9 High School Students will compete for $48,000 in renewable scholarships
to Johnson & Wales University

Charleston, S.C. – October 15, 2008 – Catch the most thrilling competition in town as South Carolina’s own top high-school chefs are crowned at the High School Recipe Contest at the South Carolina Aquarium’s Fifth Annual Sustainable Seafood Festival on Sunday, October 26 from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. at the Charleston Maritime Center. Back again for a fourth year, the thrilling High School Recipe Contest will feature nine junior and senior high school students from throughout the state, vying for $48,000 in scholarships to Johnson & Wales University. The selected students will prepare their own, original, sustainable seafood recipe using ingredients from Earth Fare including a selection of local, sustainable seafood items.

The 2008 Fourth Annual High School Recipe Contest contestants are:

High School Juniors

* Michael Friedrich of Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant preparing “Pan-fried flounder with a remoulade sauce”
* John Fusco of Clover High School, Clover preparing “Shrimp and tomato risotto a la Florentine”
* Sullivan Johnston of Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant preparing “Seared mahi-mahi over sweet roasted silver queen corn, smoked chipotle and blue crab has and tomato-butter sauce with an endive tomatillo slaw”
* Lydia Surrett of Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant preparing “Balsamic sautéed swordfish with creamy mango-pineapple butter served with decadent three-cheese garlic grits and spinach salad with red onion”

High School Seniors

* Aaron Davidson of South Pointe High School, Rock Hill preparing “A Taste of the South”
* Daniel De Leon of Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant preparing “Shrimp filled tamales with sweet and spicy chipotle sauce”
* Matthew Prater of Northwestern High School, Rock Hill preparing “Seafood Lasagna Rollups”
* Akeem Roseboro of Rock Hill High School, Rock Hill preparing “Honey glazed mahi-mahi over Asian lo mien noodles”
* David Russell of Rock Hill High School, Rock Hill preparing “Tilapia, yellow rice and vegetables with pesto”

The students will face off in front of a panel of experts in hopes of being one of the lucky six to win a scholarship. Johnson & Wales will offer scholarships to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each class in the denominations of $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively. Scholarships are for any Johnson & Wales campus and major, renewable for four years and are contingent upon acceptance to Johnson & Wales. The High School Recipe Contest will run throughout the Festival, with the scholarships award ceremony taking place at 6:00 p.m. The 2008 judging panel consists of culinary instructors Amy Felder and Paul Malcolm of Johnson & Wales University and Doug Beard, Food and Beverage Director of Middleton Place and Johnson & Wales alumnus and Mary Alice Monroe, local best-selling author.
The Fifth Annual Sustainable Seafood Festival will feature local shrimp, locally farmed striped bass from Meggett and the Catch of the Day from local snapper and grouper fisherman Captain Mark Marhefka prepared by chefs from some of the region’s finest restaurants. Festival attendees may join in the excitement by purchasing judging cards for the Chef Cooking Competition to sample the chef’s offerings and select their favorites. The Festival will kick off with the Striped Bass competition at 12 noon, followed by the Shrimp Competition at 2:00 p.m., and wrapping up with the Catch of the Day Competition at 4:00 p.m. Judging cards are available for purchase at $12 per competition or a reduced total rate of $30 for all three competitions.

The Fifth Annual Sustainable Seafood Festival and High School Recipe Contest is hosted by the South Carolina Aquarium and the Sustainable Seafood Initiative and sponsored in part by, AdNaps, Bonterra Vineyards, The Bridge 105.5, Earth Fare, Green Drinks Charleston, Karson Photography, Johnson & Wales University, MY TV Charleston, Palmetto Brewing Company, Pepsi, St. Johns Yacht Harbor and Snyder Event Rentals & Staffing.

What: South Carolina Aquarium’s Fifth Annual Sustainable Seafood Festival

When: Sunday, October 26, 2008 12 noon – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Charleston Maritime Center, 10 Wharfside Street, Charleston, SC

Contact: For more information visit scaquarium.org or call (843) 577-FISH.