The career field of culinary arts in Kentucky is one that is rapidly expanding in part because of the continued growth of tourism within the state. Over the next five years, the career growth outlook is between 25-30%. This is about 18,000 openings each year for the rest of the decade (US Department of Labor). As a result, young people with a passion for the culinary arts can reliably look forward to career stability and advancement within the state. The Culinary Challenge is positioned to prepare young people to enter this career path with meaningful skills and experience.

Culinary Challenge is a state-level event that ends a year's worth of work in the kitchen. As the 8^th Annual Culinary Challenge wraps up it experienced another record year in attendance. Youth participation increased by 30% and has had a compound growth of 400% in the past five years. After the event, 95% of young people reported high levels of improvement in knife skills with all young people reporting some level of improvement. Youth also reported a great deal of teamwork and kitchen management skills developed as a result of the program. This high confidence in critical skills is a result of the consistent work with 4-H agents and Volunteers. Youth reported an average of being engaged in 4-H activities for 3 hours a week. These skills have been identified as making a candidate highly qualified for positions in Culinary Arts positions giving the young people who participate in Culinary Challenge programming a head start on career advancement.

Of the young people who participated in the Kentucky 4-H Culinary Challenge eight were from Montgomery County.  The county fielded two Junior division teams and one Senior division team in this year’s contest.

The 4-H Culinary Contest is only one part of the culinary experience that Montgomery County 4-H participates in.  4-H Culinary members also compete in the State 4-H Poultry Barbecue Contest: 3 Junior and 4 Senior members competing in Chicken Barbecue along with two Senior members competing in Turkey Barbecue and one Junior member competing in Egg Chef Challenge. 

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture Farm to School Junior Chef Contest is the other culinary experience that Montgomery County 4-H members experience.  This year Montgomery County team finished third overall in a contest that challenges teams to formulate recipes that can be incorporated into the school breakfast of lunch program.  As a result of the teams’ success, one member was recruited by a senior citizens home to be a member of the kitchen staff responsible for preparing nutritious meals for the home residents.