Culinary Showdown

Walworth County Pro/Am Culinary Showdown

January 26, 2025 • Lake Lawn Resort


WCEDA's first annual Walworth County Pro/Am Culinary Showdown to benefit county culinary programs and WCEDA's Kareers4Kids program was a huge success!

Culinary students from eight local high schools were teamed up with local, professional chefs. The chefs mentored the students for months prior to the event to brainstorm and try out their dishes.


On January 26, they brought their dishes to Lake Lawn Resort to present to our judges and public attendees. Not everyone can win, but as you'll see below, all these teams came up with extraordinary dishes!


Venue Sponsor

Gourmet Partner

Gold Plate Sponsor

Gold Plate Sponsor

Bronze Ladle Sponsor

Thank you

Badger Building Trades Class for creating our awards!

Students: Dan Tanner & Hunter Taylor

Instructors: Ryan Bouzek & Arnold Oswald

CCA + Pier 290

WINNER:

• People's Choice Deconstructed Hot Dog

• People's Choice Sausage


Team #4 - Career & College Academy of Elkhorn & Pier 290

CCA: Kelly Demerath, Daylen Schneider, Graham Hutson

Pier 290: Chef Ken Hnilo


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

Loaded Chili Cheese Dog
Coney Island Inspired fritter with all beef hotdogs, Wisconsin cheese, raw onion, and beef chili. Crispy bun crust and special sauce


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Giant Sausage of Deliciousness!
Toasted flatbread with thinly sliced mortadella, burrata cheese, pepper jam, and house made pistachio pesto

Williams Bay HS + Oakfire

WINNER:

• Judge's Choice Deconstructed Hot Dog


Team #8 - Williams Bay High School & Oakfire

Williams Bay HS: Christy Torres, Emily Monroe, Lia Durbin, Derrick Benitez, Preston Sorensen

Oakfire: Chef Nicholas Crawford


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

Hot Rings

Sesame panko crusted pork rings, deep fried. Served with a dijon mustard aioli and a tangy tomato sauce.


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Pickled Kielbasa Bites

Hors d'oeuvre style pickled sausage and Old World garlic relish. Served with crackers.

East Troy HS + East Troy Brewery

WINNER:

• Judge's Choice Sausage


Team #6 - East Troy High School & East Troy Brewery

East Troy HS: Jinnesa Pluess, Gracy Fox, Gracelyn Hell

East Troy Brewery: Chef Nathan Dettinger


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

Windy City Dog

These mini pizzas feature a square-shaped crust, a nod to East Troy’s historic village square. They offer a bold twist on Chicago classics, showcasing a mustard-beer reduction inspired by East Troy Brewery. Topped with hot dog slices, sport peppers, and all the classic fixings, it’s a perfect individual bite and celebrates the flavors of Walworth County.


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Hometown Breakfast Bite
Flaky puff pastry encases savory breakfast sausages sourced from East Troy’s Hometown Sausage Kitchen, with a bacon jam and drizzled with a rich maple glaze. A nod to East Troy mornings, crafted with local love.

Whitewater HS +
The Abbey Resort


Team #1 - Whitewater High School & The Abbey Resort

Whitewater HS: Lynn Weilbrenner, Molly Donner, Kevin Gonzalez

The Abbey Resort: Chef Noah Gumustekin, Chef Aaron Schmude


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

Bits & Pieces

Pork Chicharrón, Braised Belly, Beef Tallow & Tomato Powder, Pickled Mustard Seed, Torn Brioche, Black Garlic


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Boudin Blanc

Shrimp & seafood sausage with a hibiscus-blackberry ketchup.

Big Foot HS +
Destination Geneva National


Team #2 - Big Foot High School & Destination Geneva National

Big Foot HS: Wes Slawson, Elliott Vail, Lillian Gibbs, Kennedy Burton

East Troy Brewery: Chef Jonny Martinez


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

Asada Hot Dog

A bold take on the classic hot dog with chorizo, bacon, salsa verde, pico de gallo, and queso blanco on a soft English hot dog bun.


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Aged Ribeye Steak Sausage
A premium steak sausage crafted from the finest cuts of our Hunt Club, topped with vibrant, house-made chimichurri for a bold and flavorful finish.

Elkhorn Area HS +
Lake Lawn Resort


Team #3 - Elkhorn Area High School & Lake Lawn Resort

Elkhorn HS: Stacy Jacobs, Gracy Rowley, Autumn Renolds, Colin Richter

Lake Lawn Resort: Chef Domenico Rossi


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

The Walking Weiner

A deliciously inventive twist on the classic hot dog! The hot dogs are finely sliced into thin strips, then deep-fried to perfection, creating a rich, golden-brown exterior while keeping the inside juicy and flavorful. They are served in a toasted hot dog bun, adding a slightly crisp base that compliments the fried texture. Accompanying the dish a tangy pickle chip, adding a crunchy, zesty bite that contrasts beautifully with the richness of the fried hot dogs.


The sauce—creamy mayo, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, and ketchup—provide a balanced and familiar flavor profile, each bite a mix of savory, sweet, and tangy notes.. 

This dish takes comfort food to the next level with its crunchy textures, and bold flavors.


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

The One Herd Slider

This dish features tender elk meat seasoned with a bold and savory Cajun blend, bringing a zesty kick to each bite. The elk is perfectly complemented by a toasted pretzel bun, which adds a satisfying crunch and subtle maltiness. A smooth, creamy pickled red onion aioli ties it all together, offering a tangy and slightly sweet contrast to the spicy richness of the meat. Each element combines to create a mouthwatering, flavorful experience that’s both hearty and unforgettable.

Badger HS + Jonathan's


Team #5 - Badger High School & Jonathan's

Badger HS: Jamie Lutz, Jack Andersen, Ethan Priester, Jowe Vanschyndel-Wainwright

Jonathan's: Chef Chad Carper


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

A Gourmet Classic

Classic all beef hotdog, topped with a smokey bacon, tomato jam, pickled cabbage with stone ground mustard seeds and crispy fried onion strings in a fresh multigrain baguette.


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Cantonese Bao
Custom made cantonese/asian inspired sausage wrapped in a pillowy soft Baou bun topped with pickled asian slaw, candied ginger and spicy cashew dust and drizzled with a sweet soy glaze.

Delavan-Darien HS +
Delavan Lake Yacht Club


Team #7 - Delavan-Darien High School & Delavan Lake Yacht Club

DDHS: Caiping Su, Kaylee Wolf, Aiden Bieser

Delavan Lake Yacht Club: Chef Stephen Porter


Dish 1: Deconstructed Hot Dog

Beef Hot Dog & Pineapple Kabob

Succulent all-beef hot dogs, char-grilled to perfection, are paired with vibrant, grilled chunks of pineapple, sweet red bell pepper, and tender red onion. Each skewer is crowned with a crisp, golden crouton, adding a delightful crunch. Finished with a drizzle of homemade sweet Thai chili aioli, this dish strikes the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and spice in every bite.


Dish 2: Team Choice Tubed Meat (Sausage)

Cajun Macaroni & Cheese with Smoked Andouille Sausage

A velvety rich, house-made macaroni and cheese is elevated with the bold flavors of smoked, house-made Andouille sausage, infused with a touch of Cajun spice.
Served in a delicate, crisp Parmesan tuile bowl. Each bite delivers a harmonious medley of flavors that are as comforting as they are unforgettable.

Donating Purveyors


What is WCEDA's Kareers4Kids Program?


Every student, future ready.


Kareers4Kids (K4K) has been designed with one goal in mind: to help students plan their futures. By connecting students with hands-on, career-based learning experiences (CBLEs), K4K helps students apply their academic and technical skills in the real world of work while also developing essential workplace skills critical to their future employment success.


[Learn more]

This event sold out this year, so get on the list for next year!

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