4 qualify in Sylhet

Four persons qualified at the Sylhet round of Rupchanda-The Daily Star Super Chef 2016, Bangladesh's biggest culinary competition, at Pallabi Community Center in the city yesterday.

Jonathon Oscar Gomes, Md Rumon Ahmed, Avhirup and Ripna Begum were adjudged winners from among 18 participants who were selected from a written test and provided Tk 500 and an hour to shop for ingredients and cook a dish in half an hour.

Didarul Islam, one of the contestants who became a sous chef after starting off his career washing dishes, commented, "The exam was not very easy."

"The question paper comprised of questions that are very useful and essential for anyone interested about or is in the culinary field in Bangladesh," he said.

The judges were the contest's past season winners Dr Umme Kulsum Chy and Jebun Nessa Khan.

Jebun Nessa Khan said, "There has always been fear and tension at this competition."

"For me, it was first the pressure as a contestant, of being judged by the experts. Now that I am a judge myself, it is now the tension of judging!" she commented.

Dr Umme Kulsum Chy said she had expected a lot more from the contestants and although some of them did very well, a lot of them prepared dishes that were rather common.

"Innovation is a key factor that is essential in the Super Chef kitchen," she said.

The regional winners will battle each other in a series of rounds and training sessions to take the tile of champion who will be awarded Tk 10 lakh. The first and second runners-up will receive Tk 5 lakh and Tk 2 lakh respectively.