Local Students Compete in Chopped-Style Culinary Challenge to Showcase “Food is Medicine”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. [June 18, 2025] – Your Farms Your Table, a farm-to-table dining and experiences group offering catering and curated events, community-supported meals, and personal chef services, is partnering with the George Washington Carver Food Research Institute to host a “Chopped-style” culinary cooking competition for high school students as part of the Explore Ag STEAM Academy program.

The competition will take place at Your Farms Your Table’s restaurant, Restaurant Constance, where three teams of five students will create healthy, plant-based dishes using fresh produce from Deep Roots CPS Farm, seasoning kits donated by Bob Evans Foods, and mystery ingredients revealed during the event. Students will be encouraged to collaborate, and reimagine food as a powerful tool for healthy and community impact. James-Beard-nominated Chef Sam Diminich will guide students through a kitchen tour and share insights into culinary creativity and entrepreneurship. 

This year’s theme, Food as Medicine, will encourage students to reimagine how plant-based meals can support health and wellness, particularly for children with limited access to nutritious food.  Over two weeks, students will explore agriculture, nutrition, product development, food science, supply chain, sustainability, food safety, operations, process engineering, sales and marketing and health equity before showcasing their skills in the competition. 

Monday, June 23 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Where:

Restaurant Constance 

2200 Thrift Rd Charlotte, NC 28208

Why It Matters:
Roughly 10.9% of North Carolina’s population, including 17% of children, experienced food insecurity in 2021 (Feeding America 2022). In Mecklenburg County, that number is even higher at nearly 15 %. Free programs like the Explore Ag STEAM Academy offer a solution by teaching students how to make healthy meals, connecting them with where their food comes from, and exploring how agriculture and nutrition intersect with science, economics, and equity. 

Many urban youth grow up disconnected from agriculture and are unaware of STEAM career opportunities in the food industry. The Explore Ag STEAM Academy bridges this gap, providing a hands-on introduction to food science, product development, and entrepreneurship. The partnership is a natural fit as Your Farms Your Table’s mission to connect people with healthy and fresh, locally-sourced food aligns with the Academy’s goal of educating youth about agriculture, nutrition, and food as medicine. 

Founded in 2020, Your Farms Your Table Group brings farm-to-table dining and experiences to you, wherever your journey, celebration, or gathering is. Serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and beyond, we offer catering, curated events, personal chef services, and community-supported meals, all designed to celebrate the rich bounty of the Carolinas. With a commitment to sustainability and local flavors, our flagship restaurant, Restaurant Constance, exemplifies our mission to unite communities through food and shared experiences. 

George Washington Carver Food Research Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a holistic approach to health, wellness, and financial prosperity for underserved people worldwide through food research and service-based agricultural education. Founded in 2013 by Ian Blount and Angela Cauley, the organization is dedicated to uplifting the lives of individuals through agricultural science, technology, entrepreneurship, art, and mathematic (STEAM) education.

Becky Budds

becky@annacomms.com 

630-5250-0259