INTERNATIONAL Chef's Day was celebrated on October 20 this year.
It was also a big moment for a team from the kitchen of a hotel on the Coral Coast. They guys at Outrigger on the Lagoon had been fundraising and they donated $1500 to Fiji kids learning for life (www.fijikids.org).
There was also a cooking competition, or the final of a cooking competition. Those chasing the first, second and third spots had come through elimination rounds.
The competition proper saw all 34 finalists walking away with medals, certificates and prizes. The winners from each class received a gold medal, certificate and trophy with around $100 worth of prizes each.
Hotel executive chef Chailesh Naidu said they had to acknowledge Ram Sami & Sons, Coral Coast Fruits & Vegetables, Crest Chicken, Danny's Seafood and Bakels.
These organisations stepped in with the prizes for every competitor in each class. Then there were all the nibbles and ice cream from Goodman Fielder. Danny's and Ram Sami kept the kids and general public well fed throughout the day. He also thanked the FNU team and the chefs for their time.
Mr Naidu said the competition would have been impossible without the help of Sigatoka Andhra College principal, Ms. Arishma, and the school management. He said the organisers would like to convey their thanks for the great facility and reception from students.
He said it would have been impossible to have helped organise such an event without the most important people, the 80 competitors. Mr Naidu said their commitment and innovative ideas put on the plates made it an amazing event.
While thanking hotel general manager Peter Hopgood and the management team, he said it was impossible to name everyone who had by their contribution, how little it may have been, made the event a success.