The Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education celebrated the creativity, dedication, and talent of Hawaiʻi's school kitchen professionals during the inaugural Localicious® School Kitchen Cook-off, held July 12 at the Hawaiʻi State Farm Fair. The contest was presented by Hawaiʻi Gas and FreshPoint Hawaiʻi/Armstrong Produce. Watch highlights from the contest.

The first-of-its-kind competition brought together nine public school kitchen teams from across the state, each challenged to create a nutritious, student-friendly dish featuring locally raised ground beef. More than a cooking competition, the event celebrated the important role school meal programs play in nourishing Hawaiʻi's students while demonstrating how locally grown and raised ingredients can support healthier meals, local agriculture, and a more resilient food system.

After an exciting day of live competition, Moanalua Middle School's team of Robby Wooldridge and Derrick Alipio (pictured l-r) was named the inaugural champion with their winning dish, Beef Larb over Alfredo Cabbage and Rice. As the grand prize winners, they received a $2,000 cash prize, a culinary experience at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, a tour of the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, and the opportunity to have their recipe featured on the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education's 2027–2028 school menu.

Congratulations to all nine finalist teams, whose creativity, teamwork, and passion made the inaugural cook-off an overwhelming success. Every team showcased the innovation and professionalism that school kitchen staff bring to their work every day, proving that school meals can be both nutritious and exciting while celebrating Hawaiʻi's locally grown and raised ingredients.

A special mahalo to the nine student judges, representing public schools across Hawaiʻi, who sampled each dish and selected the winning team based on taste, creativity, student appeal, and how well each recipe showcased local ingredients. Their participation ensured that student voices were an important part of the competition.

Mahalo again to our presenting sponsors, Hawaiʻi Gas and FreshPoint Hawaiʻi/Armstrong Produce; our valued partners, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Island Palm Communities/Centinel, and Parker Ranch for generously donating the locally raised ground beef; and the many volunteers and supporters who helped make this inaugural Cook-off an unforgettable success.

The Localicious® School KitchenCook-off supports Hawaiʻi's goal of sourcing 30 percent locally grown, raised, and caught food in public school meals by 2030. By recognizing the professionals who prepare school meals every day and strengthening connections between schools and local agriculture, the cook-off highlights how school meal programs can improve student nutrition, create new opportunities for local farmers and ranchers, and strengthen Hawaiʻi's food security.