Monroe sixth grader's chili wins cooking contest

Chili with a secret ingredient was a big success for Jackson Sudak.

The sixth grader at Monroe Public Schools' Arborwood North Elementary School placed first in the local competition of the Sodexo National Future Chefs Challenge, hosted at Custer 1 Elementary School.

Earlier this year, MPS students submitted recipes for this year’s contest, which emphasized fruits and vegetables.

From the entries, Jackson and five other MPS students were selected to prepare their recipes last week in the Custer kitchen.

Jackson made chili with a special ingredient, chocolate. It was hailed the winner by the judges: Nancy Schlosser, administrative assistant of MPS Community Education; Russ Palmer, certified corporate executive chef at Busch’s Local Growing Home; Scott Rossen, director of food services at Ferris State University and certified culinary chef; Melissa Bell, Custer principal; Andrew Shaw, MPS superintendent; and Tom Heck, MPS board treasurer.

Also competing were:

? Alexis Richardson, second grader at Manor, who made Easy-Peasy Bagel Pizzas.

? Mya Amireh, sixth grader at Custer 1, who made a Breakfast Croissant Sandwich.

? Fallyn Setser, Manor fifth grader, who made a Bacon and Cheese Omelet.

? Lanier Griffin, fifth grader at Arborwood South, who made Lanier’s Healthy Salad and Smoothie.

? Cecilia Stamper, second grader at Waterloo, who made a Mixed Berry Parfait.

Jackson and the other MPS contestants were assigned a Sodexo staff member to serve as a mentor. Jackson worked with Debbie Miller.

“They were mostly there for safety and practicality issues, like making sure the students knew how to use the cooking stations provided (portable hotplates, burners, etc.), but they also helped with setting up the requested supplies, opening packages and cans and transferring finished trays of food into a warmer until judging began,” Wendy Krouse, community engagement coordinator for MPS, said.

As the MPS winner, Jackson received cookware and was honored at Tuesday’s school board meeting. He will now advance in the competition, Peju Makinde, MPS director of food services, said.

Jackson will be a contestant in the Sodexo regional contest, to be held online April 10-16. Five regional winners will be selected as national finalists and will compete April 16-21. National finalists will record a video for public voting in May, Makinde said.

No MPS students have ever won the national event, but a few students from Michigan have been winners. The 2022 national winner was Chandler Dorn, a fifth grader from West Columbia, South Carolina, who made the recipe “Snow White and the Seven Layer Trifle.” Chandler’s trifle was featured on elementary school lunch menus.

MPS contracts with Sodexo for food services. Sodexo has offered the National Future Chefs Challenge for more than a decade, and MPS has participated for a number of years.

Dishes are selected based on taste, healthiness, kid-friendliness, originality, ease of preparation, plate presentation and student chef presentations.

Jackson Sudak’s winning chili recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. hamburger

• 1 tsp. each salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

• 6 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 (12-ounce) cans each of red chili beans and dark kidney beans

• 2 large cans each white beans and tomato sauce

• 1 small can tomato paste

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 1 small piece of chocolate (for the love, Jackson said)

• 1 quart diced mushrooms

• Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Directions:

1. In large skillet, brown hamburger and drain once cooked.

2. In a large pot, combine all other ingredients; add in cooked hamburger.

3. Bring to a boil.

4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cheese.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe sixth grader's chili wins cooking contest