Meet the future chefs of North Carolina
High school culinary teams compete in NC Jr. Chef Competition, showcasing cooking skills and local ingredients while creating innovative school lunch recipes.
The next generation of culinary talent is preparing to shine in North Carolina as five high school teams gear up for an intense cooking showdown. These young chefs will not only showcase their creative cooking skills but also demonstrate their understanding of nutrition, local agriculture, and professional food service standards in the 2025 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition.
Selected finalists prepare for culinary challenge
Teams from Ashe County High, Garinger High, Martin County High, Northern High, and Thomasville High have earned spots in the statewide competition after a rigorous application process. Each team, consisting of two to four students, will work alongside an adult supervisor from their school’s faculty or nutrition staff.
The competition challenges students to create innovative school lunch entrées that meet several key criteria:
- Compliance with National School Lunch Program nutrition standards
- Incorporation of at least two North Carolina-grown products
- Usage of one USDA Foods item
- Feasibility for school nutrition program implementation
- Appeal to student taste preferences
Competition format and judging
The contest unfolds in multiple phases, beginning with initial recipe submissions and culminating in a video-based cook-off. Teams must document their cooking process, submit detailed work plans, and participate in virtual interviews with evaluators. Judges will assess teams on various aspects, including:
- Recipe development skills
- Food preparation techniques
- Safety and sanitation practices
- Team organization
- Presentation abilities
- Understanding of nutrition and local food systems
Recognition and rewards
All finalist teams will receive professional chef attire and participate in a virtual awards ceremony with their school communities. The competition offers significant incentives, including:
- School plaques for the top three teams
- Scholarships from Sullivan University in Kentucky
- A traveling trophy for the first-place team
- Advancement to the 2025 Southeast Jr. Chef Competition for the state winner
The competition represents a collaborative effort between the NC Department of Public Instruction’s School Nutrition and Career and Technical Education offices, the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services’ Farm to School Program, and the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina. Its mission extends beyond culinary skills to promote local agriculture, enhance school nutrition programs, and foster healthy eating habits among students.
Additional details about the competition can be found on the NCDPI School Nutrition website.
This article may have been created with the assistance of AI.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
