Hoyt, Chefs, Farmers Market Team Up in Healthy Cooking Challenge
The following article is from the Downtown Community Alliance about the new Healthy Chef Cooking Challenge, teaming up local chefs and Hoyt Middle School students. They will be shopping for ingredients at the Downtown Farmers Market and then preparing two recipes on Saturday morning:
The Downtown Farmers’ Market is teaming up with students from Hoyt Middle School Summer Camp program this Saturday, July 21 for the Healthy Chef Cooking Challenge. This kid-friendly cooking challenge is designed to encourage middle-school-age students to make better food choices. The students will learn to shop the Farmers Market, prepare, cook, and eat healthy foods. The Healthy Chef Cooking Challenge will begin at 8:30 a.m. with each team shopping and selecting their market fresh ingredients. Cooking will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Downtown Farmers’ Market, near the intersection of Fifth and Court Avenue.
Thirty-five pre-selected students from the Hoyt Middle Schools Summer Camp program will be paired up with local chefs to compete in this cooking challenge. The five outstanding local chefs who are committed to helping kids learn to cook healthy food include: George Formaro of Centro, Django, Gateway Market, Zombie Burger; Jesus Ojeda of Chisme; Jon Benedict of Purfoods,LLC; Charles Hammelman of Bravo Cucina; and Terrie Kohl of Country Club Restaurant. The chefs will lead the teams through the Market to shop for fresh ingredients. After shopping, each team and chef will prepare and cook two recipes in front of the farmers market crowd, to be tasted and judged by a panel of judges. The teams will have an hour to shop and an hour to cook. This is the first year for the Healthy Chef Cooking Challenge.
Hoyt Middle School Principal Laura Kacer, says, “This is an especially unique culminating event to highlight the Healthy Eating theme for the week. Time is spent each day learning about cooking, healthy eating, and nutrition. The kids and staff are very excited to show off their skills at the Downtown Farmers’ Market. George Formaro is also a great role model for our students as he is a former Hoyt student.”
“The Downtown Farmers’ Market is proud to partner with the students and staff of the Hoyt Middle School Summer Camp and the selected local chefs. The Healthy Chef Cooking Competition is a step toward helping kids in our community make healthy food choices, first by bringing awareness of what is available, then by making it fun and taste good. This challenge will help demonstrate that shopping for healthy food at our farmers market is a great way to find the best ingredients to prepare healthy snacks and meals,” explains Kelly Foss, director of the Downtown Farmers’ Market.
