YoPRO Cook-Off Heats Up at Halyards
This year’s YoPRO Cook-Off Competition brought the heat — and the heart — to Halyards Restaurant on St. Simons Island. Thanks to Chef Dave Snyder and the Halyards Restaurant Group, our students got the chance to step inside a real professional kitchen and cook alongside some of the best chefs in the Golden Isles.
After a welcome from Coach Shawn Williams and Chef Dave, students were split into four teams — boys vs. girls — each led by a Halyards chef. On the menu: chicken alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, nachos, and chicken cordon bleu. With just one hour to prepare their dishes, the kitchen turned into a fun, fast-paced challenge that felt straight out of a cooking show.
While the students cooked, parents met with COS and UGA staff to hear what’s ahead for the rest of the 2025 program. Then it was time to taste — and judge! Parents sampled each dish and scored them, with Coach Jaelin tallying up the votes.
In the end, the winning dish was a delicious spaghetti and meatballs made by one of the boys’ teams — but the real victory was seeing so many students light up with confidence. Some had never cooked before. Others left the day considering a career in the culinary world. Even the ones who started shy couldn’t help but get into it.
Lunch was shared, smiles were everywhere, and it’s safe to say: this year’s cook-off was a recipe for success.
Big thanks to Chef Dave, the entire Halyards team, and our amazing YoPRO families for making it happen!