Chittagong hosts Super Chef

The judges inquire a contestant about her food.

The port city will play host to the Rupchanda-Star Lifestyle Super Chef 2014's audition rounds this week. Having already visited Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and Barisal, it is now Chittagong's turn to join the fray. A 700-strong participant pool makes Chittagong's turnout for the audition rounds to be one of the highest of the entire series. The land of the beaches has been simmering in anticipation in recent weeks and thus much is expected from this audition round.

The Rupchanda-Star Lifestyle Super Chef is Bangladesh's premier culinary competition, having already attracted over a 1,000 applicants from four of the visited divisions. Food connoisseurs Shawkat Osman and Shaheda Yeasmin, Jinat Azam, president of Ladies' Club, Chittagong; Daisy Moudud, senior sub-editor at The Daily Purbakone and Rowshan Ara Begum, food critic, will comprise the panel of judges for this round. The judges will sample the food presented to them on the criteria of taste, nutrition and presentation. Apart from this, the judges will test the chefs themselves, ensuring those selected have an x-factor or rather the qualities of a Super Chef.

Various forms of mezban beef and shutki are expected from the participants this time around. However, numerous participants are also likely to display the growing metropolitan character of Chittagong by their choice of food to serve. As in the previous rounds, an MCQ test will be followed by the food tasting. Then another question and answer test will be held. Those with the highest accumulated points will be invited to the next phase—the skill test. The skill test will see the judges ask the participants to perform tasks such as cook a dish in less than 10 minutes; chop vegetables a certain way or even debone fish. Scores from all the rounds will add up to decide who goes through.

This week's episode will be hosted by Naziba Basher and Taaha Chowdhury. Rupchanda-Star Lifestyle Super Chef airs every Monday at 9pm on ntv.