Aspiring young chefs from across the Vincennes Community School Corporation (VCSC) will put their skills to the test in the annual Future Chefs Competition, hosted by Sodexo.
The event, now in its 15th year, will take place on Wednesday, March 13 from 3:00 to 5:30p.m. in the Lincoln High School cafeteria and kitchen.
This year, eight finalists—two students from each elementary school—will compete for top honors by preparing a dish based on the competition’s theme: "Your Favorite Main Dish."
Students were tasked with submitting their own original recipes, showcasing their creativity and love for cooking.
The 2025 Future Chefs finalists are:
Adelynn Smith (5th Grade, Riley)
Kylee Webber (3rd Grade, Riley)
Avonlea Morrison (5th Grade, Franklin)
Brixton Davis (5th Grade, Franklin)
Levi Frame (4th Grade, Tecumseh)
Brynnlee Quarterman (3rd Grade, Tecumseh)
Nick O’Dell (5th Grade, Vigo)
Roman Strader (3rd Grade, Vigo)
The event will begin with students receiving their chef attire, including a shirt, hat, and apron, followed by a brief introduction and a knife safety lesson.
Once in the kitchen, contestants will get to work crafting their dishes under time constraints.
As they complete their meals, they will present them for evaluation and answer questions about their culinary choices.
The young chefs will be judged on originality, kid-friendliness, ease of preparation, healthy attributes, plate presentation, taste, and their presentation to the judges.
While the competition is primarily attended by the contestants’ families, it is open to the public for those interested in watching these young chefs in action.
In addition to the competition itself, guests will have the opportunity to sample extra tasting portions of the students' dishes at their designated tables.