Pageant finalists compete for Starter Chef title

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BEAUTIES taking part in the Miss Malaysia Indian Global 2009 pageant swapped their heels for flats and an apron for the Starter Chef title hosted by the Berjaya University College of Hospitality (UCH).

The 16 finalists competed against each other at the School of Culinary Arts and Samplings on the Fourteen restaurant in Berjaya Times Square on Oct 2.

Speaking out: The participants had to explain their dishes.

“We are proud to host this competition. It is an appealing sight to see beautiful women cooking dinner for someone they love,” UCH organising chairman Lai Mun Loon said.

All the contestants were asked to prepare two dishes — pasta and salad — with standard ingredients and the contents of a mystery box. Participants were asked to use the contents of the mystery box to enhance their sauce if necessary.

The contestants were judged by UCH chief operating officer Mae Ho, Dale Lokman Associates managing director Datuk Mahadzir Lokman, Le Meridien executive chef Antoine Rodriguez, and Chef Association Malaysia committee member Priya Menon.

Lokman noted that the participants seemed to lack food-handling skills in the kitchen but acknowledged that the had tried their best.

“The girls definitely need a lot of training in the kitchen. They also could have tried the recipes at home a couple of times,” Menon said.

However, she added that the finalists had a lot of creativity while preparing the dishes with one participant using mustard seeds in her pasta.

Tasty treats: The finalists had to prepare a pasta and a salad.

The winner of the competition will be announced on the day of the pageant on Oct 9 at the Royal Chulan Hotel.

As part of the Berjaya UCH corporate social responsibility programme, the winner will win a full scholarship from the college for herself as well as a single mother from a charity shelter of the winner’s choice.

“Actually, we will be giving out five scholarships, one to the winner of last year’s pageant and the rest to single mothers,” Lai said.

The winner of last year’s pageant, Fiona Zuzartee, will further her Bachelor of Hospitality Management with the scholarship she won.

For the finalists, the experience of cooking was different but still enjoyable.

“It was like watching an episode of Hell’s Kitchen. We felt the heat and it was fantastic,” Manisha Jagan Mohan said.

For Ishvar Kaur Godrei, the tale is one she intends to relate to her grandchildren someday.

“I can’t wait to tell my grandkids, it wasn’t really a competition, it was almost like meddling with food,” she added.