LAUSD Student & Celebrity Chef Showdown airs Saturday, Oct. 11, at 5PM

Get ready for the most heart-pounding, pan-searing 30 minutes on TV! KLCS Public Media is firing up the stove for the LAUSD Student & Celebrity Chef Showdown. Watch as five talented teams of LAUSD culinary arts students get paired with renowned celebrity chef mentors— Nyesha Arrington, Jet Tila, Dr. Claudia Serrato and Michael Reed—for a fast-paced, high-energy cook-off.

Their challenge? Create a dish so delicious it wows a panel of distinguished judges, led by the iconic restauranteur, author, and chef Susan Feniger. The twist? The dish must be practical enough to prepare and serve in school cafeterias. The ultimate prize? The winning recipe will be featured on the actual LAUSD menu, served to thousands of students.

This is more than a competition; it’s a vibrant, dynamic celebration of mentorship, cultural diversity, and the next generation of culinary talent. As Chef Jet Tila shares, “For a lot of kids, cooking is a bridge to a bigger life.”