Burlington, VT - Champlain College's annual Iron Chef had a successful night as students, faculty and staff came together to determine the best of the best in an intense cooking competition. As you walked into the dining hall it was not a typical Thursday night by any means. You can't help but immediately hear team members screaming and chanting their team name, the belly dancer, a singer on acoustic guitar and cooks wearing fuzzy hats with horns.

According to Sandi Earle, Executive Chef at Champlain College Dining, the Iron Chef event not only provides a great fun environment for students, but also helps raise awareness and money for the local, community-based DREAM mentoring program. DREAM matches college students at Champlain and other area colleges with "at risk" children to be mentors and friends for special activities. Funds are raised by the Iron Chef participants who get pledges of money for their hours in the kitchen. Champlain senior Michael Squindo, a member of DREAM member, said Iron Chef is one of "DREAM's biggest fundraisers throughout the year."

The IDX Student Life Dining Hall was jam packed at dinner as at least 100-150 more people arrived to taste test this year's offerings Earle said. "It creates a sense of community and awareness throughout Champlain College campus and provides a central hub for everyone to gather and have a good time. This is the best turn out yet, there has been excellent press, great coverage, and a high amount of participation." Local reporters and photographers from WCAX-News, WFFF Fox-44 and The Burlington Free Press stopped by to cover the cooking event. Lyle King of Champlain Media Services also had a video team on hand to cover the event.

What the media, students and visitors found was a world of choices from the competitors - the smell of all the various types of food made it difficult for many to decide where to begin.

The first station, made up of the "How Beezar" team grabbed attention with their belly dancer, Meghan McCormick and a tray full of Baklava to tempt them. And right behind them, lamb pizza, salads and a distinct foreign flair for food.

Next stop, the "Go Maple or Go Home"team, offering up Sugar on Snow and the distinct aroma of spring in Vermont - maple syrup - used in creating maple crepes filled with either apple or chicken and cheese. "We almost ran out of batter because we didn't think so many people would come up for seconds, we had to just keep up with the demand," explained Morgan Jennings, the weekend activities coordinator and DREAM member, taking a break from non-stop crepes production.

Senior Brice Coster said the competition "is always a scene and interesting to watch." Sophomore Jake Murray couldn't agree more, adding "it is cool to shake up the normal routine. I came last year and wanted to come again this year."

The next station you came across had the biggest advertising of them all and presented a new experience for many - yak meat. An oversize banners proclaiming "Yakittome," hung above the station usually reserved for hamburger and grilled cheese. Instead, there were tasty breakfast burritos with yak sausage and a pancake sandwich with cream in the middle. Rob Williams, a professor at Champlain College and owner of the Vermont Yak Company in Waitsfield, provided the secret ingredient - yak sausage - for his team's menu. "Rob came up with the idea of using yak, and I helped come up with the idea of using it in a burrito. I used to work here (in the dining hall) and this is my first time participating as an alumni, it is a great turnout and a great cause," explained Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Finally, the "Six Degrees of Bacon" team incorporated bacon from soup to salad to main dish and dessert. The chocolate covered bacon was so popular, the team had to start cooking more bacon partway through the competition. One student said it tasted like a chocolate-covered pretzel, mixing salty and sweet, while another enjoyed the treat because it combined his two favorite foods. On the comfort food level, Six Degrees of Bacon flaunted the baked macaroni and cheese with bacon, bacon cheddar ale infused chowder and a spinach salad with bacon dressing. It was the third time competing for bacon-lover Shaun McElwain of Champlain College's Admission office. "It is a lot of fun and I really enjoy hanging out with the students. It goes to a great cause that is very worthy and you get together with people you don't see every day."

In the end, after all the votes by diners were tallied, it was "Go Maple or Go Home" who took home the coveted title of 2011 Iron Chef winner. Many people cited the overall sweet maple theme including Sugarman maple syrup on ice and maple crepes using Vermont Butter and Cheese crème Fraische and Cabot Cheddar.

Winning team members are: Lina Balcom and Lisa Mazzarelli (Student Life Center); Monique Prevost, Morgan Jennings and Michael Squindo (DREAM); and Ben Boundreau and David Scott (Sodexo). The team now has a full year full of sweet bragging rights and will present the DREAM program with its Iron Chef donation check at a lunch soon.

Earle also thanked all the experienced Sodexo team who worked alongside the students, faculty and staff to make the event go smoothly, "Ted Digrande, Dan Gill, Michaell Mansfield-Marcou, Barb Gover, Tenzin Chotso, Chad Blow, Emira Valjevac, Lousie Latuippe, Penny Cross, Denise Rouleau, David Scott, Ben Boudreau, and our excellent dishroom crew."