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

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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."

 

What did students create? Appetizers Sour Chicken Cigars Applied Arts Science and Technology Academy Jive Turkey Dip Chicago Vocational Career Academy Wraps with Turkey, Cheese and Bacon Collins High School Baked Tortilla Shells with Chicken, Veggies, & Sauce Corliss High School Tostadas with Tilapia, Peaches and Sour Cream Dunbar Career Academy Spinich & Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Rollup Harper High School Bruscetta Hyde Park Academy High School Confetti Appetizers North Grand High School Navajo Flatbread with Andouille Chicken Apple Sausages Prosser Career Academy Chicken Wraps Julian High School   Desserts Fruit Torte Clemente High School Chocolate Dessert Manley Career Academy High School Baked Meringue Wrap Tilden Career Community High School Sweet Potato Cheesecake Englewood Academy High School Very Berry Healthy Ice Cream Prosser Career Academy Fruit Filled Mini Empanadas Simeon Career Academy   School Lunch Super Duper Regio Pizza Applied Arts Science and Technology Academy Red Beans & Rice with Smothered Cabbage and Candied Carrots Chicago Vocational Career Academy Euro Chicken Pasta Clemente High School Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Tender Salad Collins High School Roasted Turkey with Apple Glaze, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Sautéed String Beans Corliss High School Cobb Salad Wrap Dunbar Vocational Career Academy Healthy Easy Chicken Stir Fry Englewood Academy High School Diced Chicken with Salsa and Cheese in a Tortilla Harper High School Grilled Chicken Pita Sandwich Julian High School Peppered Chicken Manley Career Academy High School Chuletas (Pork Chops), Papas de North-Grand and Ensalada Espanola North Grand High School Turkey Ham Multigrain Quesadilla with a Veggie Medley Pico De Gallo Prosser Career Academy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Southern Herb Greens and Smoked Turkey Simeon Career Academy Whole Wheat Chicken Burrito with Mexican Rice Tilden Career Community High School

 

Congratulations to the Winners of the Healthy Cooking Contest!     School meal First place: Chicago Vocational Career Academy, Red Beans & Rice with Smothered Cabbage and Candied Carrots Second place: Prosser High School, Turkey Ham Multigrain Quesadilla with a Veggie Medley Pico De Gallo Third place: Applied Arts Science and Technology Academy, Super Duper Regio Pizza     Appetizer First place: Chicago Vocational Career Academy, Jive Turkey Dip Second place: Dunbar High School, Tilapia Tostadas with Peach & Sour Cream Third place: Prosser High School, Navajo Flatbread with Andouille Chicken Apple Sausages     Dessert First place: Manley High School, Chocolate Dessert Second place: Clemente High School, Fruit Torte Third place: Englewood High School, Sweet Potato Cheesecake     Audience Choice Awards Appetizer: Dunbar High School, Tilapia Tostadas with Peach & Sour Cream Dessert: Clemente High School, Fruit Torte