INTEREST?IS?HUGE and excitement at fever pitch for the finals of the Junior Duelling Challenge, slated for this afternoon at the Dining Club, Newton Industrial Park, Christ Church.
The mastermind and coordinator of the event, chef Peter Edey, told the SUNDAY?SUN, the event, now in its ninth year, is at an all-time high.
“Before there were as much as 18 teams but it has been streamlined to a dozen. It was further reduced to 11 teams this year when one of the Christ Church Foundation School teams was removed from the culinary competition at the last minute.
“The interest is huge. We started with 40 students this year, we are down now to 22 and we will pick from these the teams that will represent Barbados in the Caribbean competition, and those that will go with the national team to Miami,” he said.
Edey said this year’s competition will be riveting, with schools like St Leonard’s Boys’ and Daryll Jordan Secondary expected to do well along with the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, who are in buoyant mood after their stunning success at Agrofest in February.
Going to be special
“St Leonard’s were the favourites at Agrofest but had to settle for second, so it says a lot that the Polytechnic in their first year could win. Today’s finals are going to be special.” the favourites at Agrofest but had to settle for second, so it says a lot that the Polytechnic in their first year could win. Today’s finals are going to be special.”
Edey made it clear that many people were getting into cooking programmes purely for financial gain.
“I am true to this. I don’t make money from this. As a matter of fact, my company pumps money into this programme every year.
“I am a purist when it comes to food. I don’t drink, smoke, or gamble; this is my drug of choice, so I spend my money on this and I have good sponsors like Roberts Manufacturing, Brydens, and the Barbados Public Workers Credit Union. I am in this because I love this,” he added. (MK)
