‘Cooking up Change’ competition crowns its 10th winner

Marshawn Gibson, 19, an alumnus of George Washington High School, returned for the 10th anniversary of the “Cooking up Change” competition on Thursday, after winning last year’s first prize with his team. This year he is not a competitor — he’s a judge.

“It feels really weird to be on the opposite side,” Gibson said as he looked around at this year’s teams. “My biggest advice for them is to smile, network and to not be shy when they go in for judging.”

Gibson said he was looking for creativity and flavor when judging the food, as well as the unique healthy spin that the students take.

This year, more than 300 guests attended the Cooking up Change reception, and they all had a chance to taste the student’s dishes.

“It feels great to serve our food, the best part is seeing the look on people’s faces when they enjoy it,” Jeffrey Gonzalez, 16, from Ellen H. Richards Career Academy High School, said as he hurried to set out more cups of a chopped Caesar salad out for guests passing by. “I think we have a good chance of winning.”

At 7:30 p.m., Gonzales was proven right, as his school took home the 1st place trophy for Cooking up Change 2016, and the much-anticipated trip to Washington, D.C. They won for their chicken Vesuvio chicken, chopped Caesar salad and caramelized pear-pone.

Second place went to North-Grand High School, and third place to Marie S. Curie Metropolitan High School.

The Cooking up Change program was launched by the Healthy Schools Campaign in Chicago in 2007. Since then, it has expanded to include 20 other cities, which host their own competitions each year. This year, Chicago students studying the culinary arts from 13 high schools competed.

“Students come with so much creativity, so much energy and so much desire to use their talents to create a healthy school meal,” said Rochelle Davis, president and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign. “It’s pretty exciting and a great reflection point to think about how much school food has changed in the last 10 years.”

She can’t wait to see what the next 10 years of Cooking up Change will bring.

“I certainly hope that the country continues with its commitment to improve school meals,” she said. “Cooking up Change has allowed student voices and creativity to be a part of that conversation.”

The teams arrived at the event venue, the Bridgeport Art Center Skyline Loft, at 1 p.m. By 2 p.m. the entire loft smelled like caramelized onions and a variety of spices. Energized students chatted about the judging as they prepared the food with care.

Takayla Smith, 17, from Charles Allen Prosser Career Academy High School, said she was excited to participate in the competition. She thinks her team’s chicken burrito bowl has what it takes to win.

“This competition gives us students a chance to show who we are and where we come from,” she said. “I found myself making my personality show through my food — spicy and sometimes sweet.”

By 3 p.m., all of the team’s dishes were prepared and ready to be served to the judges. A hush fell over the students as they prepared to enter the judging room. Teams entered one at a time and delivered a detailed presentation of each dish as the judges took bites.

Student chefs presented their meals to local leaders, policymakers and the culinary community. They were challenged to create healthy, great-tasting meals that meet the real-life requirements of the school meal program. They also have to do it on a budget: The lunches have to cost about $1.

The winning meal will be served at all CPS schools next semester, and the winning team will go on an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to take part in the national competition at the U.S. Department of Education.

Leslie Fowler, executive director for nutrition support services with Chicago Public Schools, is a judge this year and said she thinks Cooking up Change “is the best of our educational processes at work.”

“This is always one of my favorite events and favorite times of the year, because this is about our kids,” she said. “This is about our students doing what we prepare them for all year long, which is to show us what they’ve learned.”

Fowler also said she was excited to be judge this year. She was in charge of choosing a winning dish that can be “easily translatable into the regular food service operation.”

“I think I have a good team this year, and I think they’re ready,” said Rashaan Laster, 18, from Chicago Vocational Career Academy High School. He has competed in Cooking up Change before and said he hoped his team’s Cafe Tuna melt would win over the judges with its unique qualities.

“A lot of students have hot dishes and this year. We decided to go with a cold dish, something that a lot of students don’t do,” Laster said. Winning “would mean a lot to me and my teammates because we worked hard to get here.”

After all of the teams had presented and as the judges deliberated before announcing a winner, the 10th anniversary’s reception began at 6 p.m., with a DJ, gourmet food and drinks, a photo booth, silent auction and a grand-prize raffle, which guests entered for a chance to win a four-day, three-night trip to California.

The Bridgeport Art Center filled with guests as the students served them their dishes and patiently waited for the competition’s results.