Riverwood Culinary Students Assist At Southern Wing Show

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Twenty Riverwood International Charter School culinary arts students assisted 30 chefs from top restaurants across the southeast at the Springer Mountain Farms’ Southern Wing Showdown on Aug. 25 at The Fairmont Atlanta. The students paired with chefs to provide help with plating, cooking, and other culinary duties. The Southern Wing Showdown, produced by Taste of Atlanta, raised funds and awareness for two charity partners: Angel Flight Soars and Second Helpings Atlanta.

Participating in the event were Riverwood 11th and 12th grade culinary students Abigail Abdi, Noriah Allen, Silvia Diaz, Paul Flamand, Sabille Franclin, Alex Gama, Ayanna Gardner, Kayla Hodges, James Jackson, Haag Johnson, Madison Langton, Hannah Miller, Majida Rahaman, Tucker Ross, Sianne Simmons, Nick Traylor, Braxton Tucker, Owen Woodman, and Tyson Young. They were accompanied by Chef Elissa Oliver, Riverwood Culinary Arts Instructor and Pathway Specialist of Culinary Arts for Fulton County Schools.

“I serve as a volunteer judge for Taste of Atlanta, so when I heard about the opportunity for our students to help with the Wing Showdown, I jumped on it," Oliver said. "We were the only school helping. This was a great opportunity for our motivated culinary students to meet and work with chefs from all over Atlanta and the Southeast. They had a blast.”

“I enjoyed getting to know the story of the chef I worked with, working for the Taste of Atlanta, and, of course, eating the delicious wings," Riverwood junior Owen Woodman said.

The Riverwood culinary arts program is one of the school’s many career-based Pathways. Students who complete the program graduate with industry-standard ServSafe certification, and many Riverwood culinary arts students work in the kitchens of fine restaurants in Sandy Springs and beyond.