Schools
Students Compete for Top Chef Title
Middle school kids prepare their best dishes for the Third Annual Culinary Competition.
By pouring grape juice into a wine glass, Matthew Bailey adds the final touches to his cheese-stuffed chicken tenderloin dish during the Third Annual District 303 Middle School Culinary Competition Saturday at .
“It makes the presentation look better but you can’t have alcohol, so red grape juice resembles wine quite a bit,” explained Bailey, an eighth-grader at .
Bailey and about 20 middle school students whipped up their best dishes on Saturday for a chance to be crowned top chef.
Students spent the morning preparing, seasoning and boiling their own bites that were judged by Rx Cafe Chef Rebecca Stobierski and high school students.
Dishes ranged from sweet to savory and from appetizers to desserts. Parents and families came hungry and were able to sample the dishes, letting their tastes buds be the judge.
After stomachs were full, it was Emma Zimmer’s take on a Martha Stewart recipe for baked macaroni and cheese that stole the top spot. Voted best overall, the Haines seventh grader will be heading to the Royal Fox Country Club for a one-on-one cooking lesson with one of the club’s chefs.
Although she said she’s not for hire just yet, Zimmer said she was excited and happy to walk away as Saturday’s winner.
