Introducing the Winners of the 2021 Plate to Planet Challenge!
In honor of Earth Day 2021, Impossible Foods teamed up with the Careers through Culinary Arts Program(opens in a new tab) (C-CAP) to launch a first-of-its-kind recipe contest: The Plate to Planet Challenge. C-CAP is a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens a pathway to success through jobs in the food sector. Annually, C-CAP provides culinary, job and life skills to over 15,000 middle-and-high school students across the United States to help further food and social justice, as well as equity and inclusion.
This year’s inaugural cooking competition, hosted by C-CAP, was dedicated to saving the planet – through recipe submissions made for meat lovers. The Plate to Planet Challenge was open to high school students in the greater Los Angeles area and throughout the state of Arizona – who were challenged to submit original Impossible™ Burger recipes that draw flavors, ingredients and inspiration from each chef’s family heritage – for a chance to win a $1000 (1st Prize), $500 (2nd Prize), and $200 (3rd Prize). Judges included Chef J. Michael Melton (Head of Culinary at Impossible Foods; Oakland, CA), Chef Rebecca Tillman (Executive Sous Chef at The Phoenician, Scottsdale AZ) and Chef Jayro Martinez (Executive Chef at Mayfield; Irvine, CA).
The judges selected six incredible winners from Los Angeles and Arizona, with one claiming the top spot for each location. Here’s a little bit more about our winners, and their delicious dishes.