Come taste my crab

After a live cook-off show at the Namibia Food and Wine Festival, Heidi Sudwischer, an artist and event manager, and Jocelyn Fordred, a self-employed chef, were announced the winners of Plate of Namibia 2014. They each won N$10,000 from Standard Bank Namibia, an all-inclusive stay for two at the Pelican Point Lodge, a “meat & vegetable” short course at the Polytechnic Hotel School and a N$1500 voucher from yuppiechef.com. They were mentored by Chef Uwe Hanssen from the Tug Restaurant in Swakopmund.

Second runners-up Chantel Kesslau and Raj Rallan each won N$3500 from Standard Bank, a stay for two at the Olive Grove Guesthouse, a “bakery & dessert” course at the Polytechnic Hotel School and a N$800 voucher from yuppiechef.com. Taking the third spor were Meraai Kruger and Ndapewa Ithana, each winning N$1500 from Standard Bank, a four-course dinner for two at The Olive Restaurant, a menu course at the Hotel School and a N$450 voucher from yuppiechef.com. Judge Ralf Herrgot, Chef Lecturer at the Polytechnic Hotel School applauded the finalist for raising the bar in this year’s competition and expressed his confidence in Namibia’s culinary potential. He was joined by fellow celebrity judges Fortune Kangueehi, Master Chef South Africa Finalist, and David Thomas, three-time Namibia Chef of the Year winner from Lyon des Sables Restaurant, to evaluate the finalists’ efforts. Lizette Foot, CEO of Team Namibia, emphasised that the purpose of the competition is to use more local ingredients in everyday food and cooking not only to make a positive impact on Namibia’s food industry and economy, but also to create a national identity.
Other entertainment at the Team Namibia stand included a competition to open a record number of oysters within a minute, a photo-booth where visitors could have their pictures taken with Namibian products, and a Team Namibia seafood quiz to win a voucher worth N$1000 from Pick n Pay.