At the beginning of every episode of “Iron Chef America,” actor Mark Dacascos looks into the camera and utters the phrase, “so America, with an open heart, and an empty stomach, I say unto you in the words of my uncle: Allez Cuisine!”

In English, that last phrase means to start cooking; and that is exactly what Family and Consumer Science teacher Nina Ballman’s Culinary II students are doing.

Ballman is beginning her third year catering special events, which are usually centered around Ritenour activities. Not only are the student chefs cooking for those events, but those chefs are also in charge of creating the menus.

Ballman is the main conductor of this school-based catering organization and only charges the event coordinator for the groceries. The students volunteer for each event and are in charge of setting the plates and making the food. There are no microwave dinners served at these events.

“The catering helps us learn real life situations and makes the class more hands-on,” junior Tyler Dickens said.

While being active with the new events coming up, the two Culinary II classes are also busy competing in “Iron Chef America.” No, not the actual television show. They are doing it with a Ritenour twist.

The in-class competition involves students competing against each other in a challenging contest through five stages. After dominating the rest of the groups, the last student standing will challenge Ballman.

If the student wins, Ballman is obligated to give that student $10.

“Having our teacher assigning secret ingredients into our meal makes it more difficult and demanding. It teaches us to work with what is given without a plan,” junior Brad Yewell said.

In order to be in the competition, students have to be enrolled in Cullinary II and be prepared to cook anything and everything.

While the class is learning through the “Iron Chef” competition in the fall, it will change the structure in the Spring. Students enrolled in Culinary II next semester will be emulating the Food Network show, “Cupcake Wars.”