Ljubljana, 13. 3. 2024. Students from BIC Ljubljana, Vocational College, have been the only European school to make it into the top ten finalists of the international NASA HUNCH Culinary Challenge! The competition is organized by the American space agency NASA. Students from BIC Ljubljana prepared a barley porridge with dried pears, walnuts, and smoked tofu for the semi-final competition and earned their spot in the final, scheduled for April 17, 2024, at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The winning team's dish will be included in astronauts' diets. Our students won an excellente third place!
Anže Jarc and Mark Jeraj, students of Food Technology and Nutrition at BIC Ljubljana, Vocational College, under the mentorship of lecturer Katarina Smole, alongside Hana Wolf and Aljaž Ritmanič, students of Hospitality and Tourism, mentored by Andrej Molk, collectively form the team representing Biotechnical Educational Centre Ljubljana, Vocational College. This collaborative effort resulted in their submission of a barley porridge with dried pears, walnuts, and smoked tofu for NASA's astronautical competition.
SAVORY BREAKFAST CREATION CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE TYPE OF VEGETABLE
The theme of this year's competition organized by the American space agency NASA was the preparation of »Savory breakfast item that includes a vegetable.«
Katarina Smole, lecturer at BIC Ljubljana, Vocational College: »From the initial idea to the final calculation of the precise composition of the dish, two months have passed. We drew inspiration from the traditional Slovenian hot pot »ričet«. With our selection of ingredients (except tofu), we aimed to showcase Slovenian food quality (indigenous beans Phaseolus vulgaris L., dried wedge-shaped parts of Williams pears, Slovenian walnuts…). The result is a barley porridge with dried pears, walnuts, and smoked tofu. We are eager to see if it might travel to space!«
HIGH NUTRITIONAL DEMANDS FOR ASTRONAUT DIETS DID NOT DISCOURAGE THE TEAM
In addition to the theme, the competition organizer, the American space agency NASA, also provided dietary requirements that competitors had to meet with the composition of their dishes. Due to the unique microgravity environment in space, astronauts have numerous dietary restrictions.
Katarina Smole, lecturer at BIC Ljubljana, Vocational College: »In addition to a specified energy intake, we paid close attention to the intake of fats, particularly saturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, and salt. Each dietary requirement necessitated the selection of the right ingredient, which we approached with great precision. The choice of basic ingredients was exceptionally well-considered and focused on addressing astronauts' digestive challenges, significantly reduced salt intake, diminished taste and smell sensations, favorable technological preparation of dishes for the consumption in the microgravity environment… The guiding principles of the final recipe were: simplicity, nutritional suitability, quality, and good flavor. We prepared a barley porridge with smoked tofu, walnuts, and dried pears.«
BIC Ljubljana was given instructions by the organizer about which foodstuffs are not supposed to be used in the dish, such as raw meat, seafood, eggs, alcohol, etc. They also suggested avoiding the use of bread and bread products because they are technologically challenging to prepare for consumption in the microgravity environment.
SLOVENIA PROUDLY STANDS AS EUROPE’S SOLE REPRESENTATIVE IN HOUSTON
The competition was announced by the American space agency NASA and teams from around the world had a chance to apply. All competitors had to adhere to precise NASA requirements when preparing the recipes and dishes. Students from BIC Ljubljana prepared recipes and calculated nutritional values for two dishes in the first round of the competition: spelt pumpkin »štruklji« (rolled dumplings) with turkey and ricotta, and barley porridge with dried pears, walnuts, and smoked tofu. The barley porridge with dried pears, walnuts, and smoked tofu impressed the judges. At the beginning of this year, the BIC Ljubljana team ranked among the top 50 schools, representing one of four European countries in the semifinals. They are now attending the final competition in Houston on April 17, 2024, as the only European school because the other schools also competing are all from the USA.
SCHOOLS THAT ADVANCED TO THE FINAL ROUND OF THE COMPETITION
- Shakshuka Scramble – North East Technical - Arkansas
- Sweet Potato with Maple Bacon Hash- Ulster BOCES- New York
- Hearty Breakfast Skillet – North Side HS- Texas
- Gyren Bap- RCTC-Michigan
- Barley and Tofu Porridge- Biotechnical Education Center- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Garden Frittata with Rosemary Sauce – Hickory HS – Virginia
- Seafood Rice Balls- Kent State- Ohio
- Chickpea and Veggie Scramble- Milton Hershey HS- Pennsylvania
- Spicy Turkey Hash – PCTI- New Jersey
- Egg and Potato Muffins- Maxwell HS- Georgia
COLLABORATION BETWEEN STUDENTS OF BOTH PROGRAMS, HOSPITALITY/TOURISM AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY/NUTRITION
In preparing the astronaut breakfast, the students had a significant advantage, primarily because they combined forces with mentors from both study programs at BIC Ljubljana, namely the Food Technology and Nutrition program (Anže Jarc and Mark Jeraj, mentored by Katarina Smole) and the Hospitality and Tourism program (Hana Wolf and Aljaž Ritmanič, mentored by Andrej Molk), which meant that the dish preparations were entrusted to experts in the fields of food technology and culinary arts.
Katarina Smole, lecturer at BIC Ljubljana, Vocational College: »This time, we have truly tested our culinary and nutritional skills, as well as our teamwork spirit. The research aspect of composing the dish was incredibly engaging. Using a computer and nutritional content calculation program to calculate nutritional values, we added basic ingredients into the pot. If the calculated content was too high, we adjusted the quantities accordingly, and so on. Even the most skilled chefs would find this to be an extraordinary challenge…«
