{"id":268484,"date":"2026-04-27T17:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T17:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/268484\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T17:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T17:57:10","slug":"austin-high-students-compete-for-dish-on-kerbey-lane-menu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/268484\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin High students compete for dish on Kerbey Lane menu"},"content":{"rendered":"

A salmon scampi created by three Austin High School culinary students is headed to the summer seasonal menu at Kerbey Lane Cafe,<\/a> with part of the proceeds helping Austin ISD cover student meal debt.<\/p>\n

Austin High students Zach Borja, Josiah Peterson-Bull, and Judah Scaletta won the April 24 culinary competition between Austin High School <\/a>and Bowie High School<\/a>, earning a spot on the restaurant\u2019s menu for their dish: soy-glazed salmon served over pasta with roasted summer vegetables, finished with Parmesan cheese. The team’s culinary instructor was Brandon Hanna.<\/p>\n

The live competition, created through a partnership between Austin ISD and Kerbey Lane Cafe, challenged student chefs to create restaurant-ready dishes for the restaurant’s seasonal menu.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis collaboration represents what can happen when two community-focused organizations come together with a shared purpose,\u201d said Kerbey Lane CEO Mason Ayer in a statement. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to support Austin ISD students by creating real-world culinary opportunities while also helping expand access to meals for families who need it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students in a second-year culinary class spent the semester developing original dishes to professional standards, and judges scored entries on creativity, execution, and menu viability. The judging panel included Austin Monthly editor-in-chief Madeline Hollern, Ayer, and a student judge.<\/p>\n

\"Pancake Austin ISD Executive Chef Diane Grodek shows entries from the districtwide Kerbey Kids Pancake Challenge, which drew nearly 1,600 submissions from 53 elementary schools.Kerbey Lane\/Instagram<\/p>\n

The runner-up team came from Bowie High School, where students Mateo Pitts, Evan Steiger, Jett Berlin, and Derrick Schmidt created a salmon tostada, placing seared salmon on a crisp tortilla topped with cowboy caviar, fresh avocado, and pickled red onions. The team’s culinary instructor was Ricardo Howard.<\/p>\n

Two other teams also offered sophisticated entries. From Austin High, Ellie Arntson and Harper Carlson devised cajun shrimp toastadas; from Bowie High, Lucas Flores, Sophia Hooker, Arantxa Nieves, and Mia Broccolo put together a “Can\u2019t Marry Me Chicken” with cantaloupe and couscous.<\/p>\n

The event is part of Kerbey Lane\u2019s Kerbey Kindness<\/a> initiative, launched in 2023 to provide quarterly philanthropic support to local organizations. Austin ISD Food Service is the current beneficiary.<\/p>\n

Across the district, negative student meal account balances average about $16,000 throughout the school year. From April through June, a portion of Kerbey Lane’s profits will help cover those balances.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the partnership also included a districtwide Pancake Challenge<\/a> for elementary students, which drew nearly 1,600 entries from 53 schools. Those winning pancake creations are now featured as Kerbey Lane\u2019s Pancake of the Month.<\/p>\n