4 teams rocked their recipes at MenuDirections’ Culinary Competition

Four teams of two examined the mystery basket of ingredients, prepped their mis en place and began to chop, blend, stir and saute. The seventh annual Culinary Competition was officially underway at FoodService Director’s MenuDirections conference in Atlanta, and the excitement had begun to build. For the first year, professional chefs were paired with ProStart students from Meadowcreek High School in Georgia, and each team was charged with creating a vegetarian entree in 60 minutes.

ProStart is a nationwide high school culinary arts program of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation that provides mentorship and training to students seeking a career in foodservice. The professional chefs came from operations in healthcare, college and university, and K-12 schools. Here’s what they created together, using products from the competition’s three sponsors—Kikkoman, Land O’Lakes and the Mushroom Council—and grabbing produce, spices, grains and more from the mystery basket.

Four students and their instructor, Simone Byron, traveled from Meadowcreek High School outside of Atlanta to participate in the competition. From left to right: Jordan Timothee, Ashley Casasola, Arturo Perez and Evelin Castro.

Team 4 included Ashley Casasola and Hector Vega, sous chef at North Carolina State University. They were the first to start prepping their ingredients, which would become vegetarian ramen. The other three teams followed at 10-minute intervals.

Arturo Perez partnered with Tony Gargano, executive chef at Eskenazi Health. Together, they began chopping vegetables for their risotto.

Jordan Timothee and Matthew Carney, sous chef at Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital, get the pans ready to saute some mushrooms for their dish of chickpea cakes and portobello fries.

Evelin Castro and Matthew Hairgrove, area supervisor for Denver Public Schools, cook mushrooms for their taco filling.

The judges and MenuDirections’ attendees observe the teams, as ingredients simmer and tempting aromas fill the air.

Andrew Hunter, Kikkoman’s corporate chef and the competition’s master of ceremonies, interviews chef-instructor Simone Byron (center) and Nesha Bailey-Mason, executive director of the Hospitality Education Foundation of Georgia (left), about the ProStart program.

Time is up for Team 4, as they plate their vegetarian ramen for the judges to taste.

The panel of judges included (left to right) Pat Cobe, senior editor of FoodService Director and Restaurant Business; Raenel Stelly, a private chef and 2018 competitor; Stephanie Power, executive chef at Spring Harbor Hospital; and Rick Farmer, executive chef at St. Jude’s Research Hospital.

Team 2 plates its Mediterranean Vegetable Risotto, accompanied by a tofu mixed salad.

Team 3 puts the final touches on its Mushroom Tacos with Peppers and Fried Avocado.

Team 1 is ready to bring a plate of Chickpea Cakes and Portobello Fries to the judges.

Chef Rick Farmer of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, one of the four judges, digs into the tacos from Team 3.

Get the recipe for Team 3’s tacos here.

Follow the recipe by clicking here.

Follow this link to see Team 1’s recipe.

The judges crowned Team 4 the winners of MenuDirections’ Culinary Competition 2019 for their Vegetarian Ramen Bowl with Seared Portobellos and Crispy Chickpeas. Click here for the recipe.

Kudos to all four teams for their hard work and creativity.