Alumni Mentors and James Beard Level Ambition: The 8th Annual Colavita Culinary Challenge Heads to Platform Kitchen

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Colavita

Apr 30, 2026, 08:00 ET

Top NYC High School Chefs Compete for a Culinary Journey to Italy Under the Eyes of Judges Amanda Freitag, Jassimran Singh, Calvin Eng, and Clare Reichenbach

NEW YORK, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Food Education Fund (FEF) is thrilled to partner with Colavita for the eighth consecutive year to present the FEF Colavita Culinary Challenge. This premier high school cooking competition continues its mission to empower the rising stars of the culinary world, providing them with a platform to showcase their professional skills and creativity.

This year's panel of judges includes celebrated chefs Amanda Freitag, Jassimran Singh, and Calvin Eng along with esteemed CEO of the James Beard Foundation, Clare Reichenbach. These industry titans bring a wealth of experience to the event as they evaluate the next generation of culinary talent.

To bridge the gap between education and industry, the 2026 challenge features a unique full circle mentorship program offering guidance from former Colavita Challenge champions who are now professional chefs in some of the city's most prestigious kitchens. Finalist teams from the Food and Finance High School and Francis Lewis High School have spent weeks honing their skills and perfecting their recipes featuring Colavita's premium Italian pantry staples under:

  • Chef Anthony Trabasas – Sous Chef, Cove and 2021 competition winner
  • Chef Citlaly Hernandez – Sous Chef, K'Far and 2019 competition winner
  • Chef Jade Atkins – Pastry Cook, Madea and 2021 competition winner

"Watching these students evolve from young enthusiasts into confident creators is the highlight of our year," says Giovanni Colavita, CEO of Colavita. "By pairing our finalists with mentors who once stood in their very shoes as past winners, we are creating a legacy of excellence. We are honored to provide the premium ingredients and global inspiration that help these students turn their culinary dreams into reality."

Dishes will be judged on taste, presentation, creativity, ingredient usage, timing, and sanitation. The winning duo will be awarded an all-expense-paid culinary immersion through Italy, hosted by Colavita, along with a $2,500 scholarship each, managed by the Food Education Fund.

This event supports the future of food where passion, diversity, and creativity take center stage. The competition will take place Thursday, April 30th, 2026 at Platform by the James Beard Foundation. Guests can witness young chefs in action starting at 5:00 pm, with the winners announced by 6:45 pm.

About the Food Education Fund
The Food Education Fund is a New York City-based nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of underserved, culinary-focused public high school students. Through experiential learning and internship placements in the hospitality industry and culinary arts, FEF empowers students to continue their education and cultivate sustainable careers, with a steadfast commitment to reaching students of all backgrounds.

About Colavita
Family-owned Colavita USA, headquartered in Edison, NJ, has been importing and distributing premium Italian products since 1979. Colavita's authentic specialty products, including olive oils, durum wheat semolina pasta, a full selection of balsamic and wine vinegars, traditional pasta sauces, and more, are the ingredients of choice for chefs at home, in restaurants, and in professional kitchens alike. Colavita also markets a full line of marinated vegetables, each prepared according to Colavita family tradition.

SOURCE Colavita