Local students who participated in the Florida Dairy Farmers Gridiron Cooking Challenge prepared a celebratory dinner at Cress Restaurant in DeLand, FL.
Cress Restaurant Hosts Special Dinner with Local Kid Chefs
Local students from Gemini Elementary and Blue Lake Elementary participated in the third annual Gridiron Cooking Challenge earlier this year, a fun-filled food competition sponsored by the Florida Dairy Farmers, Fuel Up to Play 60, and the NFL.
The team from Gemini Elementary took home the winning title this year, and both teams united for a day of food exploration culminating in a special dinner at Cress Restaurant in DeLand, FL.
Students explored Tomasin Farms and Fieser Dairy Farm in Volusia County, then returned to the restaurant to help prepare a six-course meal for the evening’s dining event.
The menu, prepared in conjunction Chef Hari Pulapaka of Cress Restaurant, highlighted the versatility of Florida milk products such as yogurt, cheese, and more.
Chef Hari Pulapaka of Cress Restaurant
Reporters from the Orlando Sentinel, Hype Orlando, Recipe for Perfection, and The Primlani Kitchen were there, among others, to record the accomplishment of the young chefs.
Attendees were treated to six unique dishes.
The first course, a mixed green salad, included house lemon ricotta, Tomazin tomatoes and basil, jackfruit, purslane, toasted pine nuts, and blueberry vinaigrette.
The fourth course featured naan bread topped with roasted Tomazin vegetables, creamy tomatoes, and basil.
The dessert course was a freeform peach and coconut bread pudding topped with nuts.
My favorite dishes of the night were the second course of wontons filled with cream cheese, Indian spices, sriracha, ground cardamom, and lemon yogurt, and (of course) the peach and coconut bread pudding.
It was very, very hard to stop grabbing bites from the bread pudding plate. Only when they whisked the plate away was it finally safe from me and my assorted utensils.
Learn more about the Gridiron Cooking Challenge, Cress Restaurant, and the Florida Dairy Farmers.
Tammilee Tips
All the food looks amazing!! I love to see kids cooking, those are amazing dishes to have made at that age!
Jeanette
My son would have loved doing something like this! That food looks outstanding!
Anosa
I can not believe these young chefs helped prepare the delicious and yummy looking foods. It looks of top quality, I am salivating right now.
Sarah
This sounds and looks like a fantastic experience. I love how fancy the food looks, great job being able to attend this and have this memory to hang onto!
Anita Fonte
The plates featured in your photos are delicious. Each one makes my mouth water. This program is unique. We need more of them as these young chefs are inspiring.
Pam Wattenbarger
That food looks amazing. That green salad looks like something that I would really enjoy eating! How yummy.
Jasmine Eclipse
What an awesome experience for these kids to participate in a real kitchen with chefs! This is going to be great for them and their futures in cooking!
Jenn @ EngineerMommy
It’s great to encourage little kids to pursue their interests in cooking. My kids love to help me out in the kitchen. I’m always asking them to help me mix the batter or pour out ingredients.
Heather @ Kraus House Mom
The food looks amazing. I love seeing young chefs being celebrated and encouraged.
Liz Mays
Oh how nice! All of the courses looked amazing. I’m glad they were able to celebrate like this.
Jacqui S
This is great! Love seeing when kids are doing things outside of their electronics.
Jacqui ~ flightsoffancymom.com
Angela Harris
The food they made came out looking pretty amazing. So awesome to see kids this age cooking like this.
Carol Bryant
WOW times have changed. I love that the kids are doing hands on cooking and food prep at this age. What great skills to have!
Chubskulit Rose
How cool is that. It reminds me of the Junior Chef show. The foods looks super delicious too!