AMES, Iowa - The 2011 Cook This! 4-H Culinary Challenge teams have been chosen. Twenty-four teams of Iowa youths are gearing up to compete in the kitchen at the Iowa State Fair.
"We're very excited about the number of teams and interest in the challenge," said Lisa Schmidt, a Cook This coordinator, with Iowa State University Extension 4-H Youth Development. "We had a cap of 10 teams per level, so we're excited that we had our junior level maxed out. We're hoping that the numbers will keep progressing for the other levels for future challenges over the next few years."
Each team consists of three or four youth, and at least one member must be in 4-H. The teams will compete in three age brackets, Schmidt explained. The junior level competition takes place on Aug. 15, the intermediate level takes place on Aug. 16 and the senior level competition will take place on Aug. 17. All events occur in the 4-H Exhibits Building.
Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of kitchen equipment and show off their creativity in food preparation.
The College of Human Sciences will provide $500 Iowa State University scholarships to the members of the winning senior team. Successful Farming Magazine will highlight the winning senior team on its recipe page. The magazine also is providing all winning teams a tour of the Better Homes & Garden test kitchen and photo studios. All first-place winning teams will receive a Cook This chef's hat. Second-place winners will receive gift baskets from Cookies Food Products, Wall Lake, Iowa. Every participant will receive a Cook This apron.
Sponsors for the challenge include the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the Iowa Pork Producers Association and the Iowa Turkey Federation.
2011 Cook This! Teams
Iowa youth who completed any of grades 5 through 12 were eligible to apply for the competition. The following teams will participate in Cook This at the Iowa State Fair.
Junior Teams (5th and 6th graders)
· Cooking Cousins: Nick Sandeen, Anna Beckman and Hallie Sandeen, Henry County
· Calhoun County Corn COB: Becca Krueger, Olivia Hanlon and Courtney Melohn, Calhoun County
· Cherokee Chefs: Clare Conley, Fan Conley and Elizabeth Wulfsen, Cherokee County
· Cookin' C.A.T.: Collin Svenby, Audra Weber and Tanner Halleran, Keokuk
· IEI Chefs: Everett Wegge, Indigo Fish and Isaac Fish, Winneshiek and Allamakee counties
· Tiger Pack Cooks: Zachary Roll, Malcom Wright and Blaire Card,Hardin County
· We 3 Chefs!: Alexandria Schwerin, Gabbi Struchen and Shea Hassebrock, Hamilton County
· Kitchen Fanatics: Scott Star, Nolan King and Amanda Riley, West Pottawattamie and Madison counties
· Early Achievers: Megan Drey, Kallie Goettsch and Jack Mentzer, Sac County
· Greenbrier Groovy Gourmet: Landra Reece, Emily Heupel and Abby Badger, Boone and Greene counties
Intermediate Teams (7th and 8th graders)
· Kitchen Heat: Hanna McCoy, Bailey Olivia and Claire Birchmier, Warren and Marion counties
· Triple B Country Cooks: Maree Bean, Attylissa Bailey and Sylvia Bain, Linn, Marion and Monroe counties
· The 3 Amigo Cooks: Hannah Al-Mazroa, Christan Bertelson and Beth Wells, Madison County
· Panthers: Melinda Goulette, Faith Seggerman and Hope Bollin, Woodbury and Plymouth counties
· Cute & Culinary: Cali Westergard, Krayton Schnepf, Leah Bunkers and Rachel Wedemeyer, Plymouth, O'Brien and Calhoun counties
· Early Achievers: Austin Goettsch, Devin Mentzer and Brooke Hoeppner, Sac County
Senior Teams (9th through 12th graders)
· Sizzlin' Sauters: Shelby Storesund, Grant Vrba and Tanner Allensworth, Montgomery County
· The Kitchen Cabinet: Janna Timmerman, Nicole Malott and Jamie Rohlf, Cedar County
· Thumbs Up: Olivia Grimes, John Nidy, Geremiah Grimes and Brianna Lipa, Wayne and Howard counties
· Bake to Beat: Shelby Vansteenwyk, Rachel Morgan and Jocelyn Beaver, Marion County
· Cookin' Thyme: Rachel Hauglan, Olivia Cechota and Kenton Reece, Johnson, Linn and Boone counties
· Blonde Brigade: Megan Haupert, Paris Schnepf and Leab Schroeder, O'Brien counties
· Team Cuisine: Marcus Foltz, Dalton Rhum and Keegan Bintz, Decatur and Fremont counties
· Chopping Trio: Carrie Adrian, Jenny Adrian and Luke Oberbroecking, Marion County
Sponsor a Cook This! Team
It costs $200 to support a Cook This team, Schmidt said. Sponsorship helps coordinators provide upkeep for the kitchen equipment and utensils, admission tickets for participants, t-shirts/aprons for participants and volunteers, printing of marketing and promotional materials and other items as needed.
For more information, contact Lisa Schmidt at schmidt5@iastate.edu or AnnaBear Vance at ajvance@iastate.edu.
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