Myrie cooks up win in Hanover chef competition Claudia Gardner - Gleaner Writer (Jul-02-2007) Fifteen-year-old Gregory Myrie of the Sandy Bay Primary and Junior High School emerged the top chef at the Rotary Club of Lucea's inaugural junior chef competition for Hanover's secondary schools, last Friday. The competition, which was held at the Kenilworth HEART Academy, saw six other students from Rusea's and Knockalva Technical High Schools vying for top honours. Each student was asked to prepare an appetiser using corned pork, main dish using Caribbean Broilers chicken, as well as a dessert and a drink. They were judged on use of ingredients, presentation, portion size, taste and balance of products. At the end of the competition, two students of the Knockalva High School, Shanique McNeil and Lenford Myers, tied behind Myrie, in second place. Prizes Myrie won for himself a $20,000 bursary courtesy of Caribbean Broilers, the John Pringle Trophy courtesy of Hanover Charities, and a gift basket from Grace Kennedy. According to president of the Rotary Club of Lucea, Maxine Hamilton, the organisation plans to make the competition larger next year. "Oftentimes, students pass through high school, and outside of CXC, they don't get to showcase their talent. You should be proud of yourselves," Ms. Hamilton told the students during the awards ceremony, which followed the cook-offs. The right blend David McGhee, an executive chef, and HEART instructors Frances Cooke, and Marcine Brown, judged the competition. McGhee, who was the head judge, complimented the students on the presentation, colour and taste of their creations, which he said had the right blend of herbs and seasonings. He also noted that they could have made better use of ground provisions. Among the sponsors were Caribbean Passion, Grace Kennedy, Round Hill, Couples Swept Away, Kenilworth HEART Academy and Hanover Charities.