A ‘spirited’ cooking competition with a difference

In what was an exciting and ‘spirited’ cooking competition, the students pitted their skills and creative thinking by trying to incorporate a few house brand fine liquor products from sponsors, Liquor City.

The competition took place under the watchful eye of founders Jarlyne and Kelvin Joel of the Johannesburg Culinary and Pastry School.

The school opened its doors at Arts on Main in the Maboneng Precinct in 2012, offering short courses, edutainment classes and full-time City and Guilds Diploma courses in Patisserie and Culinary Arts.

Liquor City’s national marketing manager, Vania Martins Fouche said, “Liquor City is hoping to build brand awareness, which is about bringing affordable liquor to local communities and supporting the stores in these areas.

“The sponsorship of the competition is part of a countrywide initiative to develop students’ culinary skills and give them an opportunity to win Liquor City vouchers.”

Competitors used five of the most popular house brands and had just three hours to prepare, plate up and serve. They were judged on their presentation, texture, taste and use of main ingredients.

The winner of a R2 000 voucher was Masechaba Segopa from Diepkloof in Soweto who made a sweet chilli pineapple grilled chicken salad starter with Negrita dark rum and Gatao Vinho Verde.

Runner up, Zacharia Mohaswa from Witkoppie, West Rand, won a R1 000 voucher for his upside-down pineapple pancakes, served with Luxardo Amaretto Liqueur sauce and a white chocolate mousse with Merry’s Strawberry Liqueur.

The third place winner of a R500 voucher was Darren de Freitas from Benoni, who prepared what she named a “wild’s of Africa” venison main course, using the Label 5 whisky brand and a beer batter cheese bread using Super Bock Beer.

The Judges were Jarlyne, Kelvin and Mpho Charles from the Johannesburg Culinary and Pastry School as well as Vania Fouche Martins and Karina Keyes from Liquor City.