something good

Coppell HS teenager wins statewide cooking title

Seared duck breast sears first place finish for girl who set her sights on being a chef at age 4

NBC Universal, Inc.

A proud mom in Lewisville wants to share the story of something good her daughter did that made her the best in Texas.

Michelle Perk tells us back on June 4th her daughter Annabella or A.B. competed against students from every county in Texas at the 4-H Food Show at Texas A&M.

A.B. had already won district and regional, and this was the chance for the Coppell High School student to secure a statewide title.

She got it! A.B. won 1st place for her main dish. She prepared a seared duck breast with couscous, zucchini, and squash and a pea puree topped with fried shallots and balsamic pearls.

The family moved from Louisiana to Lewisville three years ago, and this was the teenager's first time competing in the Lone Star State. She also helped her team "2 Cowgirls and a Cajun" win second place.

"A.B. does have learning disabilities and that is a large reason she got into cooking. However, she does not let those learning disabilities define her, she also is in National Honor Society, taking dual credit classes, and she started the first Culinary Club at her high school, " Michelle Perk wrote in an email to NBC5.

In her daughter's post about the win, she wrote about gratitude for her family and friends.

"My mentors for teaching me that glass ceilings are there to be broken, my friends that helped decide everything from the color of the plate to the side dishes, my big brothers for always supporting me, and my boyfriend that called me every early morning to calm me down. Most importantly thanks to my mom, who has been here clapping the loudest, driving me everywhere, and helping me achieve my dreams," Annabella Perk wrote in her post.

Michelle Perk says A.B. knew she wanted to be a chef at the age of four.

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