Greenport School District

Greenport students take second place at Junior Iron Chef competition

(Credit: Courtesy Greenport Schools)
Greenport High School students Richard Galicia-Torres (from left) Antonio Coria, Walfred Gatica, Jonathan Vasquez and Antonio Anderson won second place at Saturday’s Junior Iron Chef competition in Lake Grove. (Credit: Courtesy Greenport Schools)

Behind their grilled vegetable wrap, five Greenport High School students earned second place honors at Saturday’s third annual Junior Iron Chef competition at Whole Foods Market in Lake Grove.

Competing under the team name “Greenport Chefs,” students Jonathan Vasquez, Antonio Anderson, Richard Galicia-Torres, Walfred Gatica, and Antonio Coria used red peppers, asparagus and eggplant to concoct their winning submission. They were supervised by Greenport home and careers teacher Maryanne Ladalia.

“Greenport is extremely proud of them,” said Greenport High School interim principal Bill Caulfield. “They [the students] made it for us first and we tested it for two days. I thought it was fabulous and we really thought it had a chance to win. The students were extremely excited to give it to us.”

Created along the lines of the famous Food Network show and coordinated by Whole Foods Market and Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, the Junior Iron Chef Competition invites middle and high school students across Long Island to create recipes and compete in a one-day cooking challenge.

Students from Commack and East Islip took first and third place honors, respectively, at this year’s event, Cornell said in a press release.

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