Attention foodies and fans of culinary competition: the kitchen is heating up with five high school teams going head-to-head in the 2025 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition this spring. These finalists, hailing from across the state, are Ashe County High, Garinger High, Martin County High, Northern High, and Thomasville High. Each team has battled its way through a rigorous application process, showcasing their school lunch entrée recipes that not only meet the National School Lunch Program nutrition standards, but also include at least two North Carolina-grown products and one USDA Foods item.
So what's on the menu for these rising chefs? Each team of two to four students, partnered with an adult supervisor, have taken on the challenge to bring their A-game to the virtual table. After preparing and plating their dishes, they will submit a video feast for the eyes, dishing out their culinary creations for a panel of evaluators. According to an announcement on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website, teams will present during virtual, live interviews, where evaluators will have the chance to pepper them with questions and serve up some feedback on the spot.
There's plenty at stake for these junior chefs: in addition to prestige, the top three teams will be slicing and dicing for a chance at scholarships from Sullivan University in Kentucky. The first-place winners will not only hold the competition trophy in their school for a year but will also move on to the 2025 Southeast Jr. Chef Competition. Beyond the glory, every finalist team will receive chef coats, hats, aprons, and a virtual awards ceremony to celebrate with their biggest fans—families, teachers, and local school officials.
In the spirit of fostering young culinary talent, the NC Jr. Chef Competition, a collaboration between the NC Department of Public Instruction and NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services’ Farm to School Program, aims to cook up interest in local agriculture, healthy eating and career opportunities in the food industry. The panel will be evaluating the teams not just on their succulent dishes but also on their ability to work as a team and demonstrate their knowledge of nutrition and local food systems.
For more information and updates on the competition—which promises to only get spicier as the cook-off approaches—visit the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website.
