At Cooking up Change 2009, teams of high school students studying culinary arts at public schools in Chicago showed just how tasty — and how healthy — a student-designed menu can be.

Teams of high school students studying culinary arts in Chicago Public Schools competed to create a healthy school meal on a tight budget, meeting standards for nutrition, taste, presentation and originality.

The winning school meal - designed by the team from Tilden high school - will be served for lunch in all Chicago public high schools! Team members also won a trip to Washington, DC to see their meal served in the House of Representatives cafeteria and scholarships to Washburne Culinary Institute.

Student Chefs Bring Healthy Lunch to DC The Tilden high school student team - winners of the 2009 healthy cooking contest - will be the second team to bring the Cooking up Change message to DC. The student chefs of Richards high school, who won the 2008 contest, saw their tasty lunch of carrot quesadillas, stuffed peppers and fresh citrus salad served to more than 40,000 students across the nation and in the House of Representatives cafeteria on May 5, 2009. The student chefs prepared their meal with Sam Kass, chef to the Obama family, at an HSC briefing on the future of school food in Washington, DC. Learn more and see photos of the student chefs bringing their healthy school meal to Washington »

Preparing the Chefs of Tomorrow

The city-wide contest, presented in collaboration with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Dept. of College and Career Preparation, began with healthy cooking workshops and team efforts to design and refine original recipes. Each team was matched with a mentor from Chicago’s culinary community who provides encouragement and professional insight into the world of culinary competitions. The contest culminated with judging and awards at the benefit on Oct. 29.

This training and the professional experiences of taking part in a culinary competition and presenting food at a benefit – along with the connections formed with leaders in the Chicago culinary world - help prepare students for careers in an increasingly health-conscious culinary world.

“It does a lot to develop their self-esteem,” said Bernadette Bergren, who teaches culinary arts at Roberto Clemente High School. “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.”

Cooking for Nutrition, Flavor, Budget

The entries were evaluated by dieticians to ensure that they met the nutrition standards set for the contest, and were tasted on-site by a judging panel of chefs and local celebrities. Recipes had to meet the criteria set by Balanced Choices, the guidelines used by CPS partner Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality, which include USDA guidelines for school meals plus standards for sodium and fiber.

Crafting tasty lunches that meet high nutrition standards challenges students to think beyond usual culinary education, which traditionally focuses on delicious food without a great deal of attention to its nutritional qualities. Students face the additional challenge of creating these meals with a tight food budget and a list of ingredients available for school food service. The lessons provide a way for students to understand and promote healthy eating.

Sharing Healthy Messages

“Hopefully some of the healthy lifestyles they pick up will rub off on their peers,” said David Blackmon, manager of culinary education for CPS, adding that the experiences teaches students about more than cooking: “There’s nothing like being part of something that’s bigger than you are.”