Something fishy was going on at the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center Thursday, but you wouldn’t have known it unless you were one of 50 volunteer judges.

The event was the Rhode Island High School Seafood Cook-off organized by the Rhode Island Sea Grant in conjunction with URI involving culinary student teams from five high schools. Competing schools arrived in vans with coolers filled with ingredients, binders of recipes and white jackets. The fish was sole, or summer flounder – the common ingredient to every entry. It was how it was prepared, what accompanied it, how it was presented and, most important of all how it tasted, that judges scored. Before biting into their roles, judges learned a bit about the types of fish caught in Rhode Island waters and the importance of the industry.

As that was taking place in Tides Café, the dining room that is part of the Career and Technical Center, competing teams shared ovens, stoves and counter space to put the finishing touches to their entries. Numbered presentation plates were spread out on a table allowing judges to make comparisons before being served smaller portions.

As Nicole Richard, University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Sea Grant Seafood Safety Specialist, said in a release, “This cook-off is a great way for the guests to be able to taste new dishes and get recipes for their favorites. And we appreciate the chance for future chefs to learn about preparing local sustainable seafood and hopefully bringing that knowledge into their careers.”

When all the scores were tallied, East Providence came out the winner. Their dish, Lemon Steamed Summer Flounder with a Brussel Sprout and Apple Slaw, Sweet Potato Puree, Blistered Tomato and Aji Amarillo Sauce, won over the judges for first place.

Among the dishes the students served was Tempura Battered Fluke Bao with a Shiro Shoyu dressed Wakame Salad and a Yuzu Kosho Mayonnaise, the creation of the Westerly team. The Warwick team made an amazing dish as well, a Ponzu Lacquered Summer Flounder served with Roasted Yukon Potatoes and Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms.

Curious what else the students cooked up? Check out the recipes at:   https://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/seafood-cook-off-recipes-for-summer-flounder/