By Alexis LaRue
AFRO Intern
alarue@afro.com
Coppin State University held its 2026 Homecoming week Feb. 15- 22. The celebration of the historically Black institution in West Baltimore was filled with a plethora of events, including “Coppin Chopped: The Black Table.” Returning for its fourth year, the event spotlighted the deep rooted connection between food, family and Black identity.
Based on the long-running cooking show, “Chopped,” each year “Coppin Chopped” gives alumni, current students, members of the community and faculty and staff the opportunity to compete for the coveted Golden Spatula Award.
“This is an opportunity to build a sense of community. It’s building value. It’s tapping into the purpose, character and culture of who Coppin State University is,” said Dr. Anthony Jenkins, Coppin State University president.
Like the show, contestants were given a basket of blind ingredients to cook with, along with surprise items in the middle of the competition. Teams of three were given the opportunity to present their dishes in front of a panel of judges and were judged on presentation, taste, use of the surprise item and capturing the overall theme of the competition, which was “The Black Table.”
John Miles, a guest judge and executive chef for Thompson Hospitality, spoke about the competition and what it means to not only come back for another year, but to also judge the work dished out in the competition.
“Coming back to this competition every year allows me to see how the bar is raised from last year,” said Miles. “Seeing the passion, dedication and talent that these cooks pour into every plate is what it’s all about.”
Thompson Hospitality hosted the event, along with the African American History Committee and Business Services.
Alumnae Donna Cypress and Cheryl Bailey-Solomon, members of the Community Team for the event, spoke about the cultural significance of the dish, how they used their surprise item given during the competition and how it represents “The Black Table.”
“Our dish delved into the deep culture of the south as well as Gullah culture,” said Bailey-Solomon. “We believe that combining both cultures, especially with this year’s theme, provided the judges with a different type of flavor palette.”
Cypress and Bailey-Solomon combined each of the flavors to create a compelling dish, infusing shrimp, grits, sautéed collard greens, fried sausage and even provided a vegetarian option by replacing the sausage with tofu.
They weren’t the only team that brought the flavor.
Marjani Carter, Christy Lyons and Hilary Bain, all members of the Coppin Staff Team, ended up being the winners of the coveted competition, using just about every resource they were given in order to come out on top.
Their dish, a Southern Jambalaya with Black Eye Peas, impressed the judges. The team managed to prepare the dish, including their surprise component without a crockpot, a tool that many competitors used. Despite this, they delivered on taste, flavor, and presentation, all within the hour-and-a-half time limit.
“We did what Black women came to do– We put it down,” said Bain.
When asked the key ingredient in their win, Carter’s answer was simple, yet poignant.
“It’s teamwork,” she said. “We all work with each other on a regular basis, we’re used to being in each other’s environments and spaces. It was easier to come together, as we all cook already too. It was good teamwork.”
All members of the winning team are planning a return next year to defend their coveted title as Coppin Chopped champions. The ladies have vowed to prevent any other team from taking their place next homecoming season.