Rural school cooking competition held in Río Negro

The fourth edition of the MasterChef de Escuelas Rurales, themed ‘Recipes that tell stories,’ is currently taking place in the Río Negro department. The initiative involves approximately 200 students from 20 different rural schools.

Coordinated by local educational inspectors and the School Feeding Program, the event encourages students from preschool through sixth grade to prepare traditional dishes such as sauerkraut, homemade noodles, and artisanal cheese. Beyond culinary skills, the program aims to teach reading, writing, math, and organizational skills through the medium of cooking.

A key component of this year's edition is the preservation of cultural heritage. Students research and present the histories behind their recipes, gathering testimonies from grandparents and neighbors to rescue traditional methods passed down through generations. Each participating school will receive a recipe book containing the preparations made during the event to help continue the diffusion of these community stories.