Overview
Menu: Student-designed appetizers and desserts
Congratulations: Contest winners

Overview

At Cooking up Change 2007, teams of high school students studying culinary arts at public schools in Chicago had a chance to show just how tasty – and how healthy – a student-designed menu can be.

For 2007, HSC added a new twist to our annual celebration: a healthy cooking contest for culinary students in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Education to Careers program.

The city-wide contest, presented in collaboration with Kendall College, began with workshops on healthy cooking techniques and culminated with judging and awards at the benefit on Oct. 18.

Teams of students competed to craft healthy appetizers, desserts and school meals.

Check out the menu »

Celebrity judges, audience favorites

The contest was judged by a panel of local chefs and celebrities, including Ambassador Carol Mosely Braun. (Visit the celebrity judges page to meet our judges!)

The delicious appetizers and desserts were served at the benefit to an audience eager to taste the students’ creations and cast their ballots for special audience choice awards.

Guests had the opportunity to talk with students about the inspiration and ingredients behind their tasty creations, both at team stations and as students presented their appetizers and desserts to guests throughout the evening.

HSC extends warm congratulations to all of the student teams and the winners in every category.

Winning lunch served throughout Chicago high schools

The winning entry in the school lunch category—red beans and rice with smothered cabbage and candied carrots, designed by students at Chicago Vocational Career Academy—will be served for lunch at high schools throughout Chicago on Jan. 30.

The student-created school lunch meets the stringent cost requirements and nutrition guidelines that Chicago food service directors face, as well as the high standards for taste and visual appeal that culinary students strive to achieve.

"The students’ talent, creativity and pride in creating excellent food was absolutely beyond compare," said Rochelle Davis, HSC’s founding executive director. "With Cooking up Change, we're bringing together a fabulous event with something that's very much part of our mission—transforming students' experiences with healthy food"

Preparing the chefs of tomorrow

The culinary teams prepared for the contest with professional development for teachers and in-class visits from chefs and nutrition experts to help equip students for a competition that prioritized nutrition as well as taste and presentation.

This training, as well as the professional experience of taking part in a culinary ompetition and presenting food at a benefit, helped prepare students for careers in an increasingly health-conscious culinary world.

"We’re developing students to be the chefs of tomorrow," said Michelle Hassan, manager for culinary arts of the Education to Careers program. "As our society becomes more health-conscious, these are very valuable skills for them to take into the job market."

In the culinary competition and at the benefit, students also found an opportunity showcase their talent.

"It does a lot to develop their self-esteem," said Bernadette Bergren, who teaches culinary arts at Roberto Clemente High Schools and coached one of the student teams.

"These students are extremely talented, but they don't really have confidence yet. Seeing that enjoyment [when guests enjoy the food] gives them a whole new perspective on what they can do. You should see the pride—it really makes a difference."