The only thing more bitter than the cacao, was the sting of defeat after the judges’ final ruling.
In a dazzling display of teamwork and efficiency under pressure, several teams of four students each took on the challenge of preparing a three-course meal, while racing the clock, in the University of Arizona Hillel’s annual “Chopped” competition, on September 19.
Each year, the friendly competition is hosted by “Homeland,” Hillel’s Israeli culture club. And in recognition of the tapestry of cultures that make up Israeli society, the foods selected for each of the three courses were chosen to represent a distinct ethnic background: an Askenazi appetizer, a Sephardi main course, and a Mizrahi dessert. Students were given a mystery bag containing culture-specific ingredients that they had to use in the creation of their cuisines – gefilte fish, pickles, carrots, and horseradish for the appetizer, beef, Persian lemons, tomatoes, and cabbage for the main course, and dates, couscous, dark chocolate and instant coffee for dessert.
Dean Alpert, president of Homeland, noted the teamwork that students used in coming together to produce dishes that were not always within their traditional repertoire. “I love how the students shared ideas to delve into cooking nontraditional foods for their backgrounds. The results were fantastic.”
Students were judged on presentation, creativity, and of course, taste, by a three-judge panel that included Kelsey Davita, Hillel’s Assistant Director. “Chopped: Israel was a night filled with creativity and love for Israel. It was really cool to see people actively build friendships while cooking creative Israeli food. And I can add that as a judge, I ate well that night,” said Davita.
Participants had a great time, and the event produced an eclectic mix of undergraduate and graduate students, Hillel regulars and newcomers, and students from all different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
“We had a very diverse turnout,” said Zohar, the Vice-President of Homeland, “and everyone had a lot of fun as they cooked creative dishes and developed camaraderie and made new friends.”
Equally impressed with the students was Michelle Pissarenko, Hillel’s brand-new Israel Fellow, who served as a judge for the competition, despite arriving on campus only a week earlier from Tel Aviv. As a pastry chef herself, she lauded the work of the students, who created delectable desserts, like a couscous mousse with date cookie butter, accompanied by a coffee and marshmallow fluff ganache, topped with biscuit crumble.
“I love the creativity and detail that went into their presentations,” Pissarenko explained. “Everything turned out so well that it made the judging very difficult.”
Originally slated for two hours, Chopped:Israel went much longer into the night, as the participants spent time carefully explaining their dishes to the judges, joking with friends, and enjoying the environment the event created.
Elie Dvorin, the executive director of Hillel, emphasizes the significance of the emotional takeaways from events. “It’s not surprising that the students spent that much time here with each other. Everything we do here is meant to foster that feeling of Hillel being a home away from home. This event truly embodied that—support, relationship-building, and fun. That’s what they’ll remember.”
Reflecting on the atmosphere, Dvorin notes how the interactions and laughter created a vibrant sense of community among the students. He also praises the students’ culinary skills, remarking, “These students are incredibly talented. I’m not surprised by the amazing dishes they created, but I am surprised they were able to do it with me walking around sneaking tastes of their half-finished meals!”
