Lily Lin | USA
On March 31, 2024, the Tzu Chi USA headquarters held their annual Inland Tzu Shao "Iron Chef" competition. Around seventy participants, including Tzu Shaos (Tzu Chi adolescent volunteers), parents, judges, and volunteers, took part. Awards were given for Creativity & Taste, Teamwork, Culture & Presentation, and the highest honor of being the Iron Chef.
The young participants impressed the judges with their creative vegetarian dishes. The judges even mentioned that they would invite these talented youths to showcase their skills at the headquarters' annual Cultural Feast.
Mothers Guide the Tzu Shaos
The Tzu Shao Iron Chef Competition has been held annually since 2012, encouraging 12 to 18-year-olds to learn about vegetarianism. Despite the heavy rain on March 31, the event proceeded as scheduled, with participants ensuring the venue's safety.
LEFT: The Tzu Shaos focused on preparing their vegetarian dishes for the competition. RIGHT: Each team presents their vegetarian dishes to the judges. | Photo courtesy of Hsin-yi Li | San Dimas, California, USA | 2024/03/31
Volunteer Jolin Chang explained, "The main goal of this competition is to help children understand and choose healthy foods, teaching them cooking skills for their future. It also fosters camaraderie and motivation among them."
The competition requires vegetarian ingredients, and each team must prepare a main dish, two side dishes, a dessert, and a drink or soup within an hour, followed by a presentation to the judges. Judging criteria include dish presentation, oral presentation, teamwork, ingredient selection, creativity, nutrition, and taste. Extra points are given for using Jing Si products or parental involvement.
When the competition started, the mothers were the first to act, guiding their children in cooking. Some well-trained youths skillfully handled frying, boiling, stir-frying, and deep-frying, eager to showcase their culinary talents. Among sibling teams, the earnest and caring guidance of older siblings towards their younger counterparts was heartwarming.
Reaping the Benefits
Alison Wang, an 11th grader, organized and hosted this event, spending over a month on inspiration, planning, and meetings. She said, "This year's theme is 'flavor,' inspired by sour, salty, sweet, bitter, and spicy. I planned for the four groups to each create dishes with these flavors."
LEFT: Volunteers judged the culinary creations and gave scores for each dish. RIGHT: "Home Sweet Home" won poster and booth design. | Photos courtesy of Hsin-yi Li | San Dimas, California, USA | 2024/03/31
Nathan Chang, the leader of the third group, and his team made sweet dishes, earning the Iron Chef Award. He said, "I made fried veggie pineapple shrimp balls. Participating improved my teamwork and research skills."
Edmund Chen, the leader of the fourth group, made spicy and savory dishes. This was his fifth time participating. He said, "Through this event, I learned that vegetarian food can be very creative."
Darren Lee, the leader of the second group, and his team made salty dishes, winning the Best Culture & Presentation Award. He said, "This is my second time participating, and it's more fun than the online event during the pandemic. We were able to better present the cultural aspect of our dishes."
LEFT: Featuring savory foods as the theme, the food looked visually appealing and won the Best Cultural and Presentation Award. RIGHT: This team received the Best Creativity and Taste Award. | Photos courtesy of Thoai Long Truong | San Dimas, California, USA | 2024/03/31
Allen Kuo, the leader of the first group, made sour dishes. He said, "Sour dishes were challenging, but our team had many ideas, so it went smoothly. I find vegetarian food delicious and healthy."
The Kids Have Grown
Vicki Chen, the mother of host Alison Wang, praised her daughter's dedication to organizing the event, from preparing the outline to handling details. She expressed gratitude for Tzu Chi's platform that allowed her daughter to grow and reach her potential.
Yvonne Kao, whose two children are Tzu Shao members, shared her experience. Her son Edmund Chen, the leader of the fourth group, has made significant progress in leadership since joining Tzu Chi in 2019. During this event, he demonstrated his leadership skills, and Yvonne is grateful for Tzu Chi's care and role models. She plans to keep her daughter in the Tzu Chi environment for continued growth.
Praises from the Veteran Chefs
The creativity and dedication of these adolescents impressed the judges and senior culinary volunteers. They plan to invite these youths to showcase their talents at Tzu Chi’s annual Cultural Feast.
LEFT: Creative posters and booth designs meticulously crafted by Tzu Shao youths. | Photo courtesy of Thoai Long Truong | San Dimas, California, USA | 2024/03/31 RIGHT: Booth setup by the team competing with spicy and savory dishes. | Photo courtesy of Hsin-yi Li | San Dimas, California, USA | 2024/03/31
Judge volunteer Li-yun Lin stated that the main goal of this event is to promote vegetarianism, helping children get used to it and understand its benefits, fostering compassion from a young age. She praised their creativity, such as their homemade bubble tea and elegant plating, and highlighted the harmonious atmosphere created by the parents' guidance.
Veteran culinary volunteer Yi-zhen Peng said that each group's performance was outstanding, with dishes made using Jing Si products reaching five-star quality. She suggested inviting the Tzu Shaos to participate in the October Cultural Feast table setting event, as their creativity surpassed expectations.
For years, the Inland Tzu Shaos of the Tzu Chi USA national headquarters have been dedicated to cultivating young leaders with Tzu Chi's humanistic values. They have built a strong reputation, actively participating in Tzu Chi's charity, medical, education, and humanistic cultural missions. Those who persist become empathetic, compassionate, and action-oriented young adults.
