Local youth programs compete in Junior Chef Cooking Competition

IMPERIAL COUNTY Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Two summer camp programs, Youth Attaining Leadership Skills (YALS) and Keeping Youth On Track Education and Safety (KYOTES) prepare their best dishes to impress judges in this year's 15th annual Jr. Chef Cooking Competition.

This year, each team selected an international menu to prepare for the judges.

Each team presented a three-course meal, appetizer, main course, and dessert, including a drink. 

YALS international dish was Mexican-inspired food.

They prepared a Mexican Street corn chowder to start for the judges.

Next were carne asada tacos with a side of rice and beans and to drink was a watermelon, mango coconut drink that really impressed the judges. 

To end things off on the sweet side, they prepared a cherry cheesecake empanada pastry. 

KYOTES selected an Australian-inspired menu for the judges, starting them off with a Caesar salad.  

KOYOTES stepped up to the plate by presenting their main course on wooden charcuterie boards with each of the judges' names on them.  

The main course was a butter-basted ribeye steak served with asparagus and potatoes.

To drink they presented judges with a carved-up pineapple filled with a pink lemonade soda.

Ending things with raspberry lamingtons covered with chocolate and coconut exterior and a honeycomb hokey pokey vanilla ice cream mixed with honeycomb toffee. 

For the first time ever in the Jr. Chef Cooking Competition, both teams tied this year.  

To settle who would win the trophy, both teams participated in a dance battle that only had them tied once again.   

Both teams won the title in this year’s competition.