The small gym at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany was transformed into Kitchen Stadium for the first Healthy Kids Club Iron Chef Competition Thursday night.

In a special competition based on the popular Food Network show where celebrity chefs spar to see who can make the best dish out of the same materials, four culinary-inclined kids captained teams made up of their family members.

The event was made possible through a partnership between the Oregon State University Extension Service and the Boys & Girls Club.

Children were chosen for their excellent attendance to the voluntary Healthy Kids Club program, which is run locally by Iris Carrasco.

"My classes are always full," Carrasco said of the popular program. She said more than 150 kids have enrolled.

Carrasco said food safety and nutrition are some of the themes of the after-school course.

"We promote meal time as family time," she added.

The competition was a family affair with team captain Hope, 7, and her brother Junior, 9, along with mom Stephanie Comstock making up Team Thompson.

Captain of Team Davis was Isabeau, 9, and she was joined by her mother Malani Bowler.

Captain Alyah, 7, sister Chloe, 6, and mom Misty were Team Haase.

Team Mendoza members included captain Cheli, 8, brother Angel, 10, mom Marti and friend Kevin Williams.

Though there were no shark heads or pureed sparrow eyes, four teams had the more typical chicken, spices, spinach, oil, chicken broth, white pasta, whole wheat pasta, lemon, flour, diced tomatoes and fresh rosemary as ingredients.

The secret ingredient: shallots.

The four families battled for 30 minutes with Cheli's Chicken Pasta with Side Salad coming out on top.

Team Mendoza took home an apron and oven mitt donated by the Ink Well. Winners in other categories such as nutrition, safety, presentation, teamwork and taste, left with glass fruits and vegetables as trophies.

Judges representing OSU Extension and the Boys & Girls Club scored the teams.

Organizers say they hope to make the Iron Chef Competition an annual event to honor outstanding Healthy Kids Club members and their families.