Press Release                                                                                                                                                    30th June, 2012

Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef- Pro Competition FINALS

The birth of reality shows takes place spontaneously and the best last because of captivating content and sometimes the prize.
At stake a quarter of a million shillings and the battle between two most professional chefs were from Nairobi’s well known establishments. This was the setting of the Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef-Pro Finals at the Sarit Center Exhibition Hall on Saturday 30th June. It was a brilliant recipe to end the month for the winner.

Preparations began on Friday 29th June when Judges announce on East FM’s Breakfast Show with Aleem Manji and Seema Sarkar Manji that they were looking out for creativity, taste and ability to work under extreme pressure. They also wanted to have the chefs bring out their trump cards by allowing an ingredient each of their own choice for the started, main course and desert. However this is a competition and surprise is the best form of pressure.

The two finalists Chef Emmanuel Aluda and Chef Joseph Macharia came fully prepared and rehearsed to cook up their winning dishes. Before the start of the competition, the Judges threw in the surprise where the finalists Chefs had to swop their chosen ingredients. The immediate reaction was disorientation and a racing mind to think of the best possible recipe with each other’s ingredients. This prepared the Judges Neil McCarthy, Dinesh Trivedi and Palu to sit back and enjoy the strategic move.

The cookers lit up and the cutting board laid out and the cooking started with in which they had two hours to complete a starter, main course and desert. There was a healthy buzz in the air full of supporters, new audience and satisfied sponsors. All sponsors were invited to witness their investment and participate in the prize giving. They had stalls that displayed their products and a chance for the people to sample, taste or know more about them.

First came out the starter and Chef Joseph Macharia appeared to be in the lead with a wonderful salmon type of salad. In the main course Chef Emmanuel Aluda caught up and made a delicious chicken but in the desert Chef Joseph Macharia came back with a delicate and mouthwatering ice cream biscuit.

Finally it was time for the results and the Judges took about fifteen minutes of tasting, discussion and quiet time to make the best choice. Each Judge presented their comments about the Chefs but maintained the suspense of who the winner was. At this point, the main sponsor Bidco Oil Refineries Limited’s CEO VImal Shah gave his good luck handshake to the Chefs and made a few comments. He was pleased with this reality competition and was looking forward for coverage on television but also to take it further and develop it into a franchise competition that took birth in Kenya to the rest of the world. He also suggested and showed support on the publication of a special recipe book from all the Chefs that participated in the Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef Competition.

Judge Neil McCarthy stepped forward and announced Chef Joseph Macharia of Fairview Hotel as the debut winner of Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef Pro Competition. The prize money of 250,000shillings was awarded to him as a cheque, including a 10 litres gallon of Sun Gold and a bail of rice from Sunrice. The Trophy was given to him on behalf of the Fairview Hotel where it will remain. Other prizes to both Chefs included hampers from Spice World Limited, Chandarana Supermarket, Top Chef Spices, Luminarc, Aquamist, Vivek Group, Frosti’s juice and dairy blend.
Watch this kitchen corner for more from Radio Africa Group’s East FM radio station.

About Superchef Pro

Living up to its brand promise of Kenya’s Premier Asian Mix, East FM launches yet another chapter of the Superchef project – a trend setter. Judged by well renowned chef’s the PRO chapter aims to take the listeners on a never heard before journey.
It is a whole new ball game for the chefs on East FM’s Sungold Sunrice Superchef Pro 2012. For the first time ever the chapter will boast of experts in the culinary field who will compete and see if they have what it takes to become the first ever Sungold Sunrice Superchef Pro, an official qualifier to wear the SSS Hat & Coat.

Only 8 chefs from the group of skilled contestants will go on to compete for the ultimate accolade of Sungold Sunrice Superchef Pro.

After the grand success of SSS – Season 1 & 2, one that changed many lives and showed how a humdrum activity like cooking can be a ticket to fame and success, East FM gets ready to serve SSS – Pro 2012, a challenging competition where well renowned professional chefs battle it out to win the title.

The crowning glory will be the recognition as the winner of the grand title of Sungold Sunrice Superchef AND a cash prize of Ksh 250,000

 The venues for the competition are Corner Affair – Raphta Road & Sarit Centre (Atrium and Exhibition Hall 2) and are scheduled to be hosted on 9th, 16th , 23rd, 30th June 2012.

The experts gear up to cook something divine to appease those trained taste buds!

Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef- Pro Competition Round 1

The success of Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef competition Season 1 and 2, prompted the team of East FM to add a professional touch by allowing qualified chefs to take part in their own competition. This gave birth to the idea of "Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef-Pro". Audition announcements were relayed on East FM 106.3FM (Nairobi) and 89.9FM (Mombasa) and The Star Newspaper (RadioAfricaGroup). Within two weeks the entry list was full and made up of more than 40 participants.

The competition ably judged by Neil McCarthy of Creative Kitchen and Aero Club East Africa and partnering him is Dinesh Trivedi of Hotel Intercontinental. From noon till dawn on Saturday 9th June the participants sweated to make it to the next round at the Corner Affair Bistro, Rhapta Road. There was a makeshift professional kitchen set up for their cooking made up of a work station by Kitchen Professionals, Hotpoint, LG, Kenwood Appliances from Hotpoint Sarit Center, utensils by Vinod Stainless steel by Vivek Group and items from Oshwal Wholesellers.

A cooking competition requires also the best ingredients which included Sungold Oil, Sunrice, Browns Cheese, Top Food Spices, Fresh Vegetables from Corner Shop Diamond Plaza, milk from Premier Milk, pantry items from Chandarana Supermarket and Spice World Ltd, sauces from American Garden, drinking water from Aquamist and fresh juices from Frosti Juice and Dairy Blend and fancy crockery from Luminarc. Each Chef participant had to bring their signature dish of any type of cuisine but including rice. The litmus test was then to cook a perfectly shaped omelet, soft and seasoned in ten minutes. They were given an entry number each so as to not reveal their name or other information at the point of judging. This did prove to be a difficult task for some as where there was a beautiful signature dish, the omelet lacked shape. But those who created the perfect balance made it to the shortlist of the 12 who are going into Round 2. The keen eye and experienced taste of the judges was looking for taste, presentation, skills and creativity for both items.

Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef- Pro Competition Round 2

A professional chef works under immense pressure every minute in the kitchen serving world class meals. For the elimination round 2, the Sun Gold Sunrice Super Chef-Pro competition Judges gave them a tougher task which was revealed on the East FM Breakfast Show Friday 15th June. They had to write up a three course meal menu and then go shopping for its ingredients from a budget of Three Thousand Shillings. There were time limits given and each Thousand Shillings was spent at the Highridge Butchery, Chandarana Supermarket and the Corner Shop for vegetables and fruits.

On Saturday 16th June the chefs reported at the new venue, Sarit Centre's Atrium at 12 noon and once they put up their menus of the white board for the public to vote, they were sent off shopping. The trick was to give them an adventure in both shopping and then cooking their menu in 90 minutes. There were four kitchen counter tops set up complete with utensils, dishes, oil, rice and spices from the sponsors respectively. The Judges eyes and taste buds were dependant on the following from their chefs: handling of their kitchen, cleanliness, creativity, presentation, taste, professional working skills, correct quantities used and most of all time management.

The spectators played an important role in the marking as they had to vote for their most favorite menu and this amounted to 20% of the points, while 80% were from the Judges marking. To add flavor to the competition East FM and the sponsors invited a third judge, Palu who is a Food & Beverage Consultant. His zest and creativity will seek out the chef with the unique style. It was a spectacle to witness the keen eye and skill of the chefs especially because of a budget that provided restrictions or room for innovation. Hosting the competition at the Sarit Centre also drew in larger crowds and the voting of the menus received a huge response. Cooking in a shopping mall under the curious shoppers brought out the chefs' survival instincts.

From the three sets of four chefs' each, only four magnificent chefs are going into the next round. They will carry their brand of restaurant forward and seek to win the challenge. They are: