NASA Hunch Culinary Team Attends Competition
The Mount's NASA Hunch Culinary Team (L.I.O.N.S. - Ladies In Ongoing NASA Studies) participated in a competition on February 3 at Passaic County Tech Institute in Wayne. In September, the team was given the NASA Hunch Culinary Challenge of creating a unique pasta dish. Over the past few months, students brought in several dishes to try which needed to meet strict nutritional guidelines. The recipes were adapted to meet that criteria.
Members of the team include: Erica Anselmo '25, Isabella Biunno '26, Ava Bonczek '26, Celia Carnesi-Silberstein '27, Mia Chavez '27, Gabrielle Cialdella '26, Sabrina Cialdella '27, Sara Mangal '27, Isabella McCrossan '27, Shani Muchiri '26, Catherine Nolan '27, Maria Pasqua '26, Sabrina Tse '26, and Isabella Vitorino '26.
According to Dr. Dorothea Kominos, Science Department Chairperson and NASA Hunch Advisor, two of the dishes were submitted to the Johnson Space Center Food Lab. The Mount's Chicken Veggie Pasta (CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE) was selected because it would be better for processing for space. At the Passaic County Technical institute competition, our Mounties cooked for a panel of 15 chef judges.
"We were one of five schools competing at this site and some were located in Pennsylvania and Connecticut," said Dr. Kominos, who compared the event to the Food Network program, "Chopped." "The food is ranked for flavor, aroma, appearance and other criteria. We have yet to receive our overall scores, but we were the only non-culinary program there."
Isabella Biunno '26 said, "Competing in the NASA culinary competition was an unforgettable experience where passion for food and science came together. Being surrounded by such kind, talented people made it even more special. I loved learning from others, sharing knowledge, and working together in an inspiring and supportive environment.”
"Being my first year in this club, competing in the NASA Hunch Culinary Competition was an incredible experience," shared Shani Muchiri '26. "I've always loved cooking, but sharing this journey with all the girls on the team made it even more special. Working together to perfect our recipe, making adjustments, and finally seeing it all come together on competition day was truly rewarding."
"As one of the members who helped start the club, it's really amazing to see how much it had grown from last year," reflected Sabrina Cialdella '27. "We were able to fit the nutritional requirements while keeping the flavors of the dish strong. I felt like the team was well prepared for this year's competition, and it felt really special seeing how this club is progressing."
"After months of work and making changes to the chicken and veggie pasta dish, I believe we succeeded after working together for so long. We were efficient and successful, and I'm extremely proud of all my teammates," said Isabella McCrossan '27. "We are truly blessed to be able to participate in this event, and I believe we made the most of it, growing as a club and as women.”
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