Cooking Up Change Healthy Cooking Contest

Congratulations to the winning teams from the 2010 Cooking up Change Chicago healthy cooking contest and to all of the incredible student chefs who created healthy, great-tasting school lunches for the contest.

The level of competition was higher than ever as culinary students presented creative solutions to the challenge of devising school lunches that meet high nutrition standards with the many constraints -- from budget to ingredients and preparation steps -- of school food service.

The first place team will travel to Washington, DC to present their meal in the great hall of the USDA and see it served to Congress. Closer to home, the winning lunch will be served in all Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high schools! Winning team members receive a scholarship to Washburne culinary institute plus a trophy for their school.

Congratulations to all the inspiring and impressive student chefs!

First Place: Healthy School Lunch
Richards Career Academy
»Menu: Afro-Caribe Plancha, Soup of Sunshine, Caribbean Citrus Crunch Relish
»Students: Gerardo Garcia, Ruby Gutierrez, Claudia Ramirez, Lidia Sanchez
»Instructors: Mark Soltis and Katy Walsh
»Team Mentor: Paul Molina, Illinois Institute of Art

Second Place: Healthy School Lunch
Clemente Community Academy
»Menu: Baked Cajun Veggie Mac N’Cheese with Chicken, WOW! Chopped Salad and Vanilla Yogurt Banana Split
»Students: Elizabeth Aguilera, Fernando Alday, Marquita Banks, Miguel Garcia, Arianna Ray, Lilliana Roman
»Instructors: Anthony Ladson and Ernestine Maxie
»Team Mentor: Joel Cooper, Wolfgang Puck Catering

Third Place: Healthy School Lunch
Julian High School
»Menu: Latin Chicken Stew, Dos Bean Rice Pilaf, Apple
»Students: Devante’ Floyd, Jalen Jenkins, LillianKelly, Cheyenne Toney, Darnell Webb
»Instructor: Laniecia Anderson
»Team Mentor: Brad Newman, Quest Food Management Services

Audience Choice: Healthy Cookie
Simeon Career Academy
»Thyme-scented lemon cookie
»Students: Devon Bussell, Jasmine Cook, Justin Love, Aireal Mays, Olivia Smith, Raven Warford
»Instructor: Loretta Johnson
»Team Mentor: Guy Dansereau, Greater Chicago Food Depository

About the Cooking Up Change Healthy Cooking Contest
Cooking up Change - created by the Healthy Schools Campaign - is a benefit, healthy cooking contest and a spotlight on the tremendous challenges of serving healthy school meals on the incredibly tight budgets that schools face. Culinary arts students from Chicago’s public high schools compete to create a healthy school lunch that exceeds USDA standards, incorporates a local food item, draws from ingredients commonly available to food service, and can be easily prepared in a school kitchen.

For more information on the Healthy Schools Campaign please visit their website at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/

This story was originally published on The Healthy Schools Campaign website at http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/ and is reprinted here with permission.