Culinary arts students at Robeson Community College are busy prepping for the 4th Annual Battle of the Butts fundraiser plate sale, which will take place later this week for Communities in Schools.

The fundraiser, which started in 2021, was turned into a culinary arts competition to see which future chef could create the best sauce and the best rub, to which the ‘Battle of the Butts” was born.

This year, Destiny Sosa was declared the winner of the competition with her ‘Sweetie Spice’ blend recipe for the rub and sauce. Destiny, a Lumberton native, is a first-year student in the culinary arts program, and at just 21-years old, she is already making a name for herself in the culinary world.

“It’s just something that I like to make at home, my Mom and Dad like to have a good sauce when they are grilling,” Sosa said in a press release. “I wanted to make something simple but flavorful.”

‘Sweetie Spice’ is a combination of red pepper flakes and hot sauce – to make it spicy – and brown sugar and honey to make it sweet.

“I am very proud that one of our first-year students won both the sauce and the rub competition,” stated RCC Chef Instructor James Ingram in a press release. “I am very proud of her and I think she did a great job, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”

The competition was open to any culinary arts student, and Sosa said in a press release:

“I decided to give it a try and see where it would take me, I wanted to at least try. It feels good to know that I won. I never expected to win because I am still learning, but it makes me feel like if I keep trying harder, then one day I can make it somewhere.”

Editor's note: This is a portion of a story sent in by RC. Read the full story on their website here.