ONGWEDIVA – Hileni Hashipala, Johannes Haulondjamba and Petrus Nambili recently secured their spots in the finals of the 2024 Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off competition held in Ongwediva.
These talented cooks qualified for the competition finale which is slated for 24 August at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair.
A total of 55 contestants took part in the competition, where their kapana cooking skills were put to the test.
Professional chefs from the Namibian Chefs’ Association were tasked to judge the contestants’ food preparation skills based on taste, hygiene and presentation.
Hashipala, Haulondjamba and Nambili’s dishes emerged victorious on the day, as they met the judging criteria. The trio will be joined by nine other finalists from the coastal, central and southern preliminary rounds, who will then battle it out at the final for the grand prize in the competition.
Speaking during the cooking competition, Haulondjamba, who has been taking part in the competition for four years, said he joined the Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off yet again because he does not want to give up on what he wants to achieve.
“I will never know when it’s finally my turn to win the grand prize if I don’t enter with hopes of winning,” he said. Haulondjamba added that if he wins the grand prize in the competition, he will start his food business, and advise, aspiring cooks to take on the competition because such a prize can change one’s life.
Also speaking to VIBEZ!, first-time finalist Nambili said he is excited for the opportunity, and will do his utmost best to ensure he wins in the final.
He advised interested cooks to take on the challenge and have fun in the process.
Meanwhile, another winner, Hashipala, who is also a sophomore competition entrant, said it’s quite an amazing feeling to qualify for the Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off competition final.
“This is my third time participating in the competition, and I am excited to finally make it to the final. I advise people to take part in this competition as it’s a platform created for cooks to showcase their skills,” she stressed.
Delivering remarks at the competition, Nedbank Namibia Oshana Mall branch manager Loini Jonas said: “This year, the Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off Competition is in its 10th year. This is a huge milestone, as it’s geared to develop SMEs in the informal trading sector by giving them a platform to upskill and create sustainable employment for themselves. The competition started off as a small local event when Nedbank opened its branch in Ongwediva in 2014, and now 10 years later, it’s one of the biggest drivers of SME development.”
The grand prize winner in the competition walks away with a fully- furnished mobile kitchen worth N$130 000, N$10 000 cash prize in a Nedbank account, and a N$5 000 Bakpro voucher.
The next competition preliminary rounds will take place on 6 July in Walvis Bay, 19 – 20 July in Windhoek, 3 August in Oranjemund, and the final on 24 August in Ongwediva.
-fhamalwa@nepc.com.na