'Taste of the Cowboys' gives Texas students a recipe for life
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Students from five local high schools are hoping to slice and dice their way to the grand prize at the Taste of the Cowboys Challenge.
Hannah Scott, a junior at the Frisco Career and Technical Education Center, says, "I take away from this experience that we were able to adapt to any situation... any high pressure changes."
High pressure indeed. The youngsters had 75 minutes, with a running clock, to use mystery ingredients to produce an appetizer, main course, and dessert.
The student culinary teams create dishes to be sampled by an esteemed panel of judges, who know the true meaning of competition.
Former Dallas Cowboys safety George Teague was one of the judges. "That was really, really important to me because you gotta have that teamwork, camaraderie to be able to function at a high level under these conditions," he said.
With a lot of dough at AT&T Stadium being awarded to the culinary program of the winning school, the intensity was apparent. The sportsmanship from the students was even more impressive.
"Everyone did such an amazing job. Seeing what other people also have in store, for what they've been taught or what they're doing, I think you could see there's potential in a lot of people," said Dallas Skyline junior Gabriel Delgado.
Emily Williams Knight is the CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association. She gave one reason why the association is teaming up with the kids. "I think as a student, you're trying to figure out what you wanna do in life and when you can be successful at something, early, it really gives you the confidence to go forward."
Most of the young people have quite a bit on their plate. Many are preparing for the next chapter of their lives. But right now they're taking advantage of a chance to interact with working professionals, who could serve as a gateway to their future.
George Wasai, from Legends Hospitality, says, "There's room for all of them. I hope I receive an email from someone, who says 'I would like to intern for you.' That would be a dream for me,"he said.
While every school was awarded some level of grant money, Lewisville Technology, Exploration & Career Center - West could embrace the moment. Those students came in 1st Place and received a grand prize of $10,000.
Gina Perry worked as their sous chef for the event. "Having competed and worked hard as a team, they can go into any industry they want and have that lesson behind them and know that they can accomplish anything if they put their minds to it," she said.
Frisco ISD student Hanna Scott put it simply. "The overall message in life is just to keep trying to make everything great with everything you have, even with the challenges you face, as well as use your creativity to make something amazing."
