The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Education Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Students displayed their culinary skills during the Bahamas Young Chef Culinary Competition.

Akeelah Maura, an eighth grade student at Akhepran International Academy took home top prize during the second phase of the 31st Bahamas Young Chef New Providence District Inter-Island Culinary Competition.

Akeelah is passionate about fusion cuisine, and enticed the judges with her flour dish: Banana Panny Cake with coconut crusted snapper fillet, drizzled with honey spiced hibiscus syrup and her rice dish: a Guava N’ Sea grape jasmine rice crème brulee.

Chef Celeste Smith, in her critique of the winning dish said the entrée was unique and the Banana Panny Cake elevated a traditional Bahamian dish.

She said: “A little imperfection on the top of the crème brulee, but I got the actual snap. The entrée was very unique. The banana pancake with grouper and pickled onions was a very nice appetizer. Everything was uniform - the savoury, the sweet. All of that was like a wow-factor, how you realised the sweet and savoury, and the pancake, and kept it a traditional Bahamian dish with an elevated form. That was really nice.”

Samuel Fortune, a student of AF Adderley Junior High School came in second place.

He was one of the two male students that entered the contest and impressed the judges with his flour dish: Tropical Poached Buns with Island Breeze Bliss and his rice dish: Peas ‘N’ Rice Seafood Risotto Style.

Chef Gerald Rolle, Chief Judge congratulated the students and commended them for their work. He also singled out the two male students for taking the bold step to compete against females.

He said “You performed like professionals in the kitchen. In the past, juniors are the ones we run from. Over the years we are starting to see that juniors are now skillful and knowledgeable about the craft. They have the passion and love, and you can see it in their work ethic and confidence levels in the kitchen. Every year it gets better.”

Aaliyah Cooper, DW Davis Junior High School came in third place, Zahran Pickstock, HO Nash Junior High School was fourth, Javania Wallace, LW Young Junior High School was fifth, Lashawn Newbold, CH Reeves Junior High School came in sixth place, and Ta’Kell Miller, Bahamas Academy came in seventh.

The annual junior high school contest is sponsored by Mahatma Rice and Robin Hood Flour along with the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training.