WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A third-grade Cayce Elementary School student is one of five finalists for the national championship of the Future Chefs Challenge.
DeZyah Dewitt’s Cheeseburger Cupcakes recipe won the 13th Annual Future Chefs Challenge in Lexington Two, and she went on to win the regional challenge.
She will now compete at the national level. At the district level, a panel of judges selected DeZyah's recipe as its favorite from among recipes prepared by finalist 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students from the district’s elementary schools. Recipes, themed for favorite main dishes, were prepared by students in a competition in the commercial kitchen at the Lexington Two Innovation Center. Members of the Innovation Center’s Culinary Arts program prepared side dishes and sweets, and families in attendance were able to sample the main dishes prepared by Future Chefs competitors as well as the sides and sweets.
In addition to DeZyah, other Lexington Two finalists and their schools are:
Cayce Elementary: Vivian Espinoza Samano, Selah Williamson
Congaree Elementary: Haines Lowman, Savannah O’Hora
Riverbank Elementary: Oliver Boyd, Kanani Everett, Paris Williams
Saluda River Academy for the Arts: Trevor Davis, Seraphina Narang
Springdale Elementary: Christian Laird, Molly Laird
Wood Elementary: Levi Norris, Willow Norris
DeZyah could become the district's second national champion. The district’s 2022 Future Chefs winner, Chandler Dorn, who served as a judge in this year’s event, won the national championship.
The annual Future Chefs Challenge is presented by Sodexo.
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Dezyah Dewitt’s Cheeseburger Cupcakes was the winning recipe in this year’s
Future Chefs Challenge. She is a finalist in the national competition. (Photo courtesy of Geloris Baxley).