Two participants at the TRIO Upward Bound culinary cookoff prepare their team's cake dessert Wednesday at Michigan Tech. Mary Christine Stevens/for the Mining Gazette

HOUGHTON — Grills were sizzling at TRIO Upward Bound’s culinary cookoff Wednesday. The competition, in partnership with Michigan Tech’s Husky Eats, pitted four teams against each other in a one-hour cooking challenge.

MTU Chefs Erik Copeland, Luis Delgado, Abbie Linden and Michael Porter offered advice throughout the competition and monitored the teams for cleanliness and safety. Other than a couple recommendations throughout their 60-minute slot, the high-school students were on their own. 

As parents, faculty and judges watched, students got to work creating appetizers, entrees, beverages and desserts. Each team was judged on their meal’s presentation and taste, along with their area’s cleanliness. Before the competition, students were checked by the chefs to ensure they were following proper uniform and kitchen hygiene protocols. 

The high-school students got creative with their dishes. One team prepared a juicy, flavorful chicken parmesan sandwich. Another created a specialty lemonade using blended cucumber. Cowboy caviar and hand-made whipped cream also made an appearance. One group’s dish came with a side of delectable pesto fries, which proved to be a favorite of the judges. 

“These are the best fries I’ve had in my life,” one judge said as she praised the team for their work. “I would pay $15 for (this meal) and be completely happy.”

The fries were served alongside a chicken sandwich with pepper jack cheese and toasted pretzel bun, a fresh salad and chocolate cake balls. 

Multiple awards were given out at the closing ceremony, led by Copeland and Linden. The Chef’s Choice Award was the first to be announced. This award is given to a participant that the chefs feel have seen a great improvement during their time in the one-week TRIO Upward Bound culinary program. The winner, named Kagan, won a gift card and posed for a picture with the chefs. Before the judges announced the winning team of the cookoff, they praised the students for their hard work and talent. 

“You should all be proud. I love the creativity. You learned something this summer that you can take with you,” said judge David Kamrad, a staff member of the TRIO Upward Bound Program. 

The winner of the TRIO cookoff was Team Tech Titans, led by Porter. Team members Brodie, Stella, Mary, John, Regg and MacKenzie’s winning meal included a cake dessert with a fruity filling. Each member of the team won a wooden spatula branded with the Husky Eats logo. Porter won the Golden Spoon Award, for his work in mentoring the team and leading them to victory. Every participant in the cookoff was given a Husky Eats apron to take home. 

TRIO Upward Bound is a program of Michigan Tech’s Center for Educational Outreach and is designed to stimulate and motivate high-school students from eligible backgrounds to pursue a program of post-secondary education. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and currently serves 84 students in grades 9 to 12 in Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw counties. All Upward Bound services are free to participants, including academic support and tutoring, educational events and activities, and the opportunity to participate in overnight tours of regional colleges and universities.