The LaRue County High School Junior Chef team won this year’s Farm to School Junior Chef championship. Pictured are, back row from left, Samantha Harp, team members Austin Harp and Noah Selman, team coach Abe Miller, Laura Selman and Robert Selman. Front row from left: Ally Harp, Kyleigh Selman, LaRue County Schools Director of Child Nutrition Stephan Utley, and LaRue County Schools Child Nutrition Program Assistant Shelia Skaggs. (Photo Submitted)
LaRue County High School wins 2025 Junior Chef Championship
Highlands, Bath County earn runners-up honors in annual high school culinary competition
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2025) – The LaRue County High School Junior Chef team topped all competition to come out the winner in this year’s Farm to School Junior Chef program during the championship cookoff last week at Sullivan University’s Lexington campus.
“Congratulations to LaRue County and all the Junior Chef teams that competed this year,” Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell said. “The culinary skills these young chefs showcase is just a brief, early example of their ability to create some of the most delicious dishes with wonderful Kentucky products. This program, which would not be possible without the support of the parents, teachers, coaches, and Sullivan University, is an excellent way for students to pick up valuable life skills and possibly start a career in the culinary arts.”
This year the Junior Chef competition was moved from the Kentucky State Fair stage in August to November to allow students and staff more time to create and practice during the regular school year for their recipe entry. Seven teams competed with a variety of entries from breakfast burritos, pulled barbecue chicken on homemade buns, beef curry, and even a few Asian dishes.
The LaRue County team, consisting of Noah Selman and Austin Harp, prepared a breakfast burrito with house made avocado salsa and a fresh fruit and yogurt parfait for the winning recipe. The team was coached by Abe Miller. Each member of the team received a $10,000 scholarship offer from Sullivan University and a chef’s knife kit donated by Stacey Landfield, owner/operator of Commonwealth Food Service Equipment of Lexington.
The Highlands High School team out of Campbell County, with team members Lillian Foley, Rei Bacis, and Lillie Anderson, finished second with its sweet n spicy teriyaki tofu served over tri-colored quinoa and stir-fried vegetables. The team was coached by Kelsey Sentney. Each team member was awarded a $6,000 scholarship offer from Sullivan.
Bath County High School team, with members Aiden Perry, Emerie Cowell, Bella McGuire, and Landon Braham, finished third in the competition with its breakfast burrito and grape salad with house made granola. The team was coached by Vickie Wells, with advisors Angela Snedegr and Tina Marcum. Each member of the team received a $3,000 scholarship offer from Sullivan.
The second- and third-place teams received a chef’s beginner’s utensil set from Landfield.
LaRue County will go on to compete in the Southeast Region Junior Chef Competition in Alabama this spring. The Southeast Region Junior Chef Competition pits the champions of seven states in the southeastern U.S. in a cook off for scholarship offers from Sullivan University.
Judges for this year’s competition were Sullivan University chefs Steve Atkins and William Hallman, Heather Vankleeck with the Kentucky Department of Education, retired registered dietitian nutritionist Jackie Walters, and Luke Baker, a Sullivan University student and member of Montgomery County High School’s 2024 Junior Chef winning team.
Junior Chef encourages participating students to learn how to cook by using local ingredients to prepare healthy meals while teaching students about agriculture, marketing, organization, teamwork, and community involvement.
The Junior Chef competition is part of the Kentucky Proud Farm to School Program, which helps Kentucky schools purchase local foods. Children get fresh, nutritious local foods to help them grow up healthy and strong. Local farmers get another market for their farm products. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) administers the Farm to School Program and the Junior Chef competition.
Other sponsors of the Junior Chef competition besides the KDA and Sullivan University include the Kentucky Department of Education’s School and Community Nutrition program; the University of Kentucky Extension Family and Consumer Science Nutrition Education Program; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
To find out more about the Junior Chef program, contact Tina Garland, the KDA’s Farm to School Program administrator, at (502) 382-7505 or tina.garland@ky.gov, or visit kyagr.com/junior-chef.