The 4-H Culinary Challenge is a state level event that prepares youth to prepare a dish using specific ingredients for judges.  Youth will increase their knowledge of food and nutrition, master kitchen safety skills, use creativity to present food and increase public speaking skills. This year, Fulton County had a team of six (ended with four- one not being of age to compete) to join the culinary challenge program. The meetings began in June and they met two to three times a week for one and half hours but could have easily lasted for two to three hours. The team members were new to cooking and had very limited skills of being in the kitchen. A homemaker volunteered her time and was very helpful in teaching the youth how to do certain things or why you do certain steps before.

Challenges that happened during the practices was having a very picky eater that would not try any of the food, absences, working together as team, communication, and the cost of purchasing items. However, the pros of the challenge was introducing kids to the kitchen, learning the importance of food safety, learning how to cook on the cooktop, making new friends, and having foods that we have not had before. In the end, a team from Fulton County did not attend the State Culinary Challenge due to absences and not being fully prepared for state level competition. 

The reviews from the youth participating in the practices over the summer were great! Of the four that continued to come to practice, they all said they had fun, they learned how to cook, and they learned a new skill.