Tucker County Career Center ProStart Class assembled a team to compete in the inaugural Junior Cast Iron Cook-off on January 30th at the Culture Center in Charleston.
The team consisted of the ProStart Instructor, Chef Brian Covell, two ProStart students, Amanda Harper and Kelley Wagner, a student farmer, Trenton Helmick, and a school cafeteria worker, Cindy Snyder.
Other programs from around the state also came to represent their high schools and technical centers. Each team had one hour to prepare a three course meal that emphasized healthy eating and the Farm-to-School initiative. Along with winning 1st place – Grand Champion, the Tucker County Team also won Best Use of Cast Iron. Tucker County made a cast iron seared duck breast on foie gras wild rice with tart cherry pan sauce, cast iron beet infused roasted root vegetables with firefly farms goat cheese and for dessert they made a whole grain shortcake stack with fresh berries and marscapone cream. Kelley and Amanda also competed the next day at the Cast Iron Cook-off on adult teams and collaborated with executive chefs from distinguished resorts and restaurants.