Second phase of Marina Rasa Saraniya ‘Star Chef Hunt’ held in Wayamba Province

The second phase of the Marina Rasa Saraniya ‘Star Chef Hunt’ competition launched by Cherubium Lanka in collaboration with Swarnavahini TV channel and the Ministry of Education was held on a grand scale at the S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Panduwasnuwara recently. Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was the chief guest at the event, which was organised under the guidance and leadership of NMK Group of Companies Chairman and Managing Director Manjula Narayana. 

Around 300 students representing 100 schools in the Wayamba province, along with their teachers participated in this innovative competition. The contest was conducted under the close supervision and direction of a team of culinary experts headed by well-known Chef Lloyd Opatha.

The Marina Rasa Saraniya Star Chef Hunt competition provides an opportunity to students pursuing home science as a subject in their respective schools to develop their inborn talents, capabilities and aptitude in cookery, said Narayana. Appreciating the supportive roles played by the Swarnavahini TV channel and the Ministry of Education to make this unique contest a grand success, he stressed that he derived immense personal happiness and satisfaction from the encouraging level of interest and eagerness displayed by students and their teachers towards this competition.

Addressing the ceremony, Swarnavahini Television Director Dilan Samuel said that home science students can improve their talents and broaden their horizons of knowledge by participating in the Star Chef Hunt contest. “Conducting specialised contests of this nature contribute in a big way towards encouraging school children and generating more interest amongst them to take to culinary art as a subject, and perhaps, as a career later in life,” he noted.

Students who emerged winners in the competition were awarded valuable prizes, along with the respective schools they represented. The winners who qualified to compete in the second round of the contest were selected.

Students who pursue home science as a subject in government schools in all nine provinces are eligible to participate in the competition, which is held under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Education. The objective of launching this competition was to lend a helping hand to students pursuing home science in schools, broaden their horizons of knowledge, appreciate their efforts, applaud their talents and give recognition to their splendid achievements in public forums. 

The Star Chef Hunt competition, which is incorporated into the popular Marina Rasa Saraniya program over Swarnavahini TV, comprises three different rounds. The first round is conducted amongst schools on a provincial basis and 36 teams which win under this initial phase will be selected for the final round. A competition will follow amongst these teams and it will be telecast live over the Marina Rasa Saraniya program on Swarnavahini TV. 

18 teams, which emerge winners, qualify for the final round. The contest amongst these teams in the grand finale will also be telecast live over the Marina Rasa Saraniya program on Swarnavahini TV and those who emerge victorious as well as the schools they represent will be presented with cash awards as well as other prizes. The Marina Rasa Saraniya, which has been continuing for the past three years, is telecast every Sunday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Swarnavahini TV.

Cherubium Lanka has introduced more than 40 safe and hygienic food products under the Marina brand to the local and international markets. The products portfolio includes Marina coconut oil, Marina coconut milk and Marina Lite. The manufacturing process of the company has been awarded ISO-22000, HACCP, GMP international certifications. NMK Group of Companies and the brand name ‘Marina’ has won ‘SLIM Brand Excellence’ award 2013 respectively. Cherubium Lanka is a company under the wing of NMK Group dedicated towards building a strong and healthy nation while ensuring a better tomorrow to the marginalised sections of the community.