Announces the Top Three Winning Dishes Created by High School Students, One Dish to be Selected for Astronauts Aboard the ISS
HOUSTON, TX (MAY 1, 2025) – After weeks of careful evaluation, one of three finalist student teams will have their winning pasta dish selected to be sent to astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to enjoy in orbit.
On April 8, Space Center Houston hosted the 10th annual HUNCH Culinary Challenge Finals, where 10 student teams competed to have their pasta dishes judged by culinary experts.
HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) is a national program that engages high school students in developing real-world products for NASA. The Culinary Challenge is one of the many programs under HUNCH, inviting student teams from the U.S. and abroad to experience the one-day challenge at Space Center Houston.
After advancing through local and regional rounds, the 10 finalist teams are invited to compete live at the center, presenting their entrées to a panel of guest chefs, food industry professionals, JSC personnel, and astronauts.
This year’s esteemed judges included Emmanuel Chavez—Houston’s 2024 Chef of the Year, owner of the Michelin-starred Tatemó, and a 2025 James Beard Best New Chef semifinalist—alongside European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.
The Top Three Winning Dishes are:
1. Phoebus High School, VA – Rasta Pasta
2. Wekiva High School, FL- Spinach Linguini with Creamy Mushrooms
3. RCTC, MI -Spicy Cajun Fettuccini with Roasted Veggies
These teams will receive scholarships and prize opportunities through the American Academy of Chefs and Sullivan University.
The first-place team will have their dish processed for spaceflight at the NASA Johnson Space Center Food Lab and served aboard the ISS. Additionally, they will be invited to present their creation at the American Culinary Federation National Convention.
To see related posts, visit Space Center Houston Hosts 10th Annual HUNCH Culinary Challenge Finals – Space Center Houston.
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About Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston’s shared purpose is to bring people and space closer together. Over 1.3 million visitors and more than 250,000 students and educators visit each year to connect with the significance of space exploration to pursue a path in STEM or follow along as incredible feats of human spaceflight continue to make new discoveries. Space Center Houston is owned by the Manned Space Flight Education 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and generates an annual $118M economic impact to the Greater Houston area. Space Center Houston is a Smithsonian Affiliate, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center, and a Certified Autism Center. Learn more at spacecenter.org.
About NASA HUNCH Culinary
2024-2025 HUNCH Culinary Challenge (Pasta Dish) Partnering with the American Culinary Federation, Sullivan University, World Chefs, and the Johnson Space Center Food Lab.
The Astronaut Culinary Challenge develops food items for the Astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Each year, a new theme is given out to the schools where the students create new dishes, taking into account food processing procedure and nutritional requirements so that their items will meet the standards of the NASA Johnson Space Center Food Lab.
Schools in the US and abroad bring dishes into their local NASA or partner center for a taste competition with different food industry professionals and personnel. After these preliminary culinary competitions, those with the highest scores from across the world are invited to Johnson Space Center for a final competition where their work will be judged by NASA Food Lab personnel, industry professionals, ISS program office, and Astronauts for quality, taste, their work on the research paper, and presentation video. The winning entree will be processed by the Johnson Space Center Food Lab and sent up to the station for the astronauts to enjoy.
Media Contacts
Rashena Franklin, Manager of Communications
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IIlliana Luna, Public Relations Specialist
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