Jack Hayward High School student Dedar Williams and Old Bight High School's Tatiana Major are the respective senior and junior division Young Chef champions in the 25th anniversary of the competition.
Dedar's Mahatma Rice dish -- wildcat rice with medley of flavors, and her Robin Hood Flour dish -- down home seafood surprise with spicy mango sauce, both proved to be gold medal winning dishes.
Tatiana's exotic papaya spicy seafood rice in sweet potato curry with a sour orange carrot pineapple salsa rice dish, and her silver jubilee sour sop cake with coconut cream cheese filling 'n' beets mango sauce, astonished the judges in her junior division win.
N.G.M. Major School's Selva Hudson, who captured the junior title in 2014, placed second in the senior division. He has entered the competition every year since and placed fifth last year.
This year his peas 'n' rice bounded by cream cheese delight with glimmering pink pomegranate syrup with a fresh fruit salad, and his creamy greens in a puffy sweet potato choux drizzled with tangy tamarind sauce and served with spicy turbot salsa, gave him the runner-up title.
Preston Albury High School's Avery Hall placed third in the senior division with his lionfish stuffed cassava plantain rice cakes with cilantro dip rice dish, and his tropical tamarind and pumpkin delight flour dish.
Fourth place went to C.R. Walker School's Petrae Williams.
Second place in the junior division went to C.H. Reeves School student Jamal Munroe, who presented a calypso risotto rice dish and a papaya roll flour dish, both of which scored second.
Third place in the junior division went to Preston Albury School student Joshua Claridge, who presented a lionfish and lobster rice napoleon and tropical almond delight flour dish.
Abaco Central School's Alissa Swain was fourth with her exotic island rice salad and her bahamarap flour dish.
Judging this year's competition were chefs Debbie Wheeler, Mahatma Riviana Foods Test Kitchen, Houston, Texas; Edwin Johnson, Sapodilla restaurant; Celeste Smith, 2006 young chef winner; Davian Maycock, Jasmine Armbrister and Sterling Thompson, University of The Bahamas; and Jeremy Houghton and Tanjay Jackson, Johnson & Wales, Miami, Florida.
In marking the 25th anniversary celebration of the National Young Chef Culinary Competition, new challenges and prizes were added to the program. Special team challenges included the Young Chef Cupcake Challenge for two-member teams of senior school students in grades 10-12. And two-member teams of junior high school students grades 7-9.
NGM Major School's Yasmine Love and Paige Cartwright took the senior win. Chakelle Fortune and Helena Petit-Force from C.I. Gibson were second; Thillman Saunders and Dontez Williams from Anatol Rodgers School were third; with Xanthae Poitier and Chesleeann Finley from Akrephran International School fourth.
On the junior side, the win went to Antaol Rodgers School's Camuel Coakley and Noel Symonette. Old Bight High School's Junior Johnson and Crystal Stubbs finished second; L.W. Young School's Tavarian Rahming and Edward McKenzie finished third; with San Salvador School's Trevonia Tinker and Petra Butler fourth.
The Young Chef Mystery Basket Pastry Challenge for two-member teams of senior school students, 12th grade only; and the mystery basket challenge hot food for two-member teams of senior school students, 12th grade only, were also new to this year's competition.
On the senior side, Avani Curry and Romanique Johnson from C.C. Sweeting School took the win in the mystery basket pastry challenge. Preston Albury School's Michelane Darville and Avery Hall finished second; Old Bight High School's Tanaz Thompson and Juliet Brown finished third; with Anatol Rodgers School's Labrano McPhee and Darius Barr fourth.
The mystery basket challenge hot food for senior two-member teams went to Shaelyn Sands and Ranad Davis from Samuel Guy Pinder in Spanish Wells. C.C. Sweeting School's Shemar Morgan and Paul Davis finished second; Old Bight High School's Kenroy Ellis and Malik Moss finished third; with Akhephran International's Raymon Johnson and Deneisha Knowles fourth.
Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling presented the young chef winners with their awards at Government House. She told the students that their potential was limitless, and commended organizers, teachers and students.
Title sponsors Mahatma Rice and Robin Hood Flour with distributor Asa H. Pritchard and the Ministry of Education have provided more than $200,000 in scholarships, travel and accommodation for students and teachers, with more than 3,000 participants in the 25 years under the organization of Keith Parker P. S. Advertising and PR president.

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