Student chefs compete to have their dishes served in schools

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Groups of student chefs from schools across Ohio came to Columbus State Community College Friday to compete for the best original school lunch recipe.

The dish the judges liked the most has a chance to be served in school cafeterias statewide next year.

Five teams were selected to come, including groups from a Southwest Licking middle school and the Ohio State School for the Blind.

They had two hours to create a meal from scratch.

For the competition, students’ recipes had to meet national school lunch program guidelines, include local produce and be cost-effective.

“The goal is always for the healthiest meals possible that our schools can serve and meals that are fun and desirable for the students to have,” said Elizabeth Douglass with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Office of Nutrition.

Students from Watkins Middle School with Southwest Licking came up with loaded french fries full of nutritional, fresh ingredients.

“They thought that the seasoning and the texture and stuff was really nice and also like, no negative comments,” said 8th grader Drake Camacho from Southwest Licking.

The team from the Ohio State School for the Blind made a sweet heat Mediterranean dish with unique flavors.

Kendon Sears said his team has low vision, which made the competition even more challenging. But they are proud of their meal.

“We had spent many, many months practicing for this. We know this dish backwards, forwards and with being a blind school, we have a chemistry and we have a team,” Sears said.

The judges loved each dish they were served, from the french fries to the pasta, to chicken sandwiches and the Mediterranean meal.

But the group from Hamilton City Schools took home the prize with their vegetarian tacos.

Hamilton City Schools’ tacos will be presented to food service directors across Ohio. The original recipe could be in some Ohio schools by the fall.