Cooking their way to victory

Wan Najmiatul Fadhilah (right) and Siti Nurliana hold their winning dish, Sata Udang Sos Lemak Cili Api, served with Pasembur chutney.

THE team from SMK Sura, Dungun, Terengganu comprising Wan Najmiatul Fadhilah Wan Zailany and Siti Nurliana Muhamad Nazri, both aged 15, wowed the judges with their delicious Sata Udang Sos Lemak Cili Api, served with Pasembur chutney.

What was most impressive was how they creatively experimented with various traditional recipes to create an innovative dish.

The team took part in the Maggi Secondary Schools Cooking Competition (MSSCC).

They won the MSSCC Cup and a RM3,000 cash prize.

Coming in second was the team from SMK Lajau, Labuan, Nureen Azmira Mohd Azhar and Masliha Junaidi, both aged 15, who created their very own ‘Travelog Menu’. They received a RM2,000 cash prize. Meanwhile, Nur Anisha Shafiqa Mohd Taufiq and Nurul Saffiyah Aqilah Helmi Riduan, both aged 15, from SMK Desa Cempaka, Negri Sembilan, came in third, bagging a cash prize of RM1,000.

The aim of the competition introduced in 1997, is to cultivate an interest in cooking among secondary school students while raising awareness on the importance of eating a balanced diet.

The project is a collaboration between Maggi, the Education Ministry, home economics teachers, the State Technical and Vocational Unit, and the State Education Department’s Co-Curriculum Unit.

Over 341,000 students have competed in the Maggi Secondary Schools Cooking Competition since it was introduced.

The challenging and exciting format continues to draw participants year after year.

At the grand finale of the competition held in Ipoh, 32 students aged between 13 to 15 from various states battled it out for the top spot.

The teams were required to create tasty, wholesome “Food of Malaysia”, enabling participants to also learn about each other’s states and culture.

The competition this year kicked off in March with students submitting their recipes online through Maggi’s official website. Its

theme was “You and Maggi, Making a positive impact through homemade meals”.

“MSSCC is more than a cooking competition.

“Our aim is to inspire students to cook homemade meals while understanding the value of making the right nutritional choices, and applying the skills and knowledge gained in different ways, ” said Nestle (M) Bhd’s Maggi business executive officer Geetha Balakrishna

Education Ministry Co-Curricular and Arts Division deputy director Suhaimi Sun Abdullah said the MSSCC is a platform that goes beyond competing over cooking tasty dishes.

“Together with Maggi, we are helping to better equip individuals and communities in their food choices.

“We are proud to share that over 10,000 schools and 341,000 young cooks have gained vital skills in nutritious cooking since the competition started and the number has continued to grow, ” he said.