Alabama 4-H

Chef 4-H

10 min read
Alabama 4-H Chef 4-H; bowl of fruit and veggies

Have you ever imagined that you were a famous chef? You stand in front of an audience of millions, using your knowledge and creativity to prepare wonderful and amazing dishes. Chef 4-H is your chance to do that—at least on an introductory level!

What You Will Do

  • Exhibit your skills with different cooking techniques.
  • Share a favorite traditional or original recipe.
  • Show how to prepare a tasty and healthy dish.

What You Will Learn

Besides getting to try new and tasty dishes, Chef 4-H will make you a smarter and more imaginative chef. It may make your meals and snacks healthier as well as more interesting.

  • Good food decisions, making every dish part of a healthy diet.
  • How to make shopping lists and food menus.
  • How well you handle yourself in the kitchen.
  • Good culinary techniques.
  • Ability to present your knowledge before a live audience.

Levels of Competition

Junior Level I: 9 to 11 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year (compete only at local and regional levels).

Intermediate: 12 to 13 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year (compete only at local and regional levels).

Senior Level I: 14 to 15 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year.

Senior Level II: 16 to 18 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year.

Refer to Alabama 4-H Competitive Events on the Alabama Extension website (www.aces.edu) to review the Competitive Events General Policy and the Age & Eligibility Chart.

Identification of Entry

Name, county, and level of participation should be displayed with each entry. An introduction at the beginning of your time would be appropriate.

Disqualifications of Entry

1. Not following food safety guidelines.

2. Using slides, video, or PowerPoint.

3. Senior Level 4-H member not submitting a community service report.

Rules for Chef 4-H

  • Compete by yourself.
  • Your primary ingredient must be from one of the USDA’s five major food groups. These are grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and protein.
  • The focus of Chef 4-H is on your presentation and your skill as a culinary instructor.
  • 1. Provide nutritional information.
    • Provide information about your dish. This should include protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Also include the amount of fat and cholesterol.
    • Base your information on what is needed for someone eating 2,000 calories per day. The USDA website www.ChooseMyPlate.gov has helpful information.
    • Your primary ingredient must be a grain, a vegetable, a fruit, dairy, or protein. The protein group includes meat, beans, eggs, and nuts.
  • 2. Prepare your dish in front of a live audience.
    • Bring all of your supplies and equipment, including what you need to serve the judges.
    • Create your own visual aids, such as posters or flash cards.
    • You may not use PowerPoint, slides, or video.
    • Do not use or display brand names, such as Crisco, Minute Maid, or Cheerios.
    • Be prepared to measure either a liquid or dry ingredient or demonstrate a specific cooking technique with eggs.
    • Have one dish already cooked to display.
    • Serve a sample to the judges.
  • 3. Stay within the time limits.
    • Senior Levels I and II: no more than 12 minutes
    • Junior/Intermediate: 5 to 10 minutes
  • 4. Provide a copy of your recipe to the judges. Include the following:
    • name of your dish
    • primary food group
    • list of ingredients in the order they are used
    • exact measurements of ingredients
    • directions for making the dish
    • how many servings the dish makes
    • time for preparation, including cooking time
    • nutritional information

Suggestions for Success

Here are some ideas to help you get started.

Becoming a 4-H Chef

First decide what you are going to prepare. Whether it’s a favorite family recipe or something new and creative, you’ll need to select your dish and develop your demonstration. Because good nutrition is a key, research the nutritional aspects of the primary ingredient of your dish.

  • Don’t use too many props. They can be hard to handle and may distract.
  • Remember your time limits!
  • Practice, practice, practice.

The Day of the Big Event

  • You will provide all the equipment and supplies you need. That includes everything: small appliances (such as blender or mixer), serving dishes, measuring and cooking utensils, cleaning agents, and sponges or cloths you need to clean up. One easel and one long extension cord are provided for each kitchen. You will have access to a range top or oven at State Competitive Events Day, and two tables will be provided. It is your responsibility to check with your local 4-H agent or volunteer to confirm what will be provided at local and regional events.
  • Keep a checklist of everything you need to take with you.
  • If your dish is a cooked recipe, prepare your cooked dish before the event.
  • For your presentation, measure your ingredients ahead of time. You will need to show how to accurately measure one liquid or one dry ingredient. You can also do things such as chopping ahead of time. For the egg preparation demonstration, you will need to demonstrate the correct way to crack an egg as well as an egg separation or cooking technique.
  • For safety and convenience, you may put all of your ingredients in clear containers and then remove the lids or covers just before your demonstration.
  • Remove commercial labels from all containers or cover the labels.
  • The demonstration area is your stage. Arrange your work area so that everything you need is easy to reach. Remember to keep center stage clear so the judges and the audience can see what you are doing.
  • Have a damp cloth ready to wipe up spills and clean the work area and your hands. Hint: a damp cloth under a mixing bowl keeps the bowl from slipping and from making noise.
  • Trays are helpful to carry and organize items. Set up the trays so you can work from left to right (or right to left if that is more comfortable), taking the ingredients from the left tray, using them in your workspace in the center, and placing the empty container on the right tray.
  • If you need to use electrical equipment of any kind, know how to safely operate it. Check the electrical appliances to ensure that they work before you begin your presentation.
  • Clean, plain clothing is best. You may want to wear an apron or chef’s attire or choose a costume related to the project as long as it does not distract from the presentation.
  • Avoid jewelry, long fingernails, and fingernail polish. These can be distracting and may pose a safety problem if they get into the food.
  • Hair should be neat and away from your face. Make sure that no hair can fall into the food. You may wish to consider a toque (chef’s hat) or another head covering.

Making Your Presentation

How Would a Professional Do It?

Your purpose is to inform, entertain, and show your skill and knowledge. You are going to be working and talking for several minutes, so you need to have plenty of engaging information and lots of energy. As with any good performance, you should begin by drawing in your audience: introduce yourself and your recipe. You might want to talk about why you chose the recipe.

Have fun. Be organized. Speak in a voice that your audience can hear. As you prepare your dish, talk to your audience. Smile and maintain eye contact. You might relate some of the history of the food. You must talk about the nutritional value of the food you are preparing.

If you are using unusual equipment, special foods, or unfamiliar terms, explain them to your audience.

As you finish your demonstration, clean up the work space and move the trays and soiled articles to another table. Wipe off the work area and remove any crumbs or trash.

Display the finished product as attractively as possible. Make sure that it is appealing, and provide each of the judges with a sample.

Using Note Cards

Try not to use note cards. Demonstrate that you thoroughly know and understand your recipe and ingredients.

If you must use notes, use small cards on the side of your work area. Look at your audience! That’s difficult if you are reading cards. Remember that your audience is 4-H friends and neighbors, and they are all pulling for you!

Using Visual Aids

Some people use posters or other visual aids to emphasize nutrition or other aspects of their recipe. Posters do not necessarily make your presentation weaker or stronger. If you do use them, make sure that they are attractive and easy to read. They should help your audience better understand the information you are presenting.

Posters may include the following:

  • Title of your demonstration and your name
  • Your recipe with a list of ingredients and measurements
  • Nutritional facts from ChooseMyPlate, food safety tips, or related information
  • Things that make your demonstration unique: special foods or equipment

Keep it Clean and Safe Too!

  • Wash your hands before working with food.
  • Do not lick your fingers or utensils, scratch your face, touch your hair, cough into the food, or contaminate the food.
  • If you must touch the food, explain why you are using bare hands and why the product is still safe to eat. You may wish to wear plastic food gloves when handling the food.
  • If you have hot or cold ingredients, keep them properly stored and remind the audience of the importance of food safety.
  • Know the key temperatures for food safety.

Bringing It to an End

With your finished dish on center stage, you are ready to conclude the demonstration. You have shown the audience what you have made, how easy it is to do, and how attractive it can be. You also have emphasized how the dish is a part of a balanced diet. In concluding, you need to repeat the points you want your audience to remember about safety, nutrition, and preparation.

Like any good public presentation, you need to find a graceful exit. You can remind your audience about nutrition. You can remind your audience about a special food or ingredient you used. Or you can just end with a positive note for the audience. Always ask the audience if they have any questions.

Career Connections Culinary Job Description

www.culinarycareer.net

Skills that are developed through this project have direct connections to a number of exciting and rewarding careers. Restaurants, hotels, and other food service industries often employ three distinct types of employees: chefs, cooks, and food preparation employees.

  • Chefs are responsible for directing the activities of other kitchen workers, menu planning, recipe creation, food and supply ordering, and some specific cooking duties. They are typically the most experienced and educated members of the staff.
  • Cooks are responsible for the day-to-day food preparation at the restaurant or facility. Depending on the size of the facility, there may be several cooks, each responsible for a different part of the menu or a different type of food. For example, there are fry cooks, vegetable cooks, pastry cooks, as well as other specialties.
  • Food preparation employees work under the supervision of chefs and cooks and typically perform less skilled duties. For example, they may chop vegetables, prepare salads, and prepare materials used by the restaurant’s chefs and cooks.
  • Food service managers are often responsible for many of the behind-the-scenes activities that keep the establishment going. Food service managers have responsibilities ranging from ordering food and supplies, selecting menu items and determining their prices, and ensuring the high quality of food preparation and service. They are frequently responsible for administrative tasks.

A Sample Foods Demonstration Speech

Here are some ideas on how you can introduce healthy eating information into your presentation. It’s up to you to personalize your talk—to make it fun and interesting. When you watch chefs on TV, notice how they entertain and involve their audiences. You can make your presentation just as much fun!

Have ingredients and equipment ready when you begin. Measure your ingredients before you start.

Tell your audience your ingredients and how much of each ingredient you will need: For this recipe, you will need 1 cup of flour, 2 cups of sugar, and 3 peeled oranges.

1. Measure one dry ingredient. Measure a dry ingredient by heaping a measure of the ingredient into a cup or spoon. Then use the straight edge of a knife to level it off. And/or measure one liquid ingredient. Set the measuring cup on the table. Bend so that you can see the correct mark on the cup. Pour the liquid until you get the correct amount in the cup.

2. Tell about and demonstrate preparation. The first thing to do in making___________ is to measure all the ingredients. I did this ahead of time so l am now ready to start mixing.

3. Tell about the nutrients in the food. The dish I am making belongs in the Dairy Foods Group. This group includes milk, yogurt, cheese, and other milk products. We need 2 to 3 servings each day from this food group to get these nutrients: Protein builds muscles and repairs and maintains healthy bodies. Vitamin A is necessary for healthy eyes, and it helps the digestive tract resist infection. Vitamin D helps the body use calcium and phosphorus for bone growth.Niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin help the body get energy from food. They also promote good appetite and digestion. Vitamin B-6 is necessary for the body to use protein. Vitamin B-12 builds red blood cells and is necessary for the body to use protein and fat. Calcium builds bones and teeth and helps regulate nerves. Here are some ideas on how you can introduce healthy eating information into your presentation. It’s up to you to personalize your talk—to make it fun and interesting. When you watch chefs on TV, notice how they entertain and involve their audiences. You can make your presentation just as much fun! Phosphorus builds bones and teeth and helps the body get energy from food. Sodium and potassium help control water balance in the body.

4. Tell about MyPlate. The Dairy Foods Group is one food group from MyPlate. We need to eat foods from all the different groups each day to have a balanced diet. How much you need depends on such things as your age, your amount of exercise, and whether you are male or female. On average, you need 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, or nuts. You need 3 to 5 servings of vegetables. You need 2 to 4 servings of fruit. You need 6 to 11 servings of grain. We all need to limit foods from the Fats, Oils, and Sweets Group.

5. Summarize. Today you have seen how to prepare a dish from the Dairy Food Group. Most people need 2 to 3 servings each day to get protein; vitamins A, D, B-6, and B-12; niacin; thiamin; riboflavin; calcium; phosphorus; sodium; and potassium. These nutrients help us grow and stay active. Include foods from the Dairy, Meat, Vegetable, Fruit, and Bread Groups every day to have a healthy diet.

6. Show your finished dish to the judges. Offer the judges a taste. This is what my dish looks like when it is ready to eat. I would serve this dish with (name some healthy food you would serve with this dish) for a delicious snack or meal. This concludes my demonstration.

Community Service

Telling a great story, showcasing projects at a community library, speaking at a local nursing home, or organizing a community cooking or building blocks workshop are great opportunities to serve others. Serving others helps build your academic skills, learn civic responsibility, and develop leadership. It may also give you a good opportunity to meet new people, publicize 4-H, and practice your communication skills. Alabama 4-H is now requiring all senior level 4-H members to add a community service component to all 4-H Competitive Events. Each senior level 4-H member will have to complete the 4-H Community Service Report as a part of his or her project. 4-H members will bedisqualified if the community service report is not included.

You must decide what service you can provide and not have a parent or 4-H leader make this decision for you. Groups of young people are encouraged to work together to discover how they can serve their community.

Score Sheet

View the score sheet for Chef 4-H in the corresponding PDF download below.

 

Joy Scott, Extension Specialist, 4-H and Youth Development, Auburn University.

Revised July 2024, Chef 4-H, 4HYD-2241-D

Download this article as a PDF