Westerly team wins cook-off with Calamari Frutti di Mare recipe

Apr 23, 2026

Three chefs work in a kitchen stirring a pot and ladling broth into cups

Chef Instructor Eva Niosi and Warwick Career and Technical Center students Marley Schmitz and Gianna Gioffreda prepare their calamari stew over polenta fries at the 2026 RI High School Seafood Cook-off.

Stewed, Sauteed, Stuffed, or Fried Calamari Recipes Highlight Student Skills, Creativity

Five high school culinary teams served up plates of calamari for a panel of judges and a roomful of more than 80 guests at the RI High School Seafood Cook-off April 15.

The Westerly High School team of Lucas Denslow, Nate Pachiga, Trista Thornton, Bella Weber, and Chloe Will, with Chef Instructor Jamie Finkelstein, won over the judges with their Frutti Di Mare, which will be featured at the restaurant Celeste later this spring, where the students will also be treated to lunch courtesy of event sponsor Newport Restaurant Group.

The judges—Kevin O’Donnell, chef owner of Giusto Newport; David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI; and Greg Coccio, corporate executive chef of Newport Restaurant Group—said they “were all really impressed with with the balance of flavor” of the dish, which featured savory elements as well as acidic, spicy, and sweet notes from the combination of tomatoes, chilies, and candied lemon that complemented the calamari. 

The Warwick Career and Technical Center’s team of Gianna Gioffreda, Camilo Restrepo, Marley Schmitz, and Troy Sinapi, with Chef Instructor Eva Niosi, won the People’s Choice Award for their Spring Calamari & Fennel Stew Served over Crispy Polenta Fries.

Kate Masury, executive director of Eating with the Ecosystem, and Jordyn Kastlunger of the Rhode Island Seafood Marketing Collaborative spoke to the guests about the importance of eating locally sourced seafood, and shared resources for how to find it.

Recipes and Resources

Westerly High School's culinary team of poses with their chef instructors

The Westerly High School culinary team won the 2026 Rhode Island High School Seafood Cook-off

Event Sponsors:

  • Warwick Area Career and Technical Center
  • Rhode Island Sea Grant
  • University of Rhode Island College of the Environment and Life Sciences
  • Newport Restaurant Group
  • RI Department of Environmental Management
  • Rhode Island Seafood / seafoodri.com
  • Rhode Island Hospitality
  • Rochs Fresh Foods
  • Eating with the Ecosystem
  • Eat Drink RI
  • Wild Atlantic Seafood
  • URI Coastal Institute
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