Students help Bowling Green teacher with hopes of becoming next “Favorite Chef”
Published 6:00 am Tuesday, June 4, 2024
- Scott Blackerby
Nearing the end of the 2023-2024 school year, math and science teacher Scott Blackerby asked his students at the Compass Academy in Bowling Green for a “big favor” — votes for his campaign in Food Network chef Carla Hall’s “Favorite Chef” competition.
What followed was overwhelming support from his students.
“I can see every single person that’s voting for me and it’s three to one my students,” Blackerby said.
Blackerby’s students, along with help from his family, friends and others in the community, propelled him to the second round of the competition as a top 20 vote-getter out of 60 chefs.
“I appreciate everyone’s support, but I was really shocked to see how many students” voted, Blackerby said. “I know there’s pretty stiff competition, but I feel like I’ve got a little bit of an edge.”
Blackerby found his love for the cooking in his hometown of Louisville, graduating from the culinary arts program at Jefferson Community and Technical College and working as a sous chef at the Lousiville Downtown Marriott before moving to Bowling Green in 2010.
Blackerby’s love for cooking followed him to Bowling Green, as he began Lost River Catering in November 2023, with plans to run the business full time after retiring from teaching.
Blackerby said the contest is not a cooking competition, rather a voting competition where voters decide the winner based on a chef’s website as well as their social media presence. Voting for the first round concluded on Thursday, with eight more rounds of voting set between May 30-July 25. The “People’s choice Grand Prize Winner” will be announced on Aug. 2.
People can vote for Blackerby on favchef.com/2024/scott-blackerby. Voters can submit one free vote every 24 hours or submit 10, 25, 50, 100 or 250 votes via donations. Voting for the second round will conclude on June 6.
The Grand Prize includes an “exclusive cooking experience” with Hall, an appearance on the “Taste of Home” magazine and $25,000, according to the competition website.
Blackerby’s plan if he wins the $25,000 — giving back to his students.
He said he would use the money to set up a scholarship for a student interested in culinary school that, “understands the importance of a post-secondary education that wants to work under a professional chef.”
