Sophomores at Niles New Tech recently had the opportunity to accomplish something most people only dream of — to have their own recipe served at a local restaurant.

It was all part of a school project in the World Studies class taught by Maria Culbertson and Kristin Adams-Bondy.

“It gave them a chance to feel like they contributed something and made something unique,” Culbertson said.

More than 100 students broke into groups of four or five and each group received a different spice. The next step was for each group to find out all they could about their spice, including where it came from, what it was used for and how it spread around the world.

The groups then presented the information in a mock “talk show” format in front of their peers.

The project also tasked each group with creating a recipe featuring their spice and serving it to local judges, including Olfactory Hue Bistro’s Daysha Amster, the Big Ten Network’s Allison Hayes, Niles School Board member Leigh Jones and Four Flags Area Chamber of Commerce President Tyanna Weller.

Amster assisted students in the development of the recipes in addition to providing information about food safety and sanitation.

On Wednesday, the judges chose the “Ginger Chicken” dish as the winning recipe. It was created by the group of Dyllan Stevenson, Bernadi Santosa, Bre Love and Serra Barr.

The winning group received gift certificates to Olfactory Hue Bistro and chocolate from Veni’s.

Amster said she would cook and sell the group’s Ginger Chicken dish at the restaurant during the final week of the month, beginning Jan. 25.

Olfactory Hue Bistro is located in downtown Niles at 226 E. Main St.