Michael finds out what's cooking at a local high school (12 photos)

No pressure kids, it’s only celebrity chef Michael Smith looking over your shoulder.

That was the scenario Saturday as eight pairs of Superior Heights students found themselves, chopping and mixing under Smith’s gaze during the PEI chef’s visit to the Sault for the Algoma Fall Festival.

Jessica Nootchtai and cooking partner Patricia Papineau won the competition - a challenge to see which team could come up with the best creative salad selecting ingredients from a common list.

Their spinach salad with quinoa, pears and roasted pecans topped with a maple/dijon vinaigrette impressed both Smith and two local chefs - Elaine Mailhot-Montgrain of LCBO and Fiore Palarchio of Paesono's Market -  who judged the dishes.

“I was kind of shaking a little bit because I was scared I wasn’t going to get everything on the plate,” laughed Nootchtai.

Papineau said she did feel pressure with Smith present in the kitchen, but she said it was more exciting than anything.

“He helped me with my vinaigrette - showed me how to mix it so it wasn’t just all oil. It was just an awesome experience,” said Papineau.

Smith, the star of multiple Food Network shows including Chef Michael’s Kitchen, Chef at Large and Chef at Home, said he was impressed by the students.

“Our intention here today wasn’t to chop anybody, but to empower them, to coach them, to help them find out where their edge is and that’s really what competition is all about,” said Smith. “I’m quite sure that 16 students now know precisely what they’re capable of.”

Smith himself has faced the pressure of a cook-off - he squared off against Bobby Flay on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America in 2010 - though he said there’s a big difference between what you see on reality TV and the kind of challenge the Superior Heights kids took part in.

“The type (of competition) you see on television is not real. It’s just TV and it’s not what we’re about here today. When chefs compete though, what we do is we discover what we’re capable of, we push ourselves very, very hard. And that’s very powerful because so many of us in life have no idea where our edge is and even if we do know where it is we go nowhere near it,” said Smith.

Algoma District School Board took the opportunity during the celebrity visit to launch its Specialist High Skill Major in Culinary Hospitality, which now available to students at Superior Heights.

Jason Zachary, Superior Heights culinary arts teacher, said it was obvious watching his students that Smith’s visit had an impact.

“Having Michael Smith in my kitchen is probably a highlight of my career, but definitely a highlight for students to get an opportunity like this in Sault Ste. Marie. Just the feedback alone,” said Zachary.