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KENNEBUNK, Maine — School nutrition teams showcased their culinary skills using local ingredients at the regional Maine Farm-to-School Cook-Off held at Kennebunk High School on Tuesday.
The competition, now in its 10th year, featured teams from RSU 21 and MSAD 60 preparing breakfast and lunch meals using locally sourced ingredients.
"This event really showcases what school nutrition programs are doing with local ingredients and really showcasing local farmers," said Stephanie Stambach, Child Nutrition Supervisor at the Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Office.
This year's challenge ingredients included local eggs donated by Maine family farms and pollock from the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association. Teams were also required to incorporate one USDA food item to balance meal costs.
Chef Gary Hoover, Kitchen Manager at Kennebunkport Consolidated School (KCS), prepared a Jamaican callaloo frittata for breakfast and a Jamaican Pollock Escovitch for lunch.
Chef Gary Hoover (right) and third-grade teacher TrudyAnn Morrison (left), both of Kennebunkport Consolidated School, put the final touches on a dish at the regional Maine Farm-to-School Cook-Off.
"We're going to season it pretty heavily with jerk seasoning," Hoover explained about the lunch dish. "It's going to get some Worcestershire sauce and a bit more vinegar. A lot of flavor."
Hoover was joined in the kitchen by KCS third-grade teacher TrudyAnn Morrison, a native of Jamaica, who came up with the ideas for both dishes.
The four-person judging panel included KHS juniors Brayden Collard and Sam Matthews.
"I'm pretty impressed at the idea of using local ingredients in a school cafeteria," Matthews said. "If this was at school in the morning, I'd probably be here as early as I could."
KHS juniors Sam Matthews (green shirt, left) and Brayden Collard (green shirt, right) judge dishes at the regional Maine Farm-to-School Cook-Off.
The regional competition was the first of three planned events. The winning team, MSAD 60, now advances to the state finals in Augusta.
"It really sheds a positive light on school nutrition programs and all the great work they're doing across the state," Stambach added. "In Maine, we're really lucky because we have so many local farmers and fishermen that we can showcase in school meals."
Contestants, judges, and organizers of the regional Maine Farm-to-School Cook-Off gather for a group photo at Kennebunk High School.
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