They glanced nervously at the menu as the prepared their meal.  Their hair was pulled and slicked back, while their brows furrow together as they finished plating the dish. Then the timer goes off and they step back from their places. Now, all they could do was anxiously wait.

At the regional competition this year three contestants brought home 4th place and will be moving on to state. Senior Max Miller is a part of the trio that will venture to state.

“It’s exciting that we are going to state, and I felt like we did really well,” Miller said. “However, I felt like we could have done better. I just don’t think we did the best to our ability. It was a really difficult loss because I knew that if we had maybe pushed a little bit more than we could be going to state with first place.”

To start off the competition, contestants get a menu that include a three course dinner. In the slotted time that is selected for the contestant, the menu must not only be finished but also plated beautifully, according to contestants.

“The most nerve-racking part about it though is that we don’t know what menu that we can get, and it can be something that we have never made before and under a clock, it’s a lot of pressure,” Miller said.

The menu that is given to each contestant usually coincides with a theme, such as Italian or Mexican.

Junior Sarah Hinderliter is the other contestant making her way to state.

“I am proud of what we did this year at regional’s,” Hinderliter said. “I think I am more nervous and excited about state though.”

The last competitor that is going to state this year is junior Michel Romero.

“Cooking is such a big part of my life,” Romero said. “I have been cooking since I was a little kid, and now it’s something that I am really passionate about. When they told me that we were going to state I was so excited. It wasn’t just this excitement that was kept inside though, because it was so evident on my face.”