• The first ever Iron Chef Marquette culinary challenge took place in the Alumni Memorial Union Friday evening.
• Five teams of four students each competed in the challenge for the chance to win prizes and the title of Iron Chef Marquette champions.
• In the end, Team Two, comprised of resident assistants from Straz Tower, was chosen as the winner by a panel of faculty judges.

Bobby Flay was the only thing lacking in the Alumni Memorial Union's Marquette Place Friday evening, when the room was transformed into the first-ever Iron Chef Marquette culinary challenge.

Over 100 students were present for the cook-off that featured five teams of four students each competing against each other for prizes and the title of champion.

Mary Kate Wagner, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and master of ceremonies for the event, began by explaining the rules of the challenge to the audience members and participants.

Each of the five teams would receive help from their own professional Sodexo chef and would have 45 minutes to prepare three dishes, including an appetizer, entrée and dessert. The teams would be judged on overall originality, presentation, taste and teamwork.

"You cannot be dependent on your head chef," Wagner said to the teams prior to the start of the event.

Next, Wagner revealed the ingredients the teams would be using in the challenge. These included items that could be found in the average student's dorm room or apartment, she said, such as yogurt, cheese, water, oatmeal, salsa, rice cakes, peanut butter and bread.

As the cooking segment of the culinary challenge began, audience members were asked questions about food and nutrition for the chance to win prizes.

Wagner asked attendees multiple choice questions such as: "If you are drinking a sufficient amount of water, your urine should be the color of what? — water, lemonade or apple juice?" and true or false questions such as: "Taking a vitamin supplement is the same as eating the natural source of the same vitamins."

The answers were "lemonade" and "false," respectively.

As the competition heated up, contestants scrambled to put the finishing touches on their dishes.

"I must say, I could cut the tension in this room with a butter knife," Wagner said with 15 minutes remaining in the event.

At this point in the competition, Jason Rae, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, was optimistic about his team's chances of winning the challenge.

"We're going to win because we're the best team there is," Rae said of his team of Marquette Student Government members. "All that I know how to cook is Ramen, so that's why they put me here by the microwave."

But in the end it was Team Two, comprised of residence assistants from Straz Tower, that won the cook-off. Each team member received a $50 Pick 'n Save gift card and frying pan.

"You guys came in here with a tiny presentation, but I couldn't believe it — you turned it into a Denny's Grand Slam," said Chris Miller, vice president of student affairs and one of the judges.

The Straz Tower RAs won with their fresh chopped salad and warm pita appetizer, a honey-roasted chicken sandwich entrée, and a warm fruit compote with cinnamon granola crumble dessert.

At the end of the challenge, judge Barb Troy, a clinical assistant professor of nutrition, seemed pleased with the effort of all the teams in the competition.

"All the food has been exceptionally good and the presentation has been very impressive," Troy said.