Culinary students from across Dallas ISD participated in a healthy foods cook-off hosted by the Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute on April 9 at the Latino Cultural Center.
The event promoted healthy ways of preparing food and featured high school students, college students and chefs at the professional level. One Dallas ISD high school that participated was Wilmer-Hutchins High School.
The students at Wilmer-Hutchins are part of a culinary program that teaches students how to prepare for their future after they graduate by teaching them how to be chefs.
The three Wilmer-Hutchins students that are competing made creative cupcakes using alternative sugars.
“These three particular students are so dedicated and passionate, all they need from me at this point is a little direction and then my opinions and criticism,” said Adam Balzadua, culinary instructor at Wilmer-Hutchins.
There were three different levels of competition: high school, collegiate and professional. The winners at the high school and college level won trophies while the professional level chefs received a set of cookware.
Celebrity Chef Darren McGrady, whom served as chef to the royal family for 15 years, judged the participants. Also judging the competition was David Scalise, executive chef at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
Bazaldua said the students will benefit from this experience by seeing how challenging a competition with strict guidelines can be. He said these students are a talented group and are able to hone their skills with competitions like Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute cook off.
