A recent culinary competition at Sandy Creek High School had students vying for the esteemed honor of being named ‘Top Chef.’
Similar to the reality television show of the same name, the ‘Top Chef’ challenge featured students from the school’s Food and Nutrition class showcasing their culinary expertise for a panel of judges.
‘Top Chef’ serves as the culminating project for students in the class, putting to test each student’s knowledge of the principles of baking, cooking methods, menu planning, preparation, sanitation and safety.
Students work in pairs for the competition and start by selecting an appetizer, main dish, or dessert recipe that meets a strict standard of criteria including: less than 10 ingredients; no unfamiliar ingredients; no alcohol; must be able to prepare with standard equipment already in the classroom’s kitchen; and it must be a new, untested creation (ie, nothing that was previously prepared as part of a classroom project).
Food and Nutrition teacher Marsha Maxon pre-approves each recipe prepared for the ‘Top Chef’ panel of judges and each team is responsible for preparing a grocery list as well as coordinating a preparation schedule to ensure the most effective use of their allotted prep time.
The panel of judges, consisting of Sandy Creek High School faculty and former Food and Nutrition students evaluates each culinary masterpiece on the overall presentation, taste, and creativity.
High scores are awarded to the dishes that appeal to each judge’s wow factor, that are a delightful blend of flavor and texture, and that are pleasing to the eye.
‘Top Chefs’ from this year’s competition are Karintha Myslivecek and Alexis Donohoe who prepared an Apple Dapple Cake, and Jay Ivison and Kortney Steele who prepared Red Velvet Brownies.
