Try Over Twenty Unique Dishes at Carmel’s Cheftactular, A Culinary Student Showdown in April

Carmel Culinary Boosters is set to host the 7th Annual Cheftacular on April 28, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Carmel High School Fieldhouse.

Over 20 local chefs will partner with Carmel High School culinary students in a collaborative tasting experience and culinary competition.

Students are paired with chefs from various culinary fields, including restaurants, catering, baking, and more. Students actively participate in all aspects of the event, from logistics and marketing to fundraising and cooking, ensuring a comprehensive educational experience.

Each chef-student duo is assigned a unique ingredient—ranging from duck to strawberries—to craft a distinctive dish. “All ingredients are drawn from a hat. You never know what you’ll get,” says Reich, President of Carmel Culinary Boosters. Students have one day to trade their ingredients with other chefs, if they so choose. 

Example surprise ingredients include duck, strawberries, chocolate, ketchup, mustard, liver, and asparagus. (One chef made an asparagus icecream.)

A ticket to the events means that you get to taste every single dish. “There is so.much. Food,” Reich added.  

In addition to moving from station to station and engaging with the chefs and students, ticket holders can  enjoy live music and a silent auction. Awards are determined through both audience votes and evaluations by mentor chefs, judges, educators, and influencers, focusing on criteria such as taste and presentation. 

“Some dishes have been so well-received that they’ve been added to local restaurant menus post-event,” said Reich.

The event also emphasizes local sourcing, with ingredients procured from nearby farms to highlight Indiana’s rich agricultural offerings. This approach not only supports local producers but also educates students on the importance of sustainability and community engagement.

In addition to the tasting experience, Cheftacular serves as a scholarship competition. Sullivan University partners with the event, awarding first and second-place winners with scholarships to further their culinary education. Past participants have progressed to esteemed institutions like the Culinary Institute of America and Purdue University for food science. Some have even returned to Cheftacular as professional chefs.

The event will also serve as a fundraiser for the Hamilton County Food Bank. 

Tickets for Cheftacular 2025 are now available at $40 each and can be purchased through the Carmel Culinary Boosters’ website at carmelculinaryboosters.com.