Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools May/June 2018 | Page 9

Parkwood High aspiring chefs showcase their skills at state cook-off competition
When Parkwood High sophomore Logan
Wheeler was in need of a healthy and
tasty recipe to submit to this year’s NC
Junior Chef Competition, he immediately
went to an often overlooked source: the
Union County Public Schools (UCPS) School
Nutrition Services website.
Logan clicked on Healthy Recipe Ideas
and scrolled until the perfect one caught his
eye: Lemon Pepper Rosemary Chicken. After
enlisting the help of two classmates, Ryan
Artiles and Lawson Cook, the trio tweaked
and perfected the recipe during the next
several months.
“When Logan told us about the
recipe, I thought it was a great idea. The
presentation looked good and it tasted really
good,” Ryan said. “I knew it was the best
option for the competition because out of all
of the students that we surveyed during our
class, we got an 8.9 out of 10.”
To qualify for the inaugural 2018 NC
Junior Chef Competition, the students were
required to submit a recipe for a lunch
entrée that met USDA School Nutrition
Program requirements, included at least
two North Carolina grown ingredients and
one USDA Food item, and was replicable
by school nutrition professionals for school
meals. Additionally, the students were
Several months ago, three
required to calculate a cost per serving and
Parkwood
High students submitted
nutrient analysis for their recipe.
a
recipe
to
the inaugural NC Jr. Chef
It was an arduous process that the
Competition. Their Lemon Pepper
students said they spent weeks working
Rosemary Chicken dish not only
on with the help of their culinary teacher
During the cook-off the students were
Carolyn Hoobler and support from the UCPS received rave reviews from their
challenged
to prepare, cook and plate their
peers, but it also earned them one
School Nutrition Services depart ment.
recipes
and
present their dish along with the
In fact, after getting feedback from their of only eight spots in a statewide
results of student taste tests and surveys. They
cook-off at the April 9 NC Jr. Chef
culinary classmates, the students also had
were evaluated and recognized for their ability
Competition.
the unique opportunity to have their roasted
to work as members of a team to demonstrate
lemon chicken with rosemary and vegetables
valuable skills in recipe development, food preparation,
dish featured on the lunch line for the entire school, ultimately
marketing, public presentation, organization, and local food
earning them rave reviews from their classmates who were
systems.
shocked to learn that it was prepared by their peers.
Although the Parkwood High team ultimately didn’t place
“This is so good. I would easily rate this a 9.5 out of 10,” said
in the competition, they earned high marks and received gold
Parkwood High student Deonte Autry as he devoured the food
medals for their recipe presentation. The remaining teams
during lunch.
received silver medals for their recipe presentation.
Ultimately, their hard work paid off. The recipe earned the
After the competition, Parkwood High culinary teacher Carolyn
Parkwood High trio one of a few spots in the Recipe Cookoff
Hoobler said she couldn’t have been more proud of her students.
event during the April 9 North Carolina Junior Chef Competition in
This experience, she said, has not only generated more student
Greensboro.
interest in the culinary program at Parkwood High, but it has also
“When we got the news that we were going to the state
helped both her and her students gain valuable experience that
competition, I was so excited. I couldn’t believe it,” Lawson
will help them prepare for the competition next year.
said. “Out of more than 20 teams, we were one of eight to be
“These three young men worked so hard and represented
selected. We are the only team that is part of an Intro to Culinary
Union County well through their excellent teamwork,
class -- everyone else is in Culinary I or II -- so we’re quite the
professionalism and wonderful attitudes,” she said. “We are so
underdogs.”
proud of them and this was truly a great experience.”
Parent Teacher Magazine • May/June 2018 • 7