The 2016/17 National Youth Cook-Off has got off to a sizzling start with district competitions in East End, Cayman Brac and North Side, according to event organisers the Youth Services Unit.

The next district youth cook-off will be held at the Stacy Watler Pavilion in Lower Valley, Bodden Town on Saturday, 10 December, 6.30-9.30 p.m. Two teams are already registered, and others can sign up by contacting James Myles, Acting Head of the Youth Services Unit, on 943-1127 or at [email protected].

With three more district cook-offs slated for Bodden Town, George Town and West Bay, it is anticipated that the event will reach a culinary climax at the National Youth Cook-Off Final during the 50^th Annual Agriculture show, Saturday, 1 March 2017.

Last Saturday’s North Side district cook-off took place in the Clifton Hunter High School kitchen. Won by Team Mo (Mohyndra Brown and Amber McLaughlin) the judges noted the team’s “great restaurant-like presentation.” The team won $100 and personalised chef jackets to wear at the finals.

The other two previously held district cook-offs at East End Civic Centre (Saturday 24, September) and Cayman Brac’s Layman E. Scott High School (Saturday, 29 October) were won by Team Jaeda (Jaeda and Kristin Kirchman) and (Eugenio Myles and Ronaldinho Vassel) Team Straight out of Spott Bay, respectively. The Brac event attracted the largest cook-off crowd to date with around 60 members of the public in attendance the Youth Services has confirmed.

January’s district cook-off will be held in George Town after the National Heroes Day Ceremony (Saturday, 23 January 2017) in Heroes Square at 1p.m.

The final district event in West Bay will be from 6.30 p.m. on Saturday, 18 February at the Cayman Turtle Centre.

When asked about the competition so far, Mr. Myles said, “The calibre of teams in this year’s National Youth Cook-Off District competition has been very high. With the event heading now into the more populated districts, we are anticipating larger crowds and a nail-biting finale.”

The winning team of the National Youth Cook-Off, apart from getting a year’s bragging rights as ‘Top Young Chef 2016/17, will also receive $500 and an as yet undisclosed prize from the Cayman Culinary Society.The cook-off is currently being held in partnership with CULL Cayman, Home Gas Limited, Cayman National, Cayman Islands Agricultural Society, the Ministry of Tourism, the New Self-Help Community Foundation, Miracle Brokers International, Foster’s Food Fair and Ocean Frontiers.

IMAGE: GIS

Caption

North Side Cookoff: North Side district cook-off champions (l-r) Amber McLaughlin, Amber’s mother Courtney and Mohyndra Brown after Team Mo’s win.