AFTER having a fun time cooking a big pot of cook up, Elvis Shepherd and Linden’s Waveney Dorris each walked away $100,000 richer after they were adjudged to be the best of the best at the Chief Cook up Competition that was held in the National Park Tarmac on Wednesday last, as part of the Emancipation celebrations.

Dorris and Shepherd were part of 20 contestants who participated in the annual competition which featured two categories: the no meat cook up and the obstacle cook up, which allowed the contestants to add just about anything they wanted to in their cook up.
The contestants were judged on a 20 points system based on the food’s aroma, it’s presentation, and of course, the taste. The four-man judging panel included HJ’s Feliz Robertson and Gordon Moseley along with comedian Odessa Primus.

Entered in the no meat category, Dorris, who was assisted by her daughter, was all smiles as she presented her well decked out, mouthwatering plate of veggie-cook up to the judges. The plate was so well decorated with provision salad, cheese and potato, steam ochroes, achar and a side of banana bread, that a meat eater would’ve hardly missed the meat.

Shepherd won the obstacle cook up category, where he vied against 15 other entries and faced really difficult competition as each contestant really went all out in making their pots as varied and delicious as possible. Some of the meat utilised by the participants included chicken foot, salted beef, tripe, oxtail, smoked fish, smoked chicken, pigtail and so much more.

Some of the contestants really tried to outdo themselves in the decorations of their plates, as well.

“It was very difficult to come to a winner,” commented Robertson. “Everyone put so much effort into preparing their cook up the right way so it wasn’t an easy task, however, I think the right people won at the end of the day. It was my first time judging a food competition and I was very pleased, it was just such a wonderful experience.”

The competition was sponsored by Ansa McAl under their Chief seasoning brand and celebrated its second hosting. Each participant was provided with the rice, peas and Chief cook up Seasonings but they were responsible for bringing their own variety meats and other ingredients. Each participant was also allowed one assistant as the dish had to be cooked on site.

As part of the festivities, onlookers got to be a part of the sampling with the food being shared out to the crowd as participants were not allowed to take the food home. Nonetheless, none of the contestants left empty-handed as the second and third place winners in each category received $30,000 and $20,000 respectively while all of the contestants received Ansa McAl hampers.

Representing Ansa McAl at the event was Chief Brand Manager, Tammi Ramsay, who was overjoyed to see how the competition has developed since its initiation last year and looks forward to seeing more growth in the years to come.

“This particular event has definitely grown from last year and next year we are looking for continued growth and possibly an addition of a metemgee category,” she said.