‘Cooking up’ a challenge for women chefs

'Cooking up' a challenge for women chefs Over 70 participants took part in this competition designed to test their culinary knowledge and kitchen skills.

Key points

• While the overall event was handled by Arun Jayakaran Ventures (AJV), the quiz segments were conducted by X Quiz IT's founder and creative head Arvind Rajeev.
• * This dish came to India from Indonesia, according to famous food historian KT Achaya.
• Rubah Fathima and Nandhita Sriram were declared second and third prize winners respectively.
• * Designed by chemist Fred Baur using advanced computing to solve problems with broken and greasy-bagged snacks, this product's signature saddle-like shape is a mathematically optimised hyperbolic paraboloid.
• Actor Thalaivasal Vijay was the special guest and he offered away the prizes.

* This dish came to India from Indonesia, according to famous food historian KT Achaya. Cooks employed by Indonesian Hindu kings are believed to have created it between the 9th and 12th centuries. Name the dish.

* Designed by chemist Fred Baur using advanced computing to solve problems with broken and greasy-bagged snacks, this product's signature saddle-like shape is a mathematically optimised hyperbolic paraboloid. It comes packed in canisters to withstand transport pressure. Which engineered snack brand is this?

These two are among the questions that were posted to participants at QuizDiva, a culinary competition for women chefs, culinary professionals, and hospitality students from South India, held at Institute of Hotel Management in Taramani lately.

Over 70 participants discovered their knowledge and culinary skills tested through different rounds. There were three top prizes worth ₹ 1 lakh, ₹75, 000 and ₹ 50, 000 to be taken away.

Designed to celebrate talent, creativity, and professional excellence, the event organised by X Quiz IT with South India Chefs Association (SICA) as collaborators tested the participants on practical culinary challenges, knowledge of food and kitchen skills.

"We have done quiz competitions for chefs previously but this is the first time we were doing something exclusively for lady chefs who were in the fray to showcase their expertise in theory and practicals. We wanted them to look beyond the books, " notes quizzer Arvind Rajeev.

With women in the hospitality industry playing an significant role, QuizDiva served as a platform for recognising and encouraging them.

Niranjana Murugesan Durai, a resident of Chennai, won the first prize. After a stint in the hotel industry, she is at present running her own home-based cloud kitchen and aims to employ the cash prize in her business.

Rubah Fathima and Nandhita Sriram were declared second and third prize winners respectively. A new experience for these chefs, the winners observed that having a quiz format in the challenge produced them take "strategic guesses" and additionally admire the numerous female chefs in the industry.

Taken together, the developments around 'Cooking up' a challenge for women chefs point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.