Student Chef Contestants Announced

By Madie Murray

Students are practicing and the stage is set for the Third Annual OISD Student Chef Competition presented by the Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program with K-5 students starting at 9:30 a.m. and 6-12 students starting at noon  on Saturday, March 31 in the Home Ec Room behind the public school cafeteria.

Entries chosen adhered to certain criteria:  It had to be a Caribbean entree, include at least three items grown or raised locally, look inviting, taste good, have nutritional value and be prepared with reasonable effort for potentially up to 250 people in the school cafeteria.

Cooking in the morning will be six teams in grades K-5:  Joe Reigel and Aiden McGregor (Caribbean Pho Soup with Jerk Steak), Katarina Schiller and Kayleigh Horton (Trinidad Garlic Pork with Caribbean Black Beans), Zora Leck and Birdie Greening (Plantain Crusted Caribbean Chicken), Lillyan Otto and Evan King (Caribbean Chicken),  Sabrina Bailey and Millie Kau (Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs) and Arla and Sam Sutton (Colorful Caribbean Tortillas.)

Something different is occurring in the afternoon.  Sixth grade contestants will be competing with each other instead of being grouped with K-5 students.  They are Monica Connell (Caribbean Jerk Stir-Fry), Violet and Tori Sturk (Jerk Chicken Wings with Rice and Peas), and Alexis Pence (St. Lucia Plantain Casserole.)

Last year's judges (L/R) Jacob Angel, Nile Reed, Janet Brownell, Debbie Guilford and Sara Morgan tasting Keenan O'Brien's Grand Prize winning recipe for White Bean Chicken Chili.

And this year, the high school competitors are teamed up with a teacher of their choice in the competition. They are  Bailey Johnson with Val Heller (Pineapple Ham Kebabs with Caribbean Rice), Denis Riordan with Jill Sherman (Caribbean Scallion Pancakes with Crab Cakes and Fruit Salsa), and Katie Holley with Paul Evans (Caribbean Jerk Chicken.)

Awards will be presented around 11 a.m. for the morning K-5 contestants and around 3 p.m. for the afternoon 6-12 contestants.

We wish to thank our wonderful community sponsors for supporting this exciting event:  Rose’s Bakery Cafe, Smalldog Network Solutions, Maxdigger Productions, Doe Bay Cafe, The Reed Family, The Lawlers, Chilada’s, Tim Blancard and Peg Manning and the Orcas Hotel.

Judging the presentations this year will be Cathy Ferran, Christina Orchid, Abby Rueb along with former winners, Ray Doss and Keenan O’Brien.  Chef Zach Holley will be our official Student Chef Coach, and our stellar Master of Ceremonies for the entire event will again be Kyle Freeman.

Everyone is welcome to come watch all during the day, cheer your favorite budding chef to victory and have the opportunity to taste each wonderful recipe after it has been presented and judged.  Admission is free!