Five HPS elementary school students spent an hour stirring, mixing, cooking, and baking their favorite main dishes as part of the 15th Annual Future Chefs competition, facilitated by Sodexo in mid-April at the Holyoke High School Dean Tech campus.
The annual event invites students in grades 3-5 to submit a recipe of their own to enter the competition. This year’s theme was “main course.” Of the 11 HPS students who submitted recipes, five were selected to move to the next phase of the competition: Cooking their dish for a panel of three judges.
The junior chefs, clad in white hats and aprons, were partnered with members of the Holyoke Sodexo team to make a party-portioned version of their submitted dish. Over the course of one hour, they prepped, cooked, and plated their recipes in the well-stocked kitchen at HHS Dean Campus. Ahead of the competition, mentors did advanced prep work such as grocery shopping, cooking pasta, and chopping vegetables.
Once the competition began, students took the lead, doing each step with help from their mentor where necessary. For example, Andrew Greaney, a fourth grade student at Donahue School, was paired with Chef Anthony Ortona. While Andrew prepared the chicken for his alfredo dish, Chef Ortona explained how the different seasonings benefit the flavor.
Throughout that intense one hour, family and friends cheered the young chefs on from the sidelines.
“I’m impressed,” said Malachi Guidi, whose younger sister, Gigi Williamson, made baked macaroni and cheese. “All of these kids are really doing a great job.”
Since Malachi is a Dean culinary student himself, the praise is especially meaningful. The panel of judges—which included FACE coordinator Myriam Rodriguez, FACE coordinator Rey Figueroa, and Sodexo manager Mirelys Perez—agreed with Malachi: Each meal brought something special to the table.
“This is going to be a challenge to decide,” Mr. Figueroa said between bites of stuffed shells and crunchy tacos.
Coming up with a recipe and then cooking it for the judges was just a starting point for the competition. Participants also focused on an artful presentation of their prepared meals before presenting them to the judges and telling them a bit about where their recipe inspirations came from. After the judges had a taste, all the friends and family present were invited to sample the students’ creations.
As the evening wrapped up, it was Angie Aponte-Morales’ “Party of Salchichón” soup that took home first place. The judges praised the flavor of the soup, its presentation, and Angie’s description of the recipe. For winning first place, Angie received an apron, cooking utensils, a cookbook, and a tablet. She will also be eligible to compete in Sodexo’s national competition that is scheduled for May.
Although Angie’s dish took first place, every student was an outstanding chef and competitor in the judges’ eyes and went home with a certificate and prize—and plenty of leftovers.
What did Holyoke’s future chefs prepare? Read below to learn more:
Angie Aponte-Morales, a fifth grade student at Morgan School, made “The Party of Salchichón,” a sausage soup. Her family’s recipe is one of her favorite meals to eat at home, and she selected the name to give the dish her own spin.
Kayliannie Arenas, a fifth grade student at Donahue School, made crunchy beef tacos. She selected sour cream and cilantro as the toppings because they’re her favorites.
Kendol Cruz, a fourth grade student at Donahue School, made stuffed shells with beef and ricotta. He plated his dish carefully, garnishing the shells with extra sauce for dipping.
Andrew Greaney, a fourth grade student at Donahue School, made chicken and broccoli alfredo. He practiced the dish, one of his favorites, at home the night before to prepare for the competition.
Giada “Gigi” Williamson, a fourth grade student at Lawrence School, made “Grandma’s Mac n’ Cheese.” The recipe was first developed by her grandmother, who attended the event to support Gigi’s efforts to carry on the family recipe.