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Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 2:28 AM

FUN WITH ALL THE FIXINS

Future chefs prepare favorite recipes
FUN WITH ALL THE FIXINS
Future Chefs contestant, Kinzleigh Oglesby, prepares her recipe “Not Your Average Cupcake, Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes.” She is assisted by her mentor, Celina Arellano.

Twelve fourth and fifth grade students from Naomi Pasemann Elementary and Main Street Elementary dressed in chefs’ hats and aprons as they entered the kitchen at the Main Street campus on March 6, for Sodexo’s annual Future Chefs competition.

With a theme of “Your Favorite Recipes from Home,” interested students submitted entry forms with recipes for their favorite entrees, side dishes, appetizers and desserts.

Twelve finalists were chosen for the competition, and each one was assigned a mentor from Taylor High School’s Culinary Arts classes or from the Sodexo staff.

Twelve students from Naomi Pasemann and Main Street Elementary, and twelve mentors from Sodexo and Taylor High School’s Culinary Arts department, teamed up for some friendly competition in Sodexo’s Future Chefs Competition. Photos by Tim Crow

Contestants met their mentors in the kitchen for an intense two and a half hours of prep, cooking and presentation. Each contestant served their entry to the judges and answered questions about their dish.

Contestants included Addison Sotelo, Ariyah Frank, Ashlyn Jezisek, Ariel Torres, Elsa Anderson, Melanie Garcia Valencia, Kinzleigh Oglesby, Lorenzo Medina, Taliyah Flowers, Teil Fillmore, Presley Light and Hazel Dye.

Mentors from the Taylor High School Culinary Arts classes included Aubrey Bortle, Melanie Badillo, Zoey Vasquez, Jami Araujo, Aliva Medina, Jason Mayerle, Karen Alvarenga and Angelissa Aviles.

Mentors from the Sodexo staff included Nicole Torres, Paloma Valencia, Celina Arellano and Mesha Randle.

Pasemann fourth grader, Hazel Dye, receives a certificate and prizes for her winning entry, Nonna’s Chicken and Rice, in Sodexo’s annual Future Chef competition. She is shown with her mentor, Angelissa Aviles, THS culinary student and tenth grader at Taylor High School.

The event was organized by Lindsey Gage, food service director; Holly O’Briant, assistant director for food services; and Angelica Cazalas, child nutrition administrative assistant.

Each finalist received a medal, a mixing bowl set, serving utensils, 2024 Future Chef cookbook, Future Chef cup, a Future Chef shirt, coat, hat and apron and a chocolate candy bar.

NPE fourth grader, Dye, was named the Top Future Chef of the competition with her dish, Nonna’s Chicken and Rice. Her mentor was Aviles, THS culinary student and sophomore at Taylor High School. In addition to the other prizes, Dye also received a set of pots and pans. Her dish will be served at both MSE and NPE April 26.

Judges for the Future Chefs competition sponsored by Sodexo include (from left) MSE Principal Kerri Pierce, School Board Members Cheryl Carter and Marco Ortiz, Taylor ISD Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen, Taylor ISD Chief Financial Officer Jina Self, and NPE Principal Cynthia Proctor. 
Future Chef contestant, Taliyah Flowers, and mentor Mesha Randle, prepare “Dad and Daughter’s Chicken for the competition sponsored by Sodexo.

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