N.C. Jr. Chef competition encourages teamwork, use of local ingredients

This spring, high school students from across the state will compete in the 2025 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition. 

Five teams of two to four students, guided by an adult supervisor, will develop a cafeteria-ready entree that meets National School Lunch Program standards, incorporating at least two North Carolina-grown ingredients and one USDA Foods item. The teams must also submit a video, recipe, nutrient and cost analysis and present to judges.

The participating high schools are Ashe County High, Garinger High, Martin County High, Northern High and Thomasville High.

Tasha Jackson, a culinary arts teacher and supervisor for the Garinger High team, described the competition as a joint effort between staff and students. She said that while students are eager to cook, they often need encouragement when it comes to aspects like cost analysis and nutritional values.

Jackson said that the local-grown ingredient requirement encourages students to think about sustainability, consumption and the value of fresh, homegrown ingredients — especially in today's convenience-driven world. She said Garinger High’s team sources ingredients from its own urban farm and greenhouse. 

 “We want to Instacart," Jackson said. "We want to DoorDash. We want to order things off Amazon. We don't necessarily think about consumption as much as we should."

John Boretti, a culinary instructor at Northern High School, leads his team — last year’s state and Southeast Regional champions — to create a meal that is nutritious and enjoyable for students. Students complain constantly about how bad the school food is, Boretti said.Jackson said that sometimes students won’t eat all day because they don’t like the choices that are presented to them at school.

“One of our greatest values as chefs is that if you want change, be part of the change,” Boretti said. 

Jackson said she remembers how rewarding and empowering it was for Garinger’s team to have their dish featured in the school cafeteria last year. Boretti said his team's dish from last year's competition, taquitos, was so well-received that it was added to the district menu.

“For us, a big value is: put your money where your mouth is,” Boretti said. “Otherwise, you’re just talking. And talking doesn’t solve problems. People solve problems.”

Boretti said that rather than filling his competition team with the highest-performing students, he prioritized students with complementary skills and teamwork. 

“Culinary arts is a team sport — it always has been," he said. 

For the competition, Boretti’s students are preparing a chipotle ground beef and sweet potato skillet.

He said sweet potatoes — one of North Carolina’s most abundant crops — were a natural choice, but the team also had to consider USDA regulations limiting salt content. Instead of relying on sodium for flavor, they used spices and acidity. 

At Thomasville High, students are working to incorporate North Carolina-grown bell peppers and USDA-sourced chicken fajita strips, Tiffany Charles, the Thomasville City Schools' nutrition director, said. 

Diane Roberts, the district's director of career & technical education, said she sees long-term benefits beyond the competition.

Beyond the skills gained from participating in this program, students also receive chef coats, aprons and hats. Finalists are awarded certificates recognizing them as junior chef finalists and medals for their achievement.

The top three teams will receive plaques and scholarships from Sullivan University in Kentucky.

“Regardless of where they place, students are leaving with invaluable skills they can take into their next level — culinary school, the food industry and even going into professional careers,” Roberts said.

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