Wednesday, April 29, 2026 n www.TheObserver.com n Volume CXXXVIII, Issue No. 51 w
UNDER THE COVER Kearny Boy Scout collecting glasses & hearing aids for his Eagle Scout service project. Find out how you can help. Page 18
KEARNY’S CAKE BOSSES BELLEVILLE n BLOOMFIELD n EAST NEWARK n HARRISON n KEARNY n LYNDHURST n NORTH ARLINGTON n NUTLEY
At high school, student bakers battled to create the best desserts By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
K
earny High School transformed its atrium into a baking competition, filled with the aroma of espresso, cocoa and fresh strawberries Wednesday, April 22, as Culinary Arts students competed in the second annual Food Wars. This year’s “Cake Wars” edition challenged students to master complex flavors and professional presentations, with entries judged by a panel of local business owners and expert bakers. The competition, co-sponsored by the Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone (KUEZ), featured five entries from Chef Joseph Carratura’s baking class. Senior Bryan Chavez served as the master of ceremonies for the event, which welcomed distinguished guests including Mayor Carol Jean Doyle, Superintendent of Schools Flora Encarnacao and members of the Kearny Board of Education and Town Council. The panel of judges included Gisela Barulich of Stella’s Empanadas; Moe Ramadan of The Crepe Escape; Maya Leroy of Imagine Cookies by Maya; and Gizelly DeSouza of Mina’s Cafe. These professionals evaluated each cake based on flavor, creativity, and presentation, offering students a rare bridge between classroom instruction and industry standards. Following a rigorous judging process, the panel of local experts announced the final rankings for the 2026 competition: n First Place: Joice Medina, for her tres leches raspberry cake with white chocolate and raspberry frosting. Kearny Schools n Second Place: Areclys Santos Castillo, for her tiramisu white Kearny High School chef Carratura, second from left, works with his culinary students at the cake soaked with espresso and mascarpone icing. second-annual KHS Food Wars. This year, students prepared cakes to present to local business owners who served as judges. The event is co-sponsored by the school and Kearny UEZ.
See FOOD WARS, Page 18
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