"Master Chef Showdown" in EV focuses on nutritious and low-cost vegetable dishes

Monday 12th of March 2012

TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, March 12 (PIA) -- The National Nutrition Center (NNC) in Eastern Visayas has come up with another innovative contest in a sustained quest to improve the nutrition situation of families in the region.

Dubbed “Master Chef Showdown,” the contest aims to showcase low-cost, easy-to-prepare, and nutritious vegetable dishes.

According to NNC Regional Coordinator Carina Santiago, it will be conducted on April 17 in Tacloban City.

Santiago said the contest is a prelude to the Nutrition Month celebration in Eastern Visayas on July 2012, which will focus on vegetables. The theme of the celebration is “Pagkain ng Gulay Ugaliin, Araw-Araw Ito ay Ihain.”

Winning recipes from the showdown will be compiled into a recipe book to be printed for distribution to beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. It will also be given local nutrion workers as an IEC material to teach families to improve their meals and food intake.

The contest is open to all individuals or groups who love to cook. Contestants from Region 8 are qualified to join.

Before the contest proper, contestants are required to submit recipes with vegetables as main ingredients. It should have no more than five ingredients, excluding seasonings and condiments that are inexpensive.

The recipe must contain the title, list of ingredients, procedure and cost. Entry forms are available at the NNC Regional Office.

The criteria for Judging include palatability/taste – 25 percent; use of nutritious ingredients – 25 percent; originality – 20 percent; visual appeal – percent; and ease of preparation – 15 percent.

Cash prizes at stake include are P10,000 for the first prize; P8,000 for the second; and P6,000 for the third prize. Three consolation prizes of P2,000 each will also be given. Winners will also be acknowledged in the recipe book.

Interested individuals/groups should submit an accomplished entry form to the NNC Regional Office on or before March 30 through email or fax. Entry forms are available at NNC office or one may email NNC at nncr8@yahoo.com to request for an e-copy of the entry form. Only entries with no more than five ingredients and with accomplished entry forms will be allowed to join the contest. The NNC-Regional Office will notify all qualified contestants.

For more details, interested parties may contact Ivy Marie M. Itom at cell numbers 09482333739 or 09261529011 or at Telephone Numbers (053) 323-3646 or Fax No. (053) 524-9421. She may also be reached through email address: nncr8@yahoo.com (Subject: Recipe Entry for Master Gulay Chef Showdown). (PIA 8)