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.
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.
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.
