SUPER CHEF AUDITION round ends
The final audition of the Rupchanda-Star Lifestyle Super Chef 2014 finally took place in Dhaka. The biggest televised culinary competition in the country drew in more than 2000 applicants all eager to prove their worth. Shooting Complex and The Daily Star Centre played host to the auditions.
By now, the hype surrounding the competition was at its peak. 800 of the 2000 registered participants thronged the venue. Showing great foresight, the Dhaka round was split into two days; one for food tasting and one for written test and skill tests. Judges Shahida Yeasmin, Afroza Banu, Kanishka Chakroborty, Selina Parvin, Reema Islam, Dora Alamgir and Asma Aziz judged the wide range of variety presented in the dishes which included continental, oriental, traditional and fusion recipes. In fact, Dhaka had the most diversity in terms of dishes.
Dhaka was a great test case in terms of metropolitan influence and how it affects our culinary preference. The people's exposure to so many different kinds of cuisine was evident in their choice of dish to serve. Despite the overwhelming number of exotic dishes, Dhaka also saw its fair share of more traditional items. Of the 800 participants, over 100 were selected for the second phase of the programme which was to be held at The Daily Star Centre.
However, the selection process proved to be a headache as expected. Rainbow cakes, various takes on age-old recipes, some brand new creations and the staple traditional items were all present on the day. The Dhakaiya side was also well represented with numerous Mughal dishes to choose from. Familiar faces from last year's amateur competition were also present, perhaps to show how far they had come and how much they had grown. There was a lot to choose from but unfortunately there were only a few to choose.
Due to the overwhelming number of participants, the Dhaka round saw a slight tweak in the format. After the food tasting, the judges immediately handed out 100 'Yes' cards inviting the chosen participants to take part in the second phase of the Dhaka round. The second phase saw MCQ tests and objective Q/A tests. Those that marked high where then taken to the skill test round. The skill test round was made intense this time around, with the judges opting to make the participants prepare dishes, such as chicken, prawn, etc, within 6-8 minutes. Only the truly skilled would now progress.
With so many options to choose from, the judges had a tough time deliberating their choices. Finally, the final 4 were settled on. One among them had previously left one of the regional rounds because she had a plane to catch and now she had returned again. However, it was her dish that got her selected though she must have won a few marks for her dedication.
The Rupchanda Star Lifestyle Super Chef 2014, finally had their top 24. Sharmeen, Mehnaz, Dilruba, Moushumi and Shamim had made it from Dhaka. It was time to look forward to the final round in Dhaka and the crowning of Bangladesh's first Super Chef.
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