Students Shine at Southern Oregon Kitchen Clash

Three Eagle Point High School Culinary students, Marley, Sophia, and Kallie, stepped out of their comfort zones and into the heat of competition at the Southern Oregon Kitchen Clash, held at Phoenix High School. Their teamwork, creativity, and resilience earned them a third-place finish and an experience they say they won’t forget.

“We were all really nervous…”

Heading into the event, none of the students quite knew what to expect.

“Going in, we were all really nervous because we didn’t know what to expect,” shared Sophia. “But once we started cooking and figured out where everything was, the nerves went away, and it got better. They were replaced by confidence.”

Kallie agreed. “Yeah, I thought I was going to be overwhelmed. But after we got going and heard how much time we had left, I calmed down. Practicing beforehand helped us a lot.”

The structure of the competition was timed announcements, a busy kitchen, and a mystery ingredient, which added even more excitement.

“It felt like we were on the TV show Hell’s Kitchen,” Marley said with a laugh.

Teams received a pantry list weeks before the competition and were free to develop their own recipes. Each student handled a different dish: Marley prepared the green beans, Sophia cooked the pork, and Kallie created the starch component. But even the best plans required flexibility.

“The pantry list said they had chicken broth and chicken stock,” said Sophia. “We got there and they didn’t have any. They only had liquid bouillon, so I diluted it with water. It was a little salty, but it worked out fine.”

The mystery ingredient, an MRE, pushed them to be creative.

“I had Cheez-Its in mine,” Marley said. “So I crushed them and mixed them with my breadcrumbs to top the green beans. It actually turned out really good.”

Though each student created a separate dish, they competed — and were judged — as a team.

“I liked that I wasn’t alone,” Kallie said. “There was more space, and it wasn’t as overwhelming as other competitions. The team aspect made a big difference.”

Marley also took the lead on dishes and cleanup, helping the team stay ahead while others were still scrambling.

“Marley was a champion,” Sophia said. “It really helped us finish strong.”

For all three students, the event was about more than cooking. It was an opportunity to push themselves, learn under pressure, and celebrate their shared passion.

“We were definitely working out of our comfort zone,” Sophia said. “All of us like baking more, but I’m glad we tried something different.”

Some students are even looking toward future culinary careers.

“I’m applying to the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute,” Marley shared. “I’ll find out next month.”

“I love cooking,” added Marley. “It’s something I can always see myself doing.”

The Team was greeted with a special EPHS surprise from another student. While the culinary team was busy in the kitchen, another EPHS student found a different way to contribute to their success. Engineering and woodshop student Ryese took the team’s earned trophy and engineered something truly special.

Using the school’s laser machine and her design skills, she created three custom wooden replicas of the original award. Each one mirrors the shape and design of the actual trophy, carefully crafted so that every student could take home their own keepsake.

The original trophy will remain proudly displayed in the culinary classroom, while Marley, Sophia, and Kallie each take home a personalized version of their achievement.

The inaugural year of the Kitchen Clash brought challenges, surprises, creativity, and teamwork, and these students embraced all of it.

As Sophia summed it up simply: “It turned out really good.”

Their experience reflects the heart of hands-on learning: stepping into the unknown, working together, and finding confidence through the process. The district celebrates its dedication and the inspiring example it’s set for future competitors.

For more great stories from across Eagle Point School District 9, visit the EPSD9 Newsroom at www.eaglepnt.k12.or.us