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MEDIA ADVISORY: 13th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition

MEDIA ADVISORY: 13th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition
Posted on 01/18/2017

San Diego Unified School District

13th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition

WHAT: Tofu? Tarragon? Wasabi? What is the secret ingredient? Find out at the 13th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition. San Diego Unified School District Culinary Arts and Management students battle each other in preparing a three-course meal that incorporates the secret ingredient. Celebrity judges include:

- Harris Golden, President of the San Diego Pretzel Company

- Chef Bernard Guillas, The Marine Room | La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club | Executive Chef;

- Chef Ken Irvine, Bleu Boheme & Sea 180 | Owner and Partner;

- Chef Deborah Scott, Cohn Restaurant Group | Partner;

- Chef Larry Lewis, San Diego Culinary Institute Program Director | Senior Executive Chef;

- Chef Jim Phillips, SYSCO Business Development | Culinary Specialist;

- Nicole Treadaway, The Art Institute of California - San Diego | Dining Room Operations Manager.

The competition is supported by the San Diego County Chapter of the California Restaurant Association and based on the Iron Chef America Series on the Food Network.

WHO: San Diego Chapter of the California Restaurant Association; Art Institute of California - San Diego; San Diego Unified School District Office of College, Career and Technical Education; Schools: Hoover, Garfield, Madison, Mira Mesa, San Diego and Morse high school students

WHEN: Thursday, January 19, 2017 (rain or shine)

3:30 p.m. - Students arrive to set up; introduction of judges; announcement of secret ingredient

3:40 p.m. to 6:15 pm - One-hour timed competition including all cutting, mixing and food preparation; teams begin in 15-minute intervals

4:50 p.m. - First team presents to judges; presentations every 15 minutes

6:30 p.m. - Announcement of winning team

WHERE: The Art Institute of California - San Diego, 7650 Mission Valley Rd, San Diego, CA 92108, (866) 275-2422

Media parking will be available in main lot.

VISUALS: High school students in the heat of competition cooking and serving meals, judges evaluating meals, winning team awards ceremony.

SPEAKERS/INTERVIEWS: Students, teachers, celebrity judges. (Spanish as well)

BACKGROUND: Teen Iron Chef is in its 13th year. The competition allows students to experience competitive cooking and based the San Diego Unified School District's competition on the Iron Chef America Series on the Food Network.

Students are able to work on their ideas, go shopping, portion their protein and measure any dry or liquid ingredients the day before the event. They are not allowed to do any actual cooking, pre-making dough, or premixing ingredients ahead of time. On the day of the competition, they will be presented with a secret ingredient that must be incorporated into at least one of their three courses. They are allowed to have their recipes or prep-list at the station during the competition.

To keep the competition fresh and to not give any team an advantage, the secret ingredient changes every year. Some of the secret ingredients from previous years include calamari, brie, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, cantaloupe and tofu.

CONTACT: Lance Larson | Office of College Career & Technical Education | 619-548-1166