Ninth graders at Mid-Pacific Institute took to the soil and then to the stove for a project-based lesson that highlighted sustainability and healthy cooking.

The Mid-Pacific eXploratory program had 29 freshmen planting tomatoes, basil, bell peppers, spinach, cilantro, parsley, lettuce and green beans, then hitting the kitchen to learn how to cook what they were growing.

After weeks of practicing their culinary skills at Kapiolani Community College, the lesson culminated Monday in an Iron Chef competition that had seven teams preparing the bounty.

The win went to Hawaii Hydro Justin Ching, Cameron Taylor, Micah Yamamoto and Justin Davis who whipped up Bruschetta Chicken, cutlets topped with fresh tomato sauce and a side salad with vinaigrette.

Teams had an hour to prepare their food. They were assessed by four judges on sanitation, presentation and taste.

The freshmen began the lesson by researching hydroponic and urban gardens, then designing and constructing their own gardens and selecting the produce to grow.

At KCC, classes focused on cooking and recipe planning. Homework included cooking for their families.