From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:
Tallahassee, FL – Are you a student going into 4th through 12th grade? Do you like to cook? Then this is the contest for you!
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is searching for student chef ambassadors to promote “Fresh From Florida” recipes and products.
Entry requirements include:
• You must be a Florida student going into 4th-12th grade.
• You must create an original recipe and submit with a photo.
• The recipe must contain one fresh fruit or fresh vegetable.
• The recipe must have clear directions, provide four snack-size servings and be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
• Your recipe must promote good nutrition and healthy eating habits.
Students in five regions will submit recipes that will be judged on nutrition, presentation/appeal, and originality. Three qualifying round winners will be chosen per grade category, for a total of 45 finalist entries statewide. The grade categories are 4th-5th grade, 6th-8th grade and 9th-12th grade. These qualifying round winners will be invited to cook their recipe for a panel of judges at Publix Aprons Cooking Schools in their region.
Finalist rounds will be held at:
• Sept. 27: Tampa- Central/West
• Oct. 11: Tallahassee- Northwest
• Oct. 25: Jacksonville- Northeast
• Nov. 1: Miami- South
• Nov. 15: Orlando- Central
Each regional cook-off will have three winners from each grade category. Third-place winners will receive a $50 gift certificate; second-place winners a $75 gift certificate and first-place winners a $100 gift certificate. All winners will also receive a certificate for a free Publix Aprons Cooking School class and an additional $50 gift certificate to cover travel and ingredient expenses. The high school first-place winner will be designated each region’s student chef ambassador.
Deadline to enter is Sept. 15. For more rules and to submit your entry, go to www.FreshFromFlorida.com/Cookoff.