I recently sat down with My Favorite Holiday Food Writing Contest winner David Gallegos, a fourth-grader from MacGregor Elementary School. His essay about his grandmother's fried cauliflower, a New Year's Eve tradition in his family, captured the heart of the storywriting contest's official judge, Houston's own Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Zepeda. She said that out of all the essays, David's had the best "flow and tone." Each year the winner gets to play chef for the day at The Houstonian with Chef Neal Cox. Read David's thoughts on winning this prestigious prize and prepare to be charmed by this little chef!
When did you start taking RFS classes?
First grade.
When you are out in the garden, what do you like to do?
Water the plants.
What is your favorite plant to grow in the garden?
Watermelon!
Yum! Do you like to make any special recipes with watermelon?
I like the taste of it plain, but sometimes I like to it eat it with this hot powder. Me and my grandmother call it, "pica."
You've been cooking for a while now, what is your favorite recipe to make in this class?
Beet brownies!
What is your favorite food in the whole world?
(Without missing a beat) Fried cauliflower.
David Gallegos with Chef Neil Cox at the Blue Plate Special Awards Luncheon on November 5, 2014.
How did it feel to receive the My Favorite Holiday Food Writing Contest award at the Blue Plate Special Luncheon?
Nervous and exciting. I liked the lunch. The pecan-crusted chicken was good, but I would have changed the sweet potato mash to cucumbers instead. (In the S2P culinary classes, we encourage students to say what they like about a dish and things they would change about it. Let the creativity fly!)
What do you think about spending an entire day with Chef Neal? You're going to learn and cook so many yummy things!
I am excited. Hopefully I don't get a stomachache!
Is there any particular dish you'd like to make with Chef Neal at the Houstonian?
I want to try and make my very own recipe with Chef Neal. Not sure if it it's going to be a dessert or a main meal.
Do you think you could teach Chef Neal how to make fried cauliflower?
If my mom shows me the right ingredients to use first, then sure!
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What a fun day is ahead for this budding chef and writer! Stay tuned to hear what good food David cooks up with Chef Neal Cox at the Houstonian in January!
Want your kids to participate in the 2015 My Favorite Holiday Food Writing Contest next fall? Follow us on FB and Twitter to stay up to date on contest registration announcements and other fun RFS activities.
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