Tuesday, January 26, 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY -- San Diego's Top Chefs Judge at 12th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition

MEDIA ADVISORY from the San Diego Unified School District, January 26, 2016

SAN DIEGO'S TOP CHEFS JUDGE AT 12TH ANNUAL TEEN IRON CHEF COMPETITION

WHAT: Tofu? Tarragon? Wasabi? What is the secret ingredient? Find out at the 12th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition. San Diego Unified School District Culinary Arts and Management students battle each other preparing a three-course meal incorporating the secret ingredient.

Students from Hoover, Garfield, Madison, Morse, and Scripps Ranch high schools will be participating.

The competition is supported by the San Diego County Chapter of the California Restaurant Association and is based on the Iron Chef America Series on the Food Network.

WHO: California Restaurant Association, Local Chapter; Jack in the Box; San Diego Unified School District Office of College, Career and Technical Education; Schools: Hoover, Garfield, Madison, Morse, and Scripps Ranch High School students Celebrity judges include: Chef Bernard Guillas (The Marine Room | La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Executive Chef), Chef Ricardo Heredia (2014 World Food Champion), Ken Irvine (Irvine Hospitality), Larry Lewis (San Diego Culinary Institute Program Director, Senior Executive Chef), Deborah Scott (Cohn Restaurant Group, Partner/Chef), Mark Blaauboer (Art Institute of California, Academic Director), and Jim Phillips (SYSCO Business Development, Culinary Specialist).

WHEN: Thursday, January 28, 2016

3:30 p.m. – Students arrive to set up; introduction of judges; announcement of secret ingredient

3:40 p.m. – One-hour timed competition including all cutting, mixing and food preparation

5:00 p.m. – Plating and presentation to judges

5:10 p.m. – Judging occurs

6:00 p.m. – Announcement of winning team

WHERE: Jack in the Box Innovation Center, 9357 Spectrum Center Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123, (858) 571-2121

Media parking will be available in main lot.

VISUALS: High school students in the heat of competition cooking and serving meals, judges evaluating meals, winning team awards ceremony.

SPEAKERS/INTERVIEWS: Students, teachers, celebrity judges. (Spanish as well)

BACKGROUND: Teen Iron Chef is in its twelfth year and was the brain child of the College, Career & Technical Education (CCTE) teacher, Zhee Zhee Aguirre. She wanted her students to experience competitive cooking and based the San Diego Unified School District's competition on the Iron Chef America Series on the Food Network.

Students are able to work on their ideas, go shopping, portion their protein and measure any dry or liquid ingredients the day before the event. They are not allowed to do any actual cooking, pre-making dough, or premixing ingredients ahead of time. On the day of the competition, they will be presented with a secret ingredient that must be incorporated into at least one of their three courses. They are allowed to have their recipes or prep-list at the station during the competition.

To keep the competition fresh and to not give any team an advantage, the secret ingredient changed every year. Some of the secret ingredients from previous years include calamari, brie, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, cantaloupe and tofu.

CONTACT: Lance Larson, Office of College Career and Technical Education, (619) 548-1166

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