Sodexo's Future Chef Cooking Competition Held at City Hill

Kate Murphy announced Monday that response from the Future Chef Cook Off for elementary students held in March had been so great that she decided to hold one for eighth graders at City Hill Middle School. Twenty recipes were submitted and the top five were selected to take part in the Cook Off held on Tues. May 7, 2013 in the classroom of family and consumer science teacher Christine Wesche at City Hill. The theme of this competition was a breakfast creation that was both healthy and kid-friendly.

If anyone had trouble locating the correct classroom, all they had to do was follow the wonderful smells eminating from the busy and very warm classroom. Tables were set with white tableclothes so that each contestant could display the show plates of the recipe that they had prepared and smaller taste cups for the judges and hungry attendees.

The five young ladies wore Sodexo aprons and chef hats, as well as special tee shirts. The cooking began promptly at 3:15pm and the chefs took to the stove area. The students essentially worked by themselves, but Ms. Murphy and Ms. Wesche helped when they could. When some students were finished, they generously offered to help the competition. In no time, the four minute warning was given to plate the food.

Ashley Tampellini, on City Hill's blue team, made a southwestern frittata. Adiana Alejandro, from Mrs. Deidelbaum's homeroom, made colorful little quiches that contained cheddar cheese and broccoli. Kelly Murphy called her original entry Kelly's Sunrise Breakfast and it included eggs, hashbrowns, and flatbread chips sprinkled with cinnamon for dipping in yogurt. Samantha Sestilli combined three recipes to make cheesy egg and potato tacos. Jessica Lydem, from Mrs. Salvatore's homeroom, added her own touches to a recipe to bake a sausage, egg and cheese Breakfast Braid.

Ahead of the scheduled time, the recipes were presented to the judges who included CHMS Principal Brian Hendrickson, Assistant Principal Deanna Chuka, and Board of Education member Rocky Vitale. The judges spoke briefly with each chef, tasted (and in most cases finished) the portion they were given, asked questions of the young ladies and filled out their ballots. Mr. Vitale did his best to keep the mood light, quipping "I'm just trying to figure out how much I can fit into my pockets later" and when the lady in charge worried aloud if any of the tasters had any food allergies, he answered, "Do I look like I'm allergic to anything?"

While the assembled crowd sampled the delicious breakfast foods, the scores were totaled. Ms. Murphy presented each of the four runner ups with a medal and backpack of prizes and finally the winner was announced. The eighth grade Miss Murphy won with her Kelly's Sunrise Breakfast. Her winning recipe will be offered on the breakfast menu at CHMS sometime in June and she will be receiving a digital camera for her efforts.

Congratulations to all five of the contestants.