No team’s dish is left dying on the pass when Jr Iron Chef VT takes over the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. Local nonprofit Vermont Afterschool hosts the career program and competition in which 53 squads of young chefs from across the state gather to showcase their culinary prowess. The organized chaos includes competing against the clock — and each other — to craft a delectable dish that wows the taste buds of local judges. In the weeks preceding the big day, teams spend their extracurricular hours researching, prepping and testing potential from-scratch recipes using seasonal products. As they say in the biz: Yes, chef!
