Butler Agriculture Students Put Culinary Skills to the Test in Annual Chopped Competition
Students in the Butler CC Agriculture Department traded livestock and lecture halls for cutting boards and kitchen creativity during the department’s annual “Chopped” competition.
Inspired by the popular Chopped television series, the event challenges students to prepare dishes using mystery ingredients within a limited amount of time. Unlike the television version, where chefs compete individually, Butler agriculture students work in teams to create their culinary masterpieces.
Livestock Judging Coach Taylor Frank organizes judges for the event, which have included agriculture faculty members and Butler alumni. The winning team receives more than just recognition — members take home a cooking knife engraved with their names.
For many students, the challenge lies in transforming unusual ingredient combinations into cohesive dishes.
Garrett Burkett, an agribusiness major, described his team’s first-round creation.
“My team made Orzo Bowls as a part of the first round where we were given banana, orzo and potato,” Burkett said. “We used the Orzo pasta to create a bowl shape and had a banana and potato filling along with other ingredients.”
Burkett said the event brings out both competitiveness and camaraderie among students.
“More importantly, the winning team gets bragging rights,” he said.
Students often have to rely on quick thinking and teamwork to make unlikely ingredients work together. Animal science major Remi Earnhart said one of her proudest moments came during a sushi challenge.
“I was most proud of my team when we prepared sushi,” Earnhart said. “The sushi was a more complicated dish and the ingredients we received were hard to put together. We had avocados, lemon cookies and chicken.”
Agribusiness major Colton Stiefvater added humor to the competition while emphasizing the strategy involved in selecting teams.
“We got to choose teams,” Stiefvater said. “With my advanced culinary brain power, I was heavily sought after by multiple teams. I ended up choosing the team that best fit my chemistry in the kitchen.”
Stiefvater said the competition closely mirrors the television program while still maintaining its own identity.
“It’s similar to the show since we get blind ingredients and a set amount of time to prepare, but our items are slightly more common foods,” he said. “It’s a nice twist since they’re common foods, just weird combinations like bananas, orzo, and onions to challenge our culinary skills and creativity.”
The annual competition has become a favorite tradition within Butler’s agriculture program, combining teamwork, creativity, and a little friendly rivalry. While the unusual ingredients may challenge students in the kitchen, the event also gives them an opportunity to build connections and memories outside the classroom.