To the Editor:

The second North Country Jr. Iron Chef competition was a great success!

This cooking competition for middle and high school student teams is a project of the Health Initiative. Each team offered a healthy, delicious dish with local and commodity ingredients that could be realistically prepared in a school cafeteria.

Teams came from around the North Country: Bakin’ Beavers, Keene; BMC Healthy Panthers, Brushton-Moira; Bon Appetit, Canton; Brasher Bunch, Brasher Falls; Bull Dogs, Heuvelton; CF Zebra Chefs, Clifton-Fine; Cooking Ninjas, Thousand Islands; Fantastic Five, Potsdam; French Toast Mafia, Clifton-Fine; Future Chefs, North Franklin BOCES; HD Shredders, Hermon-DeKalb; JW Leary Chefs, Massena; Peru Blue, Peru; Peru Culinary Artisans, Peru; Rainbow Chefs, Sackets Harbor; Ravenous Raiders, Lowville; Soup-A-Starz, Canton; SRF Chefs, St. Regis Falls; Stone Cold Chefs, Potsdam; Super Chefs, Brasher Falls; Top Cats, Northern Adirondack; Unbeetables, Malone, and; Wildcat Iron Chefs, Gouverneur.

Two expert panels judged the dishes, and we thank them: Rick Anderson, Cafeteria Manager at Lisbon Central School; Pat Brady, Superintendent of Potsdam Central School; Steve Fuller, Food Service Director at Lowville Central School; Brittany Harris of Fledging Crow Vegetables; Leslie Johnson, Seaway Tech BOCES student; Tom Julian of Fidelis Care; Sue Kelly, Superintendent of Edwards-Knox Central School; Tim Loomis, Chef/Owner of Liquids and Solids; Steve Maiocco, Executive Chef at SUNY Canton; Ashley McGregor, Seaway Tech BOCES student; Craig Orvis, Food Service Director at Watertown City Schools; Kathy Rice of Sweet Core Farm; Jean Rowe, Health Initiative Board President from United Helpers Management Company, and; John Vargo, Chef/Proprietor of Eat n Meet Grill.

We are grateful for the support of our generous sponsors, including Golden Griddle sponsor Fidelis Care; Pewter Platter sponsors Healthy Schools NY and United Healthcare Community Plan; Copper Kettle sponsor Community Bank, N.A.; Bamboo Bowl sponsor Lewis County General Hospital; and Wire Whisk sponsors Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Hurlbut Tent Rental and Northern Music and Video.

We also thank Potsdam Central School; Chef Kyle Mayette at Clarkson University; Potsdam Public Library; Birdsfoot Farm; North Country Grown Cooperative, and; event volunteers for support and assistance.

Visit ncjrironchef.org to learn more about the competition.

The Health Initiative looks forward to North Country Jr. Iron Chef 2015.

Sarah Bentley-Garfinkel

School Program Director, Health Initiative