Valrico duo's burrito recipe wins state cooking contest

VALRICO (FOX 13) - It was a food fight, but instead of hurling hash, teens at Bloomingdale High School were competing to have their creations named the best recipe for next year's lunch menus. 

The best of the best faced off in the Fresh From Florida Student Cookoff.

Two winners emerged to produced their mouthwatering meals for the student body.

Now, Gianna "Gigi" Rivera and Tony Alvarez will represent Florida in the national competition in Kentucky.

Before they leave in May, they spent the day sharing their award-winning recipe with the lunch crowd at Bloomingdale High School - including Superintendent of Hillsborough County Schools Jeff Eakins and other board members.

The winning dish is the T&G Burrito. T&G is for Tony and Gianna. 

The burrito is made with pulled pork, a rainbow of grilled bell peppers, black beans, pinto beans, cilantro, and corn wrapped in a flour tortilla.

View and download the T&G Burrito recipe here.

Bloomingdale High School Culinary Instructor Chef Rene Marquis says cooking is a sport.

But it's not football, it's not baseball. It's cooking. So they're actually vying to win a championship in culinary arts that would lead them to a two-year-college degree," Marquis explained.

The duo has already earned scholarships from the Florida 529 Savings Plan, a day in the kitchen with celebrity chef Art Smith, and their dish will be served in cafeterias across the state next school year.