Top Chef: Boys stand out in the kitchen

Their baggy uniforms and tough guy pose would never hint that these guys are some of the top cooks in secondary schools in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

They’re the top male performers in the finals of the ECGC Home Economic Food Competition, which served off last week Thursday at the Peace Memorial Hall.{{more}}

In an environment where the girls are expected to stand out, these boys held their own.

Kadeem Browne of the Campden Park Secondary School out classed all others to walk away with the gold medal in the White Flour Category at last Thursday’s competition.

The 18-year-old, 5th former took first place with his Peanut Carrot Cake, beating out Amelia Timm and Gabridonne Neverson.

Browne said he entered the competition because he enjoys cooking and baking. He lists mackerel as his favorite food and plans to be A chef after he graduates.

Schoolmate Jim Daniel also in fifth form, who placed second in the brown rice dish category, was judged the best male entrant in the competition with his Banana Rice Loaf entry.

Daniel thinks that he placed well in the competition mainly because he considers brown rice his favorite food.

He also intends to pursue a career in the kitchen, saying that cooking is his style.

Browne and Daniel are not all aprons and cooking utensils, they are both also involved in electrical and woodwork activities in their technical/vocational classroom. Browne is also a member of the St. Vincent Cadet Corps and trains in Tae-kwon-do.

Joseph Tash of the Campden Park Multipurpose Center says that grilled and barbecued dishes are what he likes to prepare most, but it was the Octopus Nut Bread that won him the silver medal in the specialty flour category.

He intends to continue cooking and baking because it comes naturally to him, and looks forward to competing next year as long as he is able.

The success of the boys in the competition could be credited to their schools’ commitment to promoting all round performances for their students in not only the traditional academics but also in the technical and vocational fields, whether male or female.

This year’s competition was considered one of the most keenly contested in years.