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Sleepless nights are common on Rikers Island, but not usually out of excitement. But last Wednesday, several of the youngest inmates in the women's jail were jittery with anticipation.

"I was so excited, I couldn't sleep at all," said one inmate.

"I could not sleep. I was so nervous. I couldn't sleep. I stayed up all night," said another.

The nerves were in response to a Top Chef style cook-off showcasing the culinary skills they have learned at Island Academy, one of the city's most unusual public schools.

"It's a great opportunity for kids to develop a skill that they can then take with them to the outside community. Some of our students get what are called food handler certificates and so that makes them employable by restaurants on the outside," said Island Academy principal Eva Ostrum.

"They're using their time in jail productively, that reduces idleness and makes the jail a safer place today and then when they get out, they can continue their job training with the Department of Education and other community partners and go on to the world of work," said Commissioner of Correction Dora B. Schriro.

The student-inmates say that unlike in real life, there are no mistakes that can't be made right.

"I love cooking now, it's like you can make so many things but you never can mess up. You can always make everything better," said one student-inmate.

"When you cook, you have to chop stuff up, so sometimes I take my anger out on the food, instead of people, instead of getting in trouble," said another. "And I like cooking, I just like to cook. So the fact that I can make something out of something that's raw, like raw meat, and I can make it taste so good. I like that."

The high school culinary class faced off against a group of incarcerated adults who've also been learning how to cook.

The all-star judges, including the executive vice president of the French Culinary Institute and Melba Wilson of Melva's Restaurant in Harlem, declared the girls' corn chowder the best appetizer, the adult's apple strudel the best dessert and the two entrees, grilled salmon and tilapia with lemon caper sauce, equally delicious.

"This was the most special day I've had since I've been in here," said one student-inmate.

It's a rare day when students get to interact so much with the outside world and the officers and teachers say they hope it gives the inmate-student chefs skills, motivation but most of all, a sense of accomplishment, and even hope.