BATTLE GROUND — Battle Ground 10-year-old Colton Diamond draws his culinary inspiration from two sources: his father and Taco Bell.
The Captain Strong Primary School fourth-grader leaned over his take on the fast food restaurant’s cheesy roll-ups. The original combination of a tortilla and cheese, he explained, is lacking.
“Where’s the chicken?” he asked. “And where’s the flavor?”
This is high-steaks stuff (pun intended) at Battle Ground High School, where 18 third- and fourth-graders from across the district competed Thursday in the annual Sodexo Future Chefs Competition. School districts locally and across Clark County are letting students don the apron in their school kitchens, writing recipes and cooking meals for a panel of judges. The theme was “Healthy Mexican” food, bringing the smells of warm spices, fresh vegetables and plenty of cheese to Battle Ground High School.
This year’s top chef was 10-year-old Nathaniel James Jarrett, a Pleasant Valley Primary School fourth-grader, who prepared crispy chicken tacos with coleslaw. Nathaniel will go on to compete at a regional cook-off, and potentially on to the national competition sponsored by the food service vendor.
Robin Ramm, one of the food services managers for Battle Ground Public Schools, said the program gives students a chance to learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits and work with a team to prepare a meal.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun for them,” she said.
About 50 parents, district staff and community members attended the taste testing, grabbing small cups of the dishes students prepared.
“It’s a way to connect with our community,” said James Capen, the district’s director of nutrition services. “It’s a different activity outside of sports.”
Some, like Avalee Grace, an 8-year-old third-grader at Tukes Valley Primary School, brought family recipes to the table. Her cheesy tater-tot casserole combined potatoes, ground beef, enchilada sauce, black beans and corn.
This is a staple at her house, Avalee explained as she garnished dozens of small portions with cilantro and olives.
“My little brother will eat plates and plates of it,” she said.
Some, like Colton and his elevated cheesy rolls, invented recipes on their own. The boy’s aforementioned father, Jack Diamond, and mother, Denise Diamond, attended to see their son present his dish.
“That was all him,” Jack Diamond said with a grin. “He’s very proud of his spice blend.”
Denise Diamond is proud of their little chef, too, saying Colton’s more excited to try new things now that he’s cooking on his own.
“Most of us don’t necessarily learn to cook as kids,” she said
Colton, meanwhile, is looking forward to this summer, when his dad will be doing a lot more cooking during barbecue season, he said.
“We love his pizza,” Colton said. But it could use bacon, he said. Everything’s better with bacon.
So was there bacon in his chicken roll-ups? He scoffed at the very suggestion of such inauthenticity.
“I don’t want it to be ‘Here’s this Western thing for Mexican,’ ” he said.
Nathaniel James Jarrett’s Chicken Coleslaw Tacos
as prepared for the Sodexo Future Chefs Competition at Battle Ground High School/Serves 8
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet ranch seasoning
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Cilantro
1 lemon
1 lime
1 bag of coleslaw or cabbage mix
Crushed red pepper flakes
Chili powder
Black pepper
1 container of coleslaw dressing
1 container of pre-diced red onion
1 green leaf lettuce
1 box of yellow corn taco shells (at least 8)
• Cut two chicken breasts into bite size chunks and remove the fat.
• Put chicken in a bowl and add 1 packet of ranch seasoning, 2 tablespoons olive oil, juice of ½ lemon, juice of ½ lime, and chili powder, crushed red pepper and garlic powder to taste.
• Mix up well then put in frying pan. Cook the chicken until it starts to brown. After the chicken is cooked, remove from the burner.
• Pour out coleslaw dressing into medium bowl and add chili powder, crushed red pepper and black pepper to taste. Squeeze the other half of the lemon and the lime and mix in with the dressing.
• Heat taco shells for 3 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Put the chicken in the taco shell then add the coleslaw. Add red onions and the dressing. Garnish with cilantro.
