Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Winooski News
Over 70 teams of young chefs from across the state came together at the Champlain Valley Expo Center recently to showcase their passion for food, teamwork and some friendly competition.
Among the competitors: The Wild Onions, a returning Winooski Middle School team mentored by chef Adam Raftery of Waterworks Food + Drink in Winooski.
“These girls have practiced so hard over the past few months and they deserve every bit of credit for it,” Raftery said at a practice session before the competition on March 29.
Winooski sixth grade science teacher Adriana Penalosa-Kirby also helped train the team and expand their culinary repertoire. She explained that when Raftery introduced the dish idea of Korean fried chicken of the wood, a play on Korean fried chicken using Laetiporus mushrooms, the students weren’t as enthusiastic as he was.
“They wouldn’t even try the dish, let alone cook it in 90 minutes,” she said.
The Winooski Wild Onions always start from square one. Chef Raftery develops the idea of the dish in January. The team then practices once a week to build the dish, develop their cooking strategy and perfect their kitchen etiquette.
At a practice session a few days before the competition, the team was a well-organized cooking machine. Their effort paid off and they took home the Mise en Place award, a prize for a team that shows exemplary teamwork, order and professionalism.
The Wild Onions’ drive to win wasn’t just about pride—Chef Raftery had promised them a trip to the movies if they won.
Each teammate had their role. Student Aili Olson was on knife duty, chopping up green onions, mushrooms and kimchi for the dish. Anisha Tamang was the saucier, whipping up the kimchi ranch sauce for the dish. Finally, Ankita Dhungana stepped up to the plate and was on frying duty after no one else volunteered.
“Why not, I’ll do it,” she said.
The all-around winner and crowd-pleaser of the morning middle school competition was the Los Amigos Team of the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington. They served up a three-pepper quesadilla with charred corn and black bean salsa.
Vermont Jr. Iron Chef is funded and organized by Vermont Afterschool, a statewide nonprofit that focuses on building partnerships and helping all Vermont youth stay active, connected and heard.
Since its inception in 2008, the Jr. Iron Chef program has seen more than 5,000 Vermont middle and high school students. Over 1,000 teams have competed.
Local sponsors and community-focused organizations came out to showcase their products. In the activity room, Skinny Pancake gave attendees a hands-on crepe-making experience. The Chittenden County Maple Sugar Foundation delighted guests with a station serving up classic Vermont treats like fresh sugar on snow and maple-coated popcorn. Meanwhile, the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Education Network hosted a delightful cheese-tasting stand, highlighting the best of local dairy.
On the day of the competition, the Champlain Expo Center swelled with the mouth-watering aromas of sizzling dishes, the energy of community organizations and the excitement of good old-fashioned friendly competition.