The Katherine Anne Porter charter school in Wimberley turned up the heat last week for their annual Chili Cook Off and Cupcake Wars school fundraiser. Students, staff, board members and Chef Ryan Castille from the Wimberley Inn joined in the competition. Judging was conducted by Jay Bachman, co-owner of the Wimberley Cafe and Marco’s Restaurant; Pam Tise, a Longleaf Craft Kitchen + Bar partner and KAPS Board Member; and Jordan Elliot, KAPS School Board President.
The competition enjoyed a good turnout as visitors sampled a variety of entries. Kelly Jones Lochman offered up “Tantalus’ Chili.”
Tantalus, according to KAPS student Ivan Lochman, is a wicked figure from Greek mythology “who tried to serve his own son at a feast.” He was punished by Zeus and sent to Hades “while his son, Pelops,” Ivan continued, “went on to live life with a metal shoulder after his was eaten in the feast.”
More delicious entries were on the menu. KAPS English teacher Zach McCrimmons brought a Pineapple Chili and Mike and Teresa Russett brought “Formula #3,” that featured a Cowboy Coffee Rub as its secret ingredient. Mike teaches Physics to KAPS students, part time, and Teresa is the Biology and Environmental Science teacher at the school. Lisa Jasek, KAPS Student Advocate Coordinator, brought her entry, as did Jimmy Pierce, and Chef Ryan Castille and Ben Webster from the Wimberley Inn. John Boatman, who teaches the Culinary Classes at KAPS, offered up his chili for the cook off as well.
Students dominated the Cupcake Wars with homemade entries judged on their taste and decoration skills. At the top of the entries was Chloe Pennington whose rose-petal cupcakes stood out for her mastery of the advanced decorating technique.
On hand to survey the turnout was KAPS Superintendent Subhas Mathew who shared the news that six KAPS students had signed up for the school’s Pathway in Technology Early College High School program, the first one in Hays County. The tuition-free program, referred to as P-TECH, currently focuses on Information Technology and partners with Austin Community College and local businesses.
