The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted the hall as contestants from various parts of the district displayed mouth-watering delicacies to win the hearts of judges.
When celebrity chef Sanjay Thumma, one of the judges, went around the impressively arranged tables where the dishes made by the contestants were set in a presentable manner, many erupted in joy when their favourite chef savoured mouthful of their preparations and expressed his admiration for what he tasted in his ‘vahrehvah’ style.
Many contestants waited curiously to meet Mr. Sanjay and click selfies for which he tirelessly obliged. The renowned chef stole the show as he cheered the home cooks, relishing their dishes and dancing whenever he tasted flavourful food.
How he explains it!
“Whenever we watch his (Sanjay’s) cookery show, we just could not help admiring the way he explains the texture and flavour of the food he devoured which is sure to make our mouth water. Today, we had a chance to meet him in person. The participation means a lot to me,” exclaimed M.V. Mrudula, a contestant at the preliminary round of the cookery contest organised by The Hindu in association with the AP Tourism Department at The Gateway Hotel on Sunday.
For many participants, the platform offered a chance to share their signature recipes with newly-made friends and bond over their preparations. “It took me a couple of days to prepare Madugula halwa as milk has to be extracted from soaked wheat grains in different stages and then cooked on low flame until it reaches the right consistency. It is a laborious process but I enjoyed making it,” said P. Subhashini, an entrepreneur who was the second runner-up at the contest.
Men too came up with a range of items at the event. “Basically, I love cooking and help my wife in the kitchen. I am excited that my wife grabbed the first prize in the contest for her exceptional chepala pulusu,” said B. Satyanarayana Murthy, another participant who dished out ‘gutti vankaya’.
Expressing her happiness over the achievement, the winner of the contest B.V. Devi said that she used river fish for ‘chepala pulusu’ and the spices incorporated for the item were hand-pounded. “That’s the only reason why the dish stands out every time I prepare,” she told The Hindu.
HoD of Institute of Hotel Management S. Sudha Kumar said that the selection process was a bit difficult as many came up with delectable dishes and it was tough to choose just three items.
The winners of the contest will head to the finale which will be held in Vijayawada.
