Bloomingdale Teen Has Florida’s ‘Freshest’ Recipe

BLOOMINGDALE, FL — Bloomingdale High School’s Gianna Rivera has the freshest recipe in the state. At least that’s the ruling of the judges who oversaw the 2017 Fresh From Florida Student Chef Cook-Off.

Rivera recently joined four other regional finalists from across the state for the last leg of the competition, which is sponsored annually by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Rivera’s creation, Citrus Chicken Taco with Watermelon Salsa, wowed the judges, the state noted in a Tuesday announcement.

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State officials are now working with Bloomingdale High to make sure Rivera’s recipe is served up to her classmates. Once all five recipes submitted by finalists are being “converted into school food service portions," Kinley Tuten, the department's spokeswoman, told Patch. Once they are, the recipes will be made available to school campuses across Florida to incorporate into their menus if they choose.

Sheldon Riley of Fort Pierce’s Westwood High earned second-place honors with his Southwest Chicken and Orzo Salad. Third place went to Wesley Hill of Eastside High in Alachua County. Hill served up Sauteed Chicken Salad with Citrus Bell Pepper Salsa.

The student chef-cook off is an annual competition open to Florida students in grades nine through 12. Each original recipe must contain at least one fresh fruit or vegetable grown in Florida, among other requirements.

“A healthy diet is the foundation of academic success, and this competition is a fun way for students to learn how to incorporate wholesome ingredients into their daily lives,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.

To find out more about the cook-off, visit the department of agriculture’s website.

To check out Rivera’s recipe, view the card below. To view the recipe in a larger format, right click on it and select "open image in new tab."

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Photo courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services