A "Cheesy" Success: Student Chefs at Rolling Hills Secure Second Consecutive Cook-off Title

Rolling Hills Middle School wins second Expanded Learning Lunchroom Cook-off student cooking competition.

And the winner is…..Cheesy Pasta (a paccheri pasta dish) from the Rolling Hills Middle School team composed of Amy, Liya, and Serena.

Student culinary teams from the Expanded Learning programs at Campbell School of Innovation (CSI), Monroe Middle School, Rolling Hills Middle School, and Sherman Oaks Dual Language Immersion School competed April 1, 2026 in the fifth annual Campbell Union School District (CUSD) Lunchroom Cook-off. 

Not only did the team from Rolling Hills Middle School earn a trophy and bragging rights as the defending champion, but their winning recipe will be added to the school lunch menu.

Leading up to the competition, students representing their school and Expanded Learning program learned about nutrition, food handling and safety, and basic culinary techniques. Additionally, they spent time putting together presentations and practicing their public speaking and presentation skills. The competition was judged by Superintendent, Dr. Viramontez; Board President, William Slade; former Le Cordon Bleu instructor, The International Culinary Center Coordinator, and season three Chopped winner, Chef Marc Pavlovic; and student representatives from Monroe, Sherman Oaks and CSI.

Past winners have included:

2022 - Spicy Chicken Ramen - Monroe Middle School

2023 - Tortas de Asada - Sherman Oaks

2024 - Enchiladas Verdes - Sherman Oaks

2025 - Pesto Pasta - Rolling Hills Middle School

The paccheri pasta dish included all five main food groups: dairy (cheese and heavy whipping cream), protein (Italian sausage), fruits (tomatoes), vegetables (onion, garlic, and fennel), and grains (paccheri pasta). The students also had to ensure the recipes met the required nutritional guidelines and limitations on sodium and fats. When asked how the team decided on a name for their dish, with a giggle they told the story of how one iteration of the dish ended up with more cheese than the recipe originally called for, “it was an accident and that became really popular, so we kept it”, noted the young chefs.

The livestream from the Lunchroom Cook-off may be viewed at https://youtu.be/KTXeGjOhu_M