Chopping it up at Hanna Elementary

Hanna Elementary Students hold cooking competition

At 1 p.m. on Friday, the Hanna Elementary School (HES) hosted a culinary activity not often seen in Carbon County, and Wyoming for that matter. HES teachers and staff created a learning experience for all its grades using food.

6th grade teacher Jackie Jones said the staff wanted to have a learning lesson to promote a sense of competition and teamwork. Often this done with athletic activities. The teachers wanted to try something a little different to still use creativity and yet be competitive.

They based the activity on the Food Network Channel TV reality show titled "Chopped".The TV show has four chefs display their culinary skills as they face off against one another to prepare an impressive three-course meal consisting of an appetizer, entree and dessert. Sounds easy, but it really isn't. In each round, the chefs have to use all the ingredients the show provides them, however unusual the products. Each round has a time limit, typically 20 minutes for Appetizer, and 30 minutes each for Entrée and Dessert. The chefs must cook their dishes and complete four platings. Three for the judges and one plate for the audience to see, all completed before time runs out.

The Appetizer and Entrée rounds are judged independently from one another, while in the Dessert round, the judges consider the chefs' overall performance during the entire competition. At the end of each course, a panel of three guest judges "chops" one chef who fails to measure up in terms of taste, presentation and creativity. The last chef remaining takes home $10,000 and confidence of their ability under pressure. Ted Allen hosts.

There was no one to host for the HES "Chopped" but J. Jones, 2nd grade teacher Sarah Jones and Kindergarten Kyle Warren supervised the program. There was no $10,000 prize, but the kids were as excited if there had been.

The grades through kindergarten to 2nd grade were competing in the dessert competition, 3rd and 4th competed in the appetizer category and the 5th and 6th graders competed in the main entree division.

The judges were celebrities in their own way for the kids with Hanna Marshal Ted Kranenberg Jr., Hanna EMT Shana Romero and Nanette Marchetti.

J. Jones said the bags containing ingredients in the main entree competition included broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, salami, and pepperoni. She said unlike the show, the entire amount given of any ingredient didn't have to be used, but some of each product had to be used. They also had different sauces and tortillas available.

The kids, no matter the age, were taking the competition seriously and were enthusiastic about what they were creating. All the entrees had to be created from ingredients that didn't need to be cooked. There was a 45 minute time limit for the creations. The kids took every minute. Once the dishes were made, it came time for the plating and presenting it before the judges.

Each grade took their turn presenting their creation.

Tobi Curtis, Ricky Seager, and Garrett Widdison won the main course. Tylie Maughan, Justin Brown, Bradley Seager and Kacey Bentley won appetizer. The youngest group that won for dessert was Addie Herson, Sarah Bowden, Everleigh Bradish and Korbin Pelt.

J. Jones said when the event was starting, she and the other teachers wanted the kids to use their imagination and think outside the box with their entrees.

Once HES "Chopped" was finished, the HES teachers' goal was accomplished.

 

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