Students square off in Iron chef challenge
By Tim Gallagher | Posted: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Dordt College students Nathan Nikkel, left, and Ben De Nooy, both of Sully, Iowa, will take part in the first Iron Chef Challenge on Friday at Dordt. (Photo submitted)
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- Running a marathon for someone else wasn't enough.
Justin Carruthers is now throwing everything at another worthwhile cause. Including the kitchen sink.
Carruthers, a junior at Dordt College, has organized his school's first Iron Chef Challenge. Eleven teams will convene Friday night at the Dordt College Campus Center Grille, all with just an hour to create an appetizer, main dish and dessert. Each team must utilize an ingredient that won't be revealed until the event begins.
A panel of 10 judges will then observe and taste their creations to determine a winner. The judges, by the way, bought their way on to the panel. It's all for charity.
"We had an auction on-line where seven people could bid to be a judge," said Carruthers, a theology major. Funds raised in this event sponsored by Dordt College Campus Ministries will be given to the Family Crisis Center, Melissa's Hope Chest and Bridge of Hope Ministries, all entities which assist women and children in the Orange City and Sioux Center areas.
The public is invited to attend as well, and Carruthers asked those attending bring one canned food item for needy families. Each canned item is good for one ticket in a prize drawing that features $2,000 worth of goods and services donated by area businesses. The grand prize is a $900 white gold necklace and earrings given by Center Stone Jewelers in Sioux Center.
Teams participating in the contest have each donated $50 to the cause. The winners receive $300 for their efforts.
Dordt's FACT (Future Active Christian Teachers) Club will offer children's games on-site for parents who wish to bring their children along for the festivities.
Has this event stirred up cooking activity at Dordt?
"Yes, students have been practicing," said Carruthers, who will emcee the event. "I've heard from friends who come up to me and say they've just tasted some team's entree."
The catch is that secret ingredient which must be used in everything. Judges will be asked to pay particular attention to that food item.
"We don't unveil the secret ingredient until that night and we'll tell the judge to judge accordingly on how well they use it," he said.
The secrete ingredient will be one of the following: pineapple, tomato, rice, peppers or apple.
Following the Iron Chef Challenge, Dordt will host a Comedy League show at B.J. Haan Auditorium. The night concludes with the popular NC/DC, an "American Idol" type competition featuring top singers from Northwestern College and Dordt College.
The evening will also culminate a busy autumn for Carruthers, a native of Alberta, Canada. The junior recently completed a three-man marathon relay in Sioux City. His effort helped raise money for Dea Lieu, a native of Africa, who graduated from Dordt and returned to do agricultural work along the West Africa Ivory Coast.
Justin Carruthers is now throwing everything at another worthwhile cause. Including the kitchen sink.
Carruthers, a junior at Dordt College, has organized his school's first Iron Chef Challenge. Eleven teams will convene Friday night at the Dordt College Campus Center Grille, all with just an hour to create an appetizer, main dish and dessert. Each team must utilize an ingredient that won't be revealed until the event begins.
A panel of 10 judges will then observe and taste their creations to determine a winner. The judges, by the way, bought their way on to the panel. It's all for charity.
"We had an auction on-line where seven people could bid to be a judge," said Carruthers, a theology major. Funds raised in this event sponsored by Dordt College Campus Ministries will be given to the Family Crisis Center, Melissa's Hope Chest and Bridge of Hope Ministries, all entities which assist women and children in the Orange City and Sioux Center areas.
The public is invited to attend as well, and Carruthers asked those attending bring one canned food item for needy families. Each canned item is good for one ticket in a prize drawing that features $2,000 worth of goods and services donated by area businesses. The grand prize is a $900 white gold necklace and earrings given by Center Stone Jewelers in Sioux Center.
Teams participating in the contest have each donated $50 to the cause. The winners receive $300 for their efforts.
Dordt's FACT (Future Active Christian Teachers) Club will offer children's games on-site for parents who wish to bring their children along for the festivities.
Has this event stirred up cooking activity at Dordt?
"Yes, students have been practicing," said Carruthers, who will emcee the event. "I've heard from friends who come up to me and say they've just tasted some team's entree."
The catch is that secret ingredient which must be used in everything. Judges will be asked to pay particular attention to that food item.
"We don't unveil the secret ingredient until that night and we'll tell the judge to judge accordingly on how well they use it," he said.
The secrete ingredient will be one of the following: pineapple, tomato, rice, peppers or apple.
Following the Iron Chef Challenge, Dordt will host a Comedy League show at B.J. Haan Auditorium. The night concludes with the popular NC/DC, an "American Idol" type competition featuring top singers from Northwestern College and Dordt College.
The evening will also culminate a busy autumn for Carruthers, a native of Alberta, Canada. The junior recently completed a three-man marathon relay in Sioux City. His effort helped raise money for Dea Lieu, a native of Africa, who graduated from Dordt and returned to do agricultural work along the West Africa Ivory Coast.
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