CMS team of student chefs face off in NC Junior Chef finals

CHARLOTTE — A group of Charlotte students made it to the final stage of the North Carolina Junior Chef competition and will face off two other high school teams from across the state.

Two culinary teachers from Garinger High School will lead a few of their students in the cook-off against teams from First Flight High along the coast and Northern High in Durham.

They’ll compete to develop a creative recipe for a school lunch entrée. Their entries must include two North Carolina-grown ingredients and meet national nutrition standards.

In March, they’ll present their dishes during virtual interviews with a panel. Teams will be evaluated by recipe development, food preparation, safety and sanitation, organization, and presentation and knowledge of nutrition, farm-to-school, and local food systems.

Sullivan University in Kentucky will offer scholarships to the student members of the top three teams, and the winners will advance to the regional competition held in Nashville in May.

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