Foodies and Food-Network fans understand the allure of competitive cooking programs, such as Iron Chef and Iron Chef America – the anticipation of clever, creative course preparations, the array of beautiful, delectable ingredients, the thrill of a time-constrained challenge. Well, why not pair that allure with the mission of food-nutrition education?
On June 14 in the Fort Lewis College Student Union, 30 high schoolers from eight Southwest Colorado counties will participate in their own version of Iron Chef as part of an annual health-careers camp offered through the Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center.
This is the fourth year for the camp, which works to educate teens in southwest Colorado about the variety of job opportunities in the health-care industry, said SWCAHEC Executive Director Kathleen McInnis.
The food competition will focus on “reinforcing good nutrition and good health,” said McInnis, so that campers can better understand that “food is part of health and that they can do this for a living” as a dietitian nutritionist, among other career choices.
Sodexo, the food-services company that manages FLC’s dining operations, is organizing the event for SWCAHEC campers. Executive Chef Liv Ashcraft will take on the master-of-ceremonies role, leading the apprentice chefs through the cooking challenge. Working in cooking stations set up in the dining area of the FLC Student Union, each team of campers will be presented with an identical box of ingredients that must be turned into a meal in 30 minutes, Ashcraft explains.
Sodexo staff will be there to provide direction, Ashcraft said, and spices, sauces, and other basic ingredients will be available and ready to go so that teams have the opportunity to choose a specific cuisine, such as Asian or Italian.
When time’s up, a panel of judges – which includes Wendy Rice, a Colorado State University area extension agent for family and consumer science – will determine the team with the best offering. The winning dish will be served as part of the camp’s menu on June 15.
Ultimately, Ashcraft says that the goal is to show young people not only that good, nutritious meals are essential for overall well-being, but also that cooking can be quick and relatively easy. She notes that while occasionally opting for Hamburger Helper or fast food is fine, “getting food out of a box isn’t a way to live.”
“Society is doing huge things to change the perception of what is acceptable for food, and we, as food providers, need to assist with that,” she said.
Contact Paige Gray at blankpaige@gmail.com.
