Volunteer judges for the 2024 LPPS ProStart Culinary Cook-Off mark their scores for the various dishes served by the competing culinary students. They are, from left, Corey Berner, vice president of Operations for Gold Star Foods Central Region; Allen Cole, a K-12 specialist for Acxion; and Spencer Harris, supervisor of LPPS Child Welfare and Attendance; LPPS Career and Technical Education Coordinator Staci Polozola; and Chancy Vaughn, LPPS child nutrition program coordinator.
A pork taquitos recipe prepared by the Live Oak High culinary team won over the judges in a Livingston Parish public schools cooking contest.
Thirty-two culinary students representing five high schools in Livingston Parish squared off in a best-dish competition for the chance to have their food item selected to be on the district's Curbside Café menu.
Those schools competing in the ProStart Culinary Cook-Off included two teams from Denham Springs High, French Settlement High and Springfield High School, and one team each from Live Oak High and Walker High. The competition was Nov. 13 at the district's Professional Development Center in Satsuma and was sponsored by the district's Child Nutrition Department. Each recipe in the competition featured Brookwood Farm's pork carnitas.
A group of volunteer judges were assigned with the task of taste-testing each dish and scoring the dishes on the merits of taste, presentation and student acceptability.
The Live Oak High team's culinary program received a $500 gift card to Webstaurant to purchase small wares for their school's ProStart kitchen, and each student on the team received a $25 Amazon gift card. The winning students are Andrew Stansbury, Addison Zaunbrecher, Bella Culmone and Jacob Cowart.
French Settlement High School earned second place with its carnitas nachos recipe. The school's culinary program received a portable propane stove, a stainless-steel measuring set, and a ThermoWorks thermometer, which are valued at $200. Each student on the team received a $15 Chick-fil-A gift card. The winning students are Miranda Rose, Rylie Trabeaux, Lacey Salik and Micheal Bruno.
Denham Springs High tamale pie recipe earned third place. The school's culinary program received a cutting board and stainless-steel measuring set, which are valued at $100. Each student on the team received a $15 Chick-fil-A gift card. The winning students are Rayvious Williams, Arianna Manuel, Brooklyn Moore and Dania Merida.
Sommer Purvis, supervisor of Child Nutrition Programs, said the participating culinary students are enrolled in the district's ProStart curriculum, which is a restaurant industry-backed culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. The winning recipe will be a featured food item on the district's Curbside Café, a customized mobile kitchen that visits middle and high schools throughout the district on a regular schedule, offering lunch options in addition to what is served in the schools' cafeterias. It combines new menu ideas from ProStart students, along with fresh ingredients grown and harvested by students in the district, when available.
"These students are gaining valuable career-building skills through our school's ProStart programs and through competitions like this one. The Curbside Café gives us an opportunity to showcase their work, and for them to gain practical experience in developing recipes, and managing supplies and timelines," Purvis said.