IF you can’t stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. It’s a well worn adage but it proved successful for Savannah Ashworth, who was crowned the winner of the Durban region of the Ultimate School Cook Off. The Grade 11 pupil from Danville Park Girls’ High School beat 10 other finalists at the culinary cook-off. 

The International Hotel School hosted the event, which is a national competition held at the Durban, Sandton and Cape Town campuses. In each region 10 finalists, made up of grade 11 and 12 pupils, participate in a cook-off to stand a chance to be crowned “Best School Chef” for that region, as well as win a bursary to study the one year Culinary Arts programme at The International Hotel School. 

All the contestants were given ingredients from a mystery basket sponsored by Unilever where a main and dessert had to be prepared and plated within a time of two hours. They then underwent interviews and had each of the judges taste their dishes and score them accordingly after which the winner was announced. 

Savannah said she was overwhelmed with joy when her name was called. 

“I am so happy to have been chosen as the winner. This is the first cooking competition I have ever entered and I am really happy, because this is the career path I would like to take in the future,” she said. 

The 16-year-old won a bursary to study the one year Culinary Arts programme at The International Hotel School when she completes high school and will now compete in the finals against the other two regionals winners from Sandton and Cape Town, to be held on Saturday, 4 October at The International Hotel School Durban Campus in Westville. 

For the national winner, the main prize is a culinary trip to London in January next year. 

“I am looking forward to the final round of the competition next month and am going to prepare extremely hard. Winning the finals will be an amazing experience and a dream come true,” Ashworth added.