Bella Coetzee delivered a master chef performance to be crowned the Culinary Teen Titans Challenge champion at the 2025 East Coast Radio House & Garden Show.

The Ashton International College Ballito pupil stunned judges with another Italian-inspired dish on July 6. Bella qualified for the cook-off after beating three fellow Ashton pupils last month with her homemade cannelloni.

The Grade 10 chef once again dazzled in the Hirsch’s Kitchen, with a mouth-watering menu of tender, homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli bathed in aromatic burnt sage butter, perfectly rounded off with a refreshingly zingy lemon sorbet granita.

“Bella Coetzee stole the spotlight at the Hirsch’s Teen Titans Cook-off finale,” said company spokesperson Glenda Thompson.

Jackie Cameron, best-selling cookbook author and head of the Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine, was one of the judges at the competition. She was impressed with both Bella’s restaurant-quality dish and runner-up Mishka Parsotam.

Mishka, a student at Durban Girls’ College, also opted for an Italian-inspired menu. She impressed with a fresh caprese salad, prawn and ricotta ravioli and a decadent affogato to take second place.

“The judges were blown away by the standard of cooking from both girls,” said Cameron.

“The fact that they made their own pasta and understood the importance of marrying flavours was exceptional. Bella’s meal could have been served in any top restaurant in South Africa.”

Bella says the experience helped her grow in confidence.

“Competing in the cooking competition pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it helped me believe in myself as a chef,” she said.

“I love Italian cuisine, so I created something from the heart.”

Ashton’s consumer studies teacher, Vanessa Andreou, praised her pupils for taking part.

“It is wonderful to see my pupils excel and enjoy the practical component of the course. It was a valuable experience,” she said.

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