6 Fun Cooking Challenges for the Classroom

Cooking Challenge Ideas for Middle and High School Students

Cooking challenges are a great way to reinforce basic cooking methods and equipment. They are also entertaining when they challenge students to compete with one another! Students can create new recipes, work together, and have fun. Let’s take a look at some of the favorites.

1- Gourmet Ramen Challenge

Ramen has grown in popularity over the past decade; most students know and love ramen. The packets are cheap, and the taste is addicting. To practice knife skills, have students choose from a list of ingredients to add to their ramen to make it “gourmet.”

Start with a package of ramen each and offer additional ingredients such as white rice, cooking oil, vegetables, sesame seeds, soy sauce, chicken, beef or pork, bacon, eggs, and more. This can be a fun way to help students get creative in the classroom and prepare for their future as home cooks.

Have students portion their ramen creations in portion cups for a taste test challenge and invite faculty, other students, or even their classmates to choose a winner.

This Gourmet Ramen activity includes a reading about the history of ramen and its popularity growth, questions, a brainstorming sheet, ingredient suggestions, and a rubric.

Gourmet Ramen Ingredient Ideas:

Proteins

1. Chicken – grilled, shredded
2. Pork – bacon
3. Beef – thinly sliced sirloin, brisket, or meatballs
4. Seafood – shrimp, scallops
5. Tofu – silken, firm, or smoked
6. Eggs – soft-boiled, marinated, or poached

Vegetables

1. Mushrooms – shiitake, enoki, or oyster
2. Greens – spinach, bok choy, or kale
3. Roots – carrot, radish, or sweet potato
4. Corn – sweet corn kernels
5. Onions – green onions, shallots, or leeks

Flavor Enhancers

1. Garlic – minced or roasted
2. Ginger – freshly grated or pickled
3. Chili – fresh, oil, or flakes
4. Soy Sauce – for depth of flavor
5. Miso Paste – white or red
6. Sesame Oil – for a nutty finish

Aromatics and Herbs

1. Cilantro – fresh leaves
2. Basil – Thai or sweet
3. Seaweed – wakame or nori strips
4. Scallions – chopped for garnish

Broth Modifications

1. Chicken or Beef Stock – to mix with or replace water
2. Coconut Milk – for a creamy texture
3. Tomato Sauce – for a tangy twist

These ingredients provide a range of textures and flavors and encourage the students to think about the balance of their dish in terms of taste, color, and presentation. It would be great to see how each student brings their unique touch to this classic dish!

2- Mac and Cheese Challenge

Another comfort food, macaroni and cheese, is one that all students know and love. This can be a great way to reinforce your teaching about mother sauces and teach them about bechamel used in mac and cheese. We have individual cooking equipment stations for labs like this, allowing kids to make their dishes, or you can have them work in partners.

You can either give them a box of mac and cheese from the store and have them make it gourmet or provide them with macaroni noodles, cheese, and other ingredients. They can take the mac and cheese to the next level with bacon, tomatoes, sauces, beans, and more. 

Hold a taste test at the end and have students portion their mac and cheese in small portion cups without telling the tasters who made each sample. Have them judge the best tasting/texture to determine a class winner! 

⭐Check out our Mac and Cheese Challenge materials to save you tons of time!

Mac and Cheese Dish Ideas:

1. Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese – Add shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, and top with crumbled blue cheese and celery.
2. Taco Mac and Cheese – Stir in taco-seasoned ground beef or turkey, jalapeños, and top with crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.
3. BBQ Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese – Combine with slow-cooked pulled pork, a bit of BBQ sauce, and a crunchy coleslaw topping.
4. Veggie Lovers’ Mac and Cheese – Add roasted broccoli, bell peppers, and caramelized onions.
5. Caprese Mac and Cheese – Blend in cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil, and finish with a balsamic glaze drizzle.
6. Five Cheese Mac and Cheese – Use a combination of sharp cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, blue cheese, and parmesan.
7. Mac and Cheese Balls – Make mac and cheese, chill it, form into balls, roll in bread crumbs, and deep fry.
8. French Onion Mac and Cheese – Add caramelized onions and gruyere cheese, topped with a garlic bread crumb crust.
9. Korean Spicy Mac and Cheese – Blend in gochujang (Korean chili paste), kimchi, and top with sesame seeds and scallions.

3- Brownie Challenge (Free Materials!)

It’s time for something sweet! This is a fun challenge in which you can give your students a box of brownies and have them get creative and practice food plating. Ingredients for garnishing include chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, strawberries, nuts, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and more. Reinforce that they don’t have to cut these into squares; they can plate them however they want and market them any way they want as long as they include the box.

This is a great way for them to see the role of eggs in baking because they may decide to make them cake-like or fudgy. Be sure to taste-test them at the end and discuss the differences in consistency!

This free cooking challenge resource includes reading, questions, a brainstorming sheet with suggested ingredients, and a rubric!

Brownie Challenge Ideas:

1. Salted Caramel Brownies – Swirl caramel into the batter and sprinkle with sea salt before baking.
2. Mocha Brownies – Add espresso powder to the batter and top with a coffee-infused ganache.
3. Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies – Swirl in raspberry puree and cheesecake batter into the brownie mix.
4. Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies – Marble through peanut butter into the brownie batter before baking.
5. Coconut Almond Brownies – Incorporate shredded coconut and slivered almonds, topped with a coconut cream frosting.

4- Potato Project

This challenge will help students review cooking methods. Give students 2 potatoes each and have them choose a cooking method. They can boil, fry, bake, saute, and more to create a delicious meal and feel like a good cook! This challenge includes mashed potatoes, latkes, baked potatoes, roasted potatoes, hash browns and more. Have students or faculty judge to see who made the best dish. 

5- Souper Bowl Challenge

Whether it is in time for the Super Bowl or you want to teach about soups and mother sauces, this challenge is engaging! With this “Souper Bowl Challenge,” students learn about game day foods, the history of soups, and information about soups. Some of our students’ soups include creamy tomato, ramen soup, chicken noodles, minestrone, and egg drop soup. Students answer questions, brainstorm soup ideas, look at inspiration, and have their recipes approved by you.

They will mise en place their recipes and get started. This is a fun one to do taste testing with. 

6- Grilled Cheese Challenge

Are you teaching about sandwiches? This is a great way to reinforce the types of sandwiches and allow students to get creative! A grilled cheese challenge is a fantastic way to get culinary students excited about experimenting with flavors, textures, and innovative cooking techniques, all centered around this classic comfort food.

Creative ideas for a grilled cheese challenge:

1. International Grilled Cheese – Students must create a grilled cheese sandwich that embodies the flavors of a specific cuisine, such as Italian (using mozzarella, tomato, and basil), Mexican (with pepper jack, jalapeños, and avocado), or French (featuring brie and apples).
2. Sweet and Savory Grilled Cheese – Incorporate sweet and savory elements like pear, gorgonzola, bacon, and maple syrup.
3. Breakfast Grilled Cheese – Combine breakfast staples with grilled cheese, using ingredients like scrambled eggs, sausage, or hash browns.
4. Three Cheese Grilled Cheese – Use a combination of three different cheeses to achieve the ultimate melty texture and depth of flavor.
5. Vegan Grilled Cheese – Create an entirely plant-based grilled cheese using vegan cheeses and other vegan-friendly ingredients.
6. Double-Decker Grilled Cheese – Construct a multi-layer cheese sandwich, ensuring each layer is perfectly cooked.
7. Stuffed Grilled Cheese – Stuff the sandwich with a filling other than cheese, such as a thin layer of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, or a burger patty.

Why Culinary Challenges?

Culinary challenges, like the ones described for soups, grilled cheese, and other dishes, are highly beneficial for middle and high school students in culinary arts or family consumer science classes for several reasons:

1. Skill Development

These challenges help students practice and refine essential culinary skills such as chopping, sautéing, baking, and grilling. They also teach students about food safety, kitchen hygiene, proper cooking techniques, and fundamental skills in both personal and professional culinary environments.

2. Creativity and Innovation

Challenges encourage students to think creatively and experiment with different ingredients, flavors, and presentation styles. This kind of creative thinking can inspire innovation and help students develop a personal style of cooking, which is crucial for anyone considering a career in culinary arts.

3. Problem-solving and Critical Thinking

Students must often make quick decisions and solve problems during these challenges, such as adjusting a recipe on the fly if an ingredient is not working or overcoming equipment limitations. This enhances their ability to think critically and adapt, valuable skills in any field.

Check out more culinary arts food lab challenges!