The Waterloo Career Center’s (WCC) culinary and hospitality programs are hosting their Best Soup in the Cedar Valley Competition on March 7, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the WCC. They are currently looking for local chefs who are eager to compete and astound their judges. Chefs have the option to be reimbursed up to $50 for their ingredients contingent upon their receipts from purchase. If interested in participating or for further questions about the competition, please contact Tracey Hulme at 319-404-8572 or Talia Nieman at 319-215-9808.
Competing chefs will make a minimum of two gallons of soup on-site in accordance with the competition’s rules. As they cook, the WCC culinary and hospitality students will be able to view the chef’s technique and approach, converse with participants, and study their processes.
Once the cooking portion of the competition has been completed, chefs may distribute information about employment opportunities and potential career paths to students. The district also offers paid apprenticeships for our student professionals, so businesses may inquire with students and their instructors about potential learning opportunities/employment for the summer.
Two industry professionals will be present to judge the soup competition entries and ensure compliance with the competition rules and regulations. The winner of the competition will be announced at 10:30 a.m. and presented with a trophy and congratulatory photo.
All of the cooked soup will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., to staff and community members for an all-you-can-eat soup luncheon for $15.00 cash per person, which includes all-you-can-eat soup, assorted crackers, a drink, and cookies/bars.
Hulmes says this opportunity helps the community connect with potential student employees who want to work in the culinary and hospitality fields while also giving the students valuable experience learning from chefs right here in the Cedar Valley.
“Spending time with local professionals gives our students time to pair what they have been learning with what would be expected of them on the job,” said Hulmes. “It gives them a chance to see how talented our local industry partners are and who they would like to work for in the future.”
Rules and Information
Chef Unload/Set up. 7:00 -7:50 a.m. in the culinary kitchen, Room 105, at the WCC. Please pull up to the steps near door 18 on the Northeast side of WCC between 7:00-7:15 a.m. and someone will meet you there with a cart to haul your equipment and food into the building. Your car may be parked in the lot out front, no permit or additional permission is needed.
Please bring all of your ingredients and utensils with you to make a minimum of 2 gallons of soup (more would be better, but is not required.) Your soup should be garnished, plated and ready for judging at 9:30 am. Bring your own plates and bowls for this as the school’s are limited. Additionally, please let Tracey Hulme know if you will need a Sterno BTU burner to use.
Permitted Ingredients:
- Prepared stocks
- Prepared clarified butter
- Pre-measured staple dry goods: flour, sugar, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar
- Pre-measured butter and oil
- Pre-washed produce, but no peeling or knife work done prior to start time
- Commercially manufactured food items such as jams, bread crumbs, bases and mayonnaise in the original container
Prohibited Ingredients:
- Pre-chopped, pre-sliced, or prepared food not commercially manufactured and in original packaging
- Reductions, finished sauces, and clarified broths
- Anything pre-cooked
7:00-7:50 a.m. Chef Set up
7:50-8:00 a.m. Ingredient Check-In – please review the ingredients above
8:00 a.m. Cooking Starts
9:30 a.m. Soup must be plated for judging
9:30-10:00 a.m. Recruit students and hand out job applications
10:30 a.m. Winner Announced
10:30-11:00 a.m. Kirkwood recruiting
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m Soup served to Community/Staff – $15 ticket price includes
Waterloo Schools Mission
The Waterloo Schools community commits to a comprehensive system of education and support to assure that each and every student will graduate prepared for college, career, and citizenship as evidenced by continuing education, pursuing a career path, and contributing to a community.
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