Sigatoka Andhra College Year 12 student Yash Singh aims to do Fiji proud in the International School Culinary Competition in Gold Coast, Australia, this week.

Yash represents Fiji after being named the winner of 2018 School Chef of the Year award.

This is the first event where the Fiji Airways/ Outrigger sponsored Fiji schools culinary team flies out for an international competition.

The event started yesterday (September 23) and ends this coming Sunday (September 30) with the main event this Friday (September 28).

Yash’s mate and gold medallist winner Ratu Ovini Bokini is still waiting for his visa to be sorted and is likely to leave for Australia any day now.

Yash said, “this is a grand achievement for me to gain exposure and test my talent. This is big for me personally and no doubt the school and the sponsors.”

He does not study home economics, but instead takes Physics, Computer and Technical Drawing.

However, he has been following his dad who is a chef at the Fiji Hideaway Resort and Spa on the Coral Coast.

“My dad has been backing me up. I am bit nervous as a first-time traveller, but it is good platform for cooking. I have been part of the competition since year nine.”

Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort Executive Chef Shailesh said the unique community project of Outrigger Fiji School’s Chef Challenge is solely organised and administered by the Outrigger Kitchen Team for the past six years and this is another milestone to send a first Fiji schools’ culinary team to the international event.

“This event is an educational experience for students wanting a career in hospitality and is hosted by the Australian Culinary Federation,” he said.

The team is accompanied by home economics teacher Arti Sharma and Outrigger Chef Priya Darshani as team mentor.

Mr Naidu said, “I’m very honoured and privileged to have Fiji Airways and Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort as the main sponsors for this trip and without them it would have been very hard to put this team together.

“I also have to acknowledge the Principal and teachers of Sigatoka Andhra Sangam College for their great support and allowing students and teacher to participate in this event.”

The co-sponsors of this event are Ram Sami & Sons; Farmboy; Navosa Farms; Danny’s Limited; Crest Chicken; Bakels; Fiji Chemical; Fiji Gas, Fiji Water, Fiji Chefs, Pacific Oztralasia and Moffatt.

“I acknowledge all these organizations and my sincere thanks to each one of them for their ongoing support,” he said.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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