FITCHBURG — The results of the 16th annual Fitchburg Public Schools Nutrition Services Future Chefs competition are in, and the winner and other cooks brought a lot of heat to the kitchen.
McKay Elementary School third grader Isabella Perlas Rodriguez took home the top prize of a gold medal and goody bag for her delicious ground turkey empanadas.
The event at Fitchburg High School on March 12, part of a yearly nationwide challenge, also featured Asher Boudreau from Crocker Elementary School serving up pizza ramen, Chasvi Rajeev from McKay Elementary School with a refreshing mango lassi, and fellow McKay student Delahney Valenzuela presenting orange chicken.
“Opportunities like this help build confidence, creativity, and pride! So wonderful,” Mayor Sam Squailia posted on social media along with photos of the young chefs and their culinary creations.
Squailia said “the kids were so cute.” She brought them into the kitchen to demonstrate how they prepared their dishes. She was one of the judges along with Fitchburg Public Schools Superintendent Jon Thompson, Assistant Superintendent Glenda Colon, Assistant Superintendent Jeremy Roche, and FPS School Committee Vice Chair Pete Stephens, who all got to sample the delectable creations.
FPS Nutrition Services General Manager David Semenza said the Future Chefs competition is something he looks forward to every year.
“Our students bring so much creativity to their recipes and Isabella’s journey this year was especially meaningful,” he shared. “She competed last year, didn’t win, and returned with determination to create a winning dish. It’s inspiring to see that kind of growth and confidence.”
Isabella started cooking when she was 7 years old and said she was “always curious when I watched my parents cook delicious meals.”
“One day my father gave me an apron and said come help me cook,” she said. “That’s when I realized I enjoyed cooking. I enjoy cooking because is fun, colorful and because I can taste the food as I cook.”
The 9-year-old lives in the city with her parents Nicolas Perlas and Carla Perlas Rodriguez and brother Massimiliano Perlas Rodriguez. She disclosed that her favorite foods are empanadas, hamburgers, mac and cheese, and pizza.
“I always love to cook with my father,” Isabella said, adding that it was her mother who encouraged her to make empanadas for the competition because they are one of the youngster’s favorite foods.
“At first I didn’t realize I was the winner as I was over-exited just to be part of this culinary competition,” she said. “I looked at my parents, and they made me realize that I was the winner. I feel very happy and content that the effort and love that I put on to make the empanadas paid off.”
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