Manatee County Florida Future Chef Finalist

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Today in our kitchen, Emily Piper, a Manatee County student and Florida Future Chef Finalist joined us to make Chicken Parm Fries with Garden Pasta and Strawberry Caprese.This dish is what earned Emily second place in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 2026 Florida Future Chef Student Cooking Competition.Following a competitive statewide search, three talented chefs earned spots in the live finale event at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa. There, they prepared original school meal-inspired dishes before a panel of three guest judges, and each finalist was recognized with college funds through a Florida Investment 529 Plan.Emily Piper earned $3,000 in college funds after taking home second place.Florida Future Chef is an extension of Florida’s National School Lunch Program, through which Florida schools provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches to children each school day.For more information about Florida Future Chef, flori