NC State Dining Hosts Seasonal Showdown Culinary Competition
On Tuesday, April 29, NC State Dining held its semesterly culinary competition, the Seasonal Showdown, spotlighting the talents of its dining team members. This semester’s theme challenged participants to craft innovative cold wraps or handhelds featuring seasonal vegetables and flavors.
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Finalists Carol Xiao, Anthony Hall and India Harris were selected from a pool of entrants to showcase their culinary creations. India Harris secured first place with her Peach Pineapple Chicken Wrap, a sandwich wrap featuring a pineapple chayote slaw, sautéed chicken breast marinated in a peach sauce, and topped with a red pepper aioli. Carol Xiao earned the People’s Choice award for her Japanese Fruit Sando, a crustless sandwich filled with fresh seasonal fruit and lime whipped cream, inspired by summer fruits. Anthony Hall presented a Greek wrap comprising chicken, feta, spinach, arugula, roasted red peppers and garbanzo beans.
Contestants were evaluated on creativity, appearance, cooking techniques, flavor and recipe accuracy. The Seasonal Showdown serves as a platform for NC State Dining staff to demonstrate their culinary skills and contribute to the university’s diverse dining offerings.