Through the Years with Sodexo’s Future Chefs Challenge
When the Future Chefs Challenge began at one local school district in 2010, no one could have predicted how far this competition would take us, as a company, along with our students, employees and clients. As the years have gone by, more and more school districts have signed on to compete, put their best chefs forward, and waited patiently to see who would take home grand prize each year. Take a walk with us down memory lane, as we remember the past winners of this fun, fantastic culinary competition that we call, “Future Chefs”.
Previous Future Chef Winners
2023 Winner: Ibraheem Ali
Ibraheem's 2023 winning dish, Fruit Chana Chaat, was full of delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables and made for a colorful presentation that impressed our Sodexo chef judges and public voters. The 2023 theme was "Favorite Fruit or Vegetable Side Dish" and our Sodexo chefs cannot wait to feature the dish on next year's lunch menus!
2022 Winner: Chandler Dorn
Chandler's "Snow White and the Seven Layer Trifle" was an instant hit during our 2022 competition, the theme of which was a "Dish from your Favorite Book or Movie". Chandler perfected her recipe and the presentation of her trifle to wow the judges and voters who watched her video. Her Lexington School District 2 peers in West Columbia, South Carolina are proud of her win!
2020 Winner: Lexie Jauregui
Our 2020 competition theme was your "Favorite School Lunch", and Lexie's nachos were not only a crowd favorite, but a healthy choice! Lexie included fresh vegetables and a plant-based protein for a delicious take on an old favorite. Kennewick School District in Washington thanks Lexie for her hard work!
2019 Winner: Addie Borgmann
“Fiesta Fit – Healthy Mexican” was the big theme for this stellar year. Addie Borgmann created her delightful Skinny Mini Mexi Meatball Boats, and she wowed the judges and at home voters. As a student at Elkhorn Public Schools in Elkhorn, Nebraska, Addie was one of our most energetic chefs in the history of the competition, and she certainly made her district proud.
2018 Winner: Julissa Roche
The 2018 Future Chefs Challenge changed things up a bit by focusing on “Healthy Asian Fusion” as the recipe theme. Julissa Roche won the national title with her fantastic Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap & Tofu Caprese Skewers. With 1299 elementary schools participating, Lawton School District in Lawton, Oklahoma was victorious, thanks to Julissa.
2017 Winner: Madysun Christensen
The theme of the 2017 Future Chefs Challenge was “Healthy Breakfast Recipes”. Madysun Christensen took at chance with the ever-so-unique Boil-in-a-Bag Omelet, and that chance paid off. Representing Granite School District in Salt Lake City, Utah, Madysun received 152,951 votes from our online public voting to capture the big win.
2016 Winner: Elle Mede
“Healthy Snack Recipes” were the focus of the 2016 Future Chefs Challenge. Elle Medel swept the competition with her Super Fun Apple Nachos, which were clearly as delicious as they sound. The Challenge expanded as 1032 elementary schools competed from 191 districts, but San Jose School District in San Jose, California boasted the Future Chefs Grand Prize Winner.
2015 Winner: MaryJane Ware
The Future Chefs Challenge theme in 2015 was “Healthy Sandwich Recipes”. MaryJane decided to try her fabulous Cucumber Sandwiches out in this Challenge, and they were a huge success. There were 964 elementary schools represented in 2015, but our Grand Prize Winner, MaryJane, attended school in the Troy School District in Troy, Michigan.
2014 Winner: Imran Mihas
The theme of the Future Chefs Challenge in 2014 was “Healthy Salad Recipes”. Imran created an amazing Tortilla Cup Salad, that took home the grand prize. As a 4th grade attendee of Marie Elementary School in the Grosse Pointe School District, Imran represented Sodexo very well as the National Winner of Future Chefs.