Calling all Orcas and Waldron public school students: somewhere, stuffed in an old cookbook or in your head, is the recipe for the greatest sandwich, soup, dessert, casserole, meatloaf, pasta, omelet, granola, salad or taco in the world.

The Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Committee will be conducting the first ever “Student Chef Competition” on April 17 and 18 at the public school. All students, K-12, in the Orcas Island Public School District (including Waldron) are invited to submit written individual or team entries no later than March 19, 2010 to be considered as a competitor in the cooking competition in April. The public will be invited to watch and cheer their favorite student chef on to victory.

“We’re really excited about this event because it involved students in all grades in the competition as well as the community in the judging and awards ceremony,” says student Farm to Cafeteria Committee member and event co-organizer Iris Parker-Pavitt.

Four entries will be chosen to compete in three tiers: elementary, middle school and high school. There will be a cash prize winner in each tier as well as a grand prize winner that can be from any tier. Recipes may be submitted for any type of breakfast or lunch item including (but not limited to) salad, soup, sandwich, dessert, side dish, main course, or snack. Practicality and creativity are encouraged. The winning items will be featured in the school lunch menu.

Deadline to receive entries will be March 19, 2010. Go to www.orcasislandf2c.org to download recipe guidelines, information on the competition and how to submit a prize-winning recipe.

Call for sponsors

Any individual or business may be a sponsor for the student chef competition. There are several levels: Copper Kettle ($50), Silver Spoon ($100), Golden Spatula ($250), and Platinum Platter ($500). Sponsors will be prominently listed in promotional materials and programs. Organizers say that sponsorships will enable them to give generous prizes, provide equipment and items needed for the competitors, as well as ensure the ongoing endeavors of the F2C Program. Sponsorship checks should be made payable to OIEF and sent to Madie Murray, F2C Chair, 36 Colorado Blvd., Eastsound, WA 98245. Write “Student Chef” on the check.