Trio from SMK Penanti in Penang dish out winning ideas in cooking contest

The winning team from SMK Penanti in Kubang Semang, Penang didn’t just cook the best dish, they also decorated their ‘restaurant’ beautifully during the grand finals of the Maggi Secondary School Cooking Competition.

If YOU have ever wondered who makes the better cook — men or women, Maggi has the answer for you.

Maggi recently named 15-year-olds Izat Aiman Nurul Azlin, Mohammad Zulhimli Abd Hamid and Mohd Amirul Asnawi as the winners of the 18th Maggi Secondary School Cooking Competition at the grand finals held at Primaland Resort and Convention Centre.

The students of SMK Penanti in Kubang Semang, Penang, won the judges over with their dishes – Briyani Ria with Spicy Maggi Ball, Chicken Rolls with Golden Sauce and Salatah with Nestle Corn Flakes.

The trio were accompanied by their teachers, Rohani Johari and Nor Kamaliah Mohd Sopti, who were moved to tears when the boys were named the winners of the competition.

Maggi’s inhouse cooking expert Chef Muluk explaining the rules of the Maggi Creative Chef Challenge.

Rohani said the boys were the best cooks in their school and she was glad to have worked with them.

“I wouldn’t say boys are better cooks, but they are quick learners and know how to make a dish taste better,” she said.

She added that when the school received the theme of “Homemade Lunch Menu Weekend Delights”, they did their research and came up with the dishes for the competition.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Mohd Zulhilmi said they did not expect to win.

“We had problems preparing the dishes. We felt the time was too short and a faulty extension plug slowed us down. But we worked together as a team and overcame the challenges,” he said.

The grand finals saw 48 young cooks from secondary schools around the country pitting their culinary skills against one another in this national-level cook-off.

Their teamwork and culinary skills earned them RM3,000, a trophy, a certificate and a Maggi hamper each.

The grand finals saw 48 young cooks from secondary schools around the country pitting their culinary skills against one another in this national-level cook-off.

All teams also took home cash prizes, trophies, certificates and Maggi hampers.

The Maggi Secondary School Coo-king Competition was open to aspiring young chefs between the ages of 13 and 15 from schools around Malaysia, with the aim of cultivating an interest in cooking among students while raising awareness on the importance of a balanced diet and nutritious food.

Over the years, the competition has drawn close to 300,000 students.

This year, the competition, which is supported by the Education Ministry, attracted close to 4,800 young chefs.

The finalists were made up of teams of three from 16 schools that were regional winners of the competition.

The competition kicked off in mid-April with district and state championships.

In the grand finals, the 16 teams were given 90 minutes to prepare three nutritious dishes based on the aforementioned theme.

This was followed by a Young Maggi Creative Chef Challenge, where students were given 30 minutes to whip up a balanced creation using fresh ingredients provided by Maggi.

Points were awarded for taste, culinary skills, creativity, food selection and nutritional value, among other things.

Three 15-year-old girls from SMK Mahmud Mahyidin in Wakaf Bharu, Kelantan were named the most creative young chefs in the competition.

Judges for the grand finals were Mohd Johari Edrus, better known as Chef Jo from Masterchef Malaysia, Education Ministry curriculum development division assistant director Jamilah Hashim, Malaysian Dietitians’ Association honorary treasurer Ng Ai Kah and Primaland Port Dickson Resort and Convention Centre executive production chef Mohd Nizan Abdul Rahim.

Chef Jo said the competition this year was more challenging compared to the previous year.

“The dishes this year were well presented, some were even of restaurant standards,” he said.

Students from each school were given 30 minutes to whip up a creative dish all by using fresh ingredients prepared for by Maggi for the Maggi Creative Chef Challenge.

Over the years, Maggi has been on a journey to educate the young about healthy eating and delivering tasty, balanced meals to Malaysians.

Nestle Products Sdn Bhd Malaysia and Singapore business food executive manager Rosalyn Simba said the initiative was not about who the best cooks were.

“It is about encouraging and nurturing these young chefs to keep learning, creating and honing their skills while equipping them with knowledge for a lifetime.

“We are indeed grateful for the opportunity to share our culinary knowledge on healthy cooking as well as good food and eating habits with our youth,” she said.

Apart from the cooking competition, Maggi also arranged talks by the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association on the importance of eating healthy, understanding food labels, knowing what are food additives and chemical residues, and prevent toxins in food.

Maggi’s in-house cooking expert Chef Muluk also conducted cooking demonstrations showcasing interesting culinary ideas and tips.