Tofu Mystery Competition Recap

March 2025 · Renton Technical College

What a day! Our latest chapter gathering at Renton Technical College brought together education, competition, and genuine camaraderie. Chefs and emerging talent delivered creative, thoughtful dishes — all built around one surprise ingredient: Makini's Tofu.

Learning from Chef Makini

The morning kicked off with an educational session from Chef Makini — the story behind the brand, the mission, and the craft of artisan tofu production. The insights into process and philosophy were eye-opening, the kind of knowledge that elevates how we think about ingredients. We hope to do something like this again — Chef Makini brings incredible value to our industry.

Learn more about Makini's pre-seasoned, flavor-forward tofu at makinisyeahthis.com

The Competition

The challenge: cook with Makini's Tofu as the mystery basket ingredient and make it shine — the kind of dish where you don't even realize you're eating tofu. The group of chefs and young chefs who competed was inspiring, and everyone delivered awesome, thoughtful plates.

"The twist was to cook normal food and not really know you're eating tofu. It was amazing. I could definitely eat tofu every day if it was like this."

— Chef Kahale Ahina, Judge

Thank You

Chef Makini for the inspiring session and the star ingredient. Chef Fowler & Chef Parker for hosting, leading kitchen logistics, and coordinating the mystery basket — Chef Fowler, you're a fantastic addition to Renton Tech and our chapter. Thanks to the RTC crew for behind-the-scenes support. And to judges Chef Silver and Chef Kahale for providing honest, meaningful feedback that makes the experience better for every competitor.

Up Next

Bite of the Duck — next month at Bates Technical College. Chef Brooks is leading the charge — stay tuned for details on how to help and participate.