East High Chefs Creation Could Make Menu at Taco John's - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

East High Chefs Creation Could Make Menu at Taco John's

Culinary students from high schools across the state have come to Cheyenne for the finals of the Taco John's Culinary Competition.

Six teams remain, including one from East High School that never expected they'd be cooking competitively.

Cooking class is something many students take in high school to escape from the grind of homework and studying. It's these rookie chefs that could provide the newest menu item at Taco John's.

"We have a competition for high school students. High school students, but only in Wyoming and we ask them to develop a menu item for Taco John's," said Bob Karisny, Taco John's VP for Menu Strategy.

After receiving 75 entries to their cook-off contest, only six teams remain. Dixon Maggarde and Korrie Stolz from East High School are one of those final six.

It's not what they thought they'd be doing when they signed up for the class their senior years.

"When I first started, it wasn't really a big thing to me, but as we've made it farther in the competition, cooking means a little more to me," Stolz said.

But now that they're in the competition they've got their sights set on winning.

"We ended up with a great recipe and everybody loved it and I really think we got a good shot at winning," Maggarde said.

They both agree this competition has taught them a lot not only about cooking but working together as a team.

"Working with Korrie we work great together. We just click, come together with all our ideas," Maggarde said.

"We're really close. We work really well together. We always work together," Stolz said.

The recipe they came up with, they're calling Spicy Pepper Pockets. If they win you could see them on the menu at Taco John's very soon.

"That would just be the best thing ever to be like, "Oh, I made that," Maggarde said.

"I'd be cool to see the thing I made on the menu working with my partner. It'd mean a lot together," Stolz said.

Dixon and Korrie will be competing Thursday morning and the winner will be announced later that afternoon.