrutchfield@timesdispatch.com.