WESTBROOK – Delicious things are happening at the Westbrook Regional Vocational Center.

The talents of students in the school’s Culinary Arts program were on the plates of hungry guests Friday during the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” tasting event.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care presented the event along with the American Heart Association to showcase heart-healthy meals prepared by three teams of students. Diners sampled “mini-meals” from each team and voted on their favorites.

The team that earned the top marks will have their meal prepared by the head chef at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland for 400 guests at the Go Red for Women luncheon on March 1, according to Brenda Quinn, communications director with the American Heart Association.

Attendees indicated it was difficult to pick a winning team due to the variety of tasty samples to choose from. Each team took a different approach to producing a heart-healthy meal that also packs a flavorful punch.

One favorite among attendees was the orange and pineapple, pan-seared salmon steak with jasmine rice and charred watercress. Teammates Garrett Beesley, Peter Strout, Andrew Watson and T.J. Davis prepared the dish, which Garrett had created for another project and decided to use again.

“It’s a delicious recipe,” he said, adding the citrus reduction sauce provided a “burst of flavors.”

Garrett, a 17-year-old senior, is going to attend Lincoln Culinary Institute and is a cook at the Frog and Turtle in downtown Westbrook.

At first, the charred flavor of the watercress dominated, but within a few chews, the fruity flavors shined through, followed by the distinct taste of salmon.

“There was like a progression of flavors in there,” said Kim Farrar, of CBRE/The Boulos Co., who was invited to the tasting event. “It was the most unusual dish and a special dish for a special function.”

Another popular choice was the raspberry and Jamaican jerk glazed and grilled chicken breast, prepared by the team of Jon Lewis, Connie Chambers, Brittney Murray and Kasey Googins. The chicken was served with curried vegetable couscous.

“The raspberry glaze sealed it for me. I’m actually going to steal it,” said guest Kate Nolan, taking note of the recipes printed out for attendees.

The teammates explained the dish came together through their collective vision and contains hints of Indian, Asian, North American and Mexican cuisine.

“It’s a bunch of different things uniting in one spectacular mouthful,” said Chambers, an 18-year-old Bonny Eagle senior.

The team spoke just as glowingly about the program that allows them to come from their respective schools to learn the trade. Their dish took research, practice, patience and hours spent before and after classes, but the students said the instructor, chef Charles Limoggio, made things a little easier.

“He’s great at teaching us and leading us along. It’s not step by step with him. He’s open to challenging us,” said Lewis, a 19-year-old senior from Gorham and a cook at Texas Roadhouse.

Throughout the event, Limoggio bounced from station to station, checking on the young chefs and providing advice. He helped the third team, which offered chicken and cheese quesadillas, flip their quesadillas with a knife when they didn’t have a spatula handy.

The team, which included Matt La Flamme, Katherine Murphy, Jessie Dye and Maureen Clements, served a black bean salad and triple tomato soup with the quesadillas.

The team said it was a fun challenge to craft a heart-healthy meal. Clements, 19, said they started with a quesadilla recipe on a Weight Watchers menu and went from there, using items like fresh salsa and fat-free sour cream to make it healthier.

Nici Carbone, director of the Go Red for Women luncheon, said last week’s event was a preview of a March 1 educational forum and luncheon to raise awareness and funding for heart disease research.

“The point was to show people they could still create really interesting and flavorful meals that are still low in sodium and healthy,” she said.

Guests voted on their favorites and the winners will be unveiled at the luncheon on March 1.

Those seeking more information about the event should visit www.heart.org/maine or call the American Heart Association at 870-5700.

A heart-healthy meal was on the menu during the Go Red for Women tasting event at Westbrook Regional Vocational Center last Friday. Ralph Dean, a staff member at the school offered his compliments to students, from left, Garrett Beesley, Peter Strout (hidden) and Andrew Watson. Culinary arts students at the school prepared three mini-meals that were voted on by the luncheon attendees. The winning meal will be prepared for 400 guests at a special Go Red for Women luncheon at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland on March 1.Photo by Rich Obrey