District 5 Cafeteria Workers Compete in 'Chopped' Competition

Five mystery ingredients. Two courses. One title.

Lexington-Richland School District Five cafeteria workers plan to prove they have what it takes to earn the title of District Five’s "Chopped" Champion. The cook-off will be held Tuesday at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies.

“The goal was to have fun and showcase the talent that we have in our cafeterias," said District Five Student Nutrition Director Todd Bedenbaugh. "These individuals work hard everyday to provide healthy and delicious food for our students, many of whom have pretty discerning palettes. It’s not easy, but they do a great job. This contest helps put their talents and skills on display.”

The five teams of three will prepare breakfast and lunch using five mandatory USDA-approved ingredients, pantry items, and a locally-produced mystery ingredient.

Schools represented in the contest include: H.E. Corley Elementary, CrossRoads Middle, Irmo High, Chapin Middle, and Dutch Fork High. The winning team will represent the district at the Summer Institute for Foodservice Training, sponsored by the School Nutrition Association of South Carolina.

CrossRoads Middle cafeteria worker Peggy Chichon is a fan of the Food Network show, so she knows that having a plan is crucial.

“We’ve been working on our strategy," Chichon said. "We have definitely been discussing what mystery items may come up, and we have a couple ideas stuffed in our back pocket.” 

They’re not the only ones with a plan. Irmo High’s team also has a strategy and is pretty confident going into the cook-off.

“You can’t come up with a mystery ingredient that I have not seen or tasted unless you bring in rattlesnake,” joked Estelle Goodson, the school’s cafeteria manager who has worked at Irmo High for 10 years. “We’ll probably make a gumbo with the mystery ingredient. You can make gumbo out of anything.”

Food standards have changed recently, and District Five cafeteria staff have worked hard and succeeded in meeting the new rules, Bedenbaugh said. New national nutrition guidelines require schools to offer an increased variety of vegetables and fruit each day – many of them nutrient-rich dark green, red or orange choices. At least half the grains served must be whole grain-rich foods, and milk must be fat-free or low-fat. There is also more focus on reducing saturated fat, trans fats and sodium as well as an adjustment of calories served based on the age of the student.

At Irmo High, where the cafeteria includes a food court with several hot and cold options, staff members hope winning the contest will make a statement about their school and cafeteria workers.

“We work hard, we have a talented group, and we play important roles in the schools,” Goodson said. 

Submitted by Lexington-Richland School District Five.