Gana PrakashThe MAGGI Secondary School Cooking Competition (MSSCC) 2022 announced five teams of aspiring young chefs as national winners in its 26th edition.
The winners were selected based on a series of evaluations, particularly on the creative use of ingredients, cooking skills, presentation and culinary inspirations via their submitted videos.
With the theme “Anda & MAGGI, “Sajian Seimbang Tanda Sayang” (You & MAGGI, “A Balanced Bowl is a Serving of Love”), this year’s competition garnered entries from more than 2,000 aspiring young students aged between 13 to 15 years old from 500 schools nationwide.
They showcased their cooking talents and demonstrated the right nutritional choices with the ‘Pinggan Sihat Malaysia’ or ‘Suku-Suku Separuh’ (Malaysian Healthy Plate / Quarter-Quarter Half) concepts towards building healthier eating habits.
This year’s competition also included an educational segment on plant-based meal solutions, which have gained popularity in recent years due to their positive impact on health and well-being.
Throughout the competition, guidance from various professionals and culinary experts were provided to the participants via several learning modules. MAGGI chefs shared tips on creating healthy and balanced meals, as well as imparting knowledge in the areas of food safety and hygiene whilst the nutritionist led in the areas of preparing a balanced, nutritious meal.
Cultivating a passion for culinary from a young age
Introduced in 1997, the culinary platform aims to cultivate an interest in cooking amongst secondary school students while raising the awareness on the long-term effects of eating well on health. The campaign is a strategic collaboration between MAGGI and the Ministry of Education, which has since witnessed the participation of over 341,000 students across 10,000 schools in Malaysia.
“With the concerted effort from the Ministry of Education and secondary schools across Malaysia, the competition is aimed at creating an equal society where we encourage young boys and girls to pursue their interest and passion in cooking, while opening up greater opportunities for these young talents who may eventually dabble into the Malaysian culinary arena as a career,” said Geetha Balakrishna, Business Executive Officer of MAGGI, Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad.
According to Geetha, the competition has received tremendous support over the past two decades as many recognised the importance of cultivating cooking talents and gaining knowledge about nutrition in diet from a young age.
“Cooking is indeed a valuable life skill for the young generation to acquire, as they will also learn about the planning process, effective time management skills and organisational skills among others.” said Geetha.
Brand Ambassador for MAGGI CukupRasa, Datin Paduka Eina Azman, shared her personal experiences and insights on self-awareness and ways towards building confidence as one of the learning modules in the competition.
“Naturally, many young school-goers are unsure of their future path. Self-awareness is a crucial first step, followed by cultivating self-confidence and eventually staying on course to achieve one’s ambition and dreams.” said Eina
Eina went on to say that because most children get their first culinary experiences at home, parents play an important role in inspiring and motivating students to pursue their passion and skills in the kitchen.
“I must highlight that cooking also forms an important learning and bonding time that’s both unique and exciting!” said Eina.
The winners
- Camelia Ivana and Irdina Sofiya from SM Sains Rembau, Negeri Sembilan
- Nabihah Auni and Nur Ain Syazwani from SMK Pandan, Kuantan, Pahang
- Alya Qaseh and Qurratul Ain from SMK Pengerang Utama, Johor
- Vanessa Grace and Valentina Ulau from SMK Bandar Sibu, Sarawak
- Aleya Alesya and Damia Batrisyia from SMJK Notre Dame Convent, Melaka
For more information about the MAGGI® Secondary School Cooking Competition (MSSCC) 2022 campaign, please visit MAGGI-cooking-competition-2022
CJMY
