Pass Area Culinary Students Cook Up A County 1st Place Championship

The pressure was on. The clock was ticking. Ingredients were waiting. And Beaumont High School's student chefs were ready to bring the heat.

By Ashley Ludwig, Patch Staff

Aug 29, 2026 9:03 AM PDT

BEAUMONT, CA — Beaumont High School's student chefs were ready to bring the heat as students sliced, diced, and cooked their way to First Place in a cooking competition called "Chopped," according ot the school

The Riverside County Office of Education recognized the winning Beaumont High School Culinary Arts program and student chefs during the Beaumont Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, August 25.

Dr. Forest DeRenzo, Executive Director for Career Technical Education at RCOE, presented the high school team with a cast-iron pan as a symbol of their victory, along with individual medals for the student chefs.

"Their achievement is a reflection of the students' hard work, the dedication of their instructors, and Beaumont Unified's commitment to high-quality career technical education," said Dr. DeRenzo.

Also in attendance was Executive Chef Brad Martin of the Riverside Convention Center and lead organizer of the cooking competition. For television viewers, Chef Martin may look familiar. He was a contestant on ABC's "The Taste," in Season Two.

Beaumont Unified School District CTE Coordinator Alicia Chamberlain spoke on the award.

"This recognition has been a long time coming, and we are so excited to celebrate our students, chefs, and the culinary program for being the county 'Chopped Competition' winners from last school year," Chamberlain said.

The event is similar to many popular cooking game shows, in which chefs prepare dishes to serve a panel of judges. Students enrolled in the Beaumont High School's Culinary Arts program competed against more than 10 other schools throughout Riverside County

The applause-worthy recognition gives Beaumont USD, students, and the community a chance to celebrate the value of public education and its role in preparing students for a competitive job market. When students are given the chance to explore their interests, practice real-world skills and discover what they are capable of, that's a recipe worth celebrating.