The MSME Council, part of the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF), has announced the launch of Fiji’s inaugural Cook-off event titled “Gourmet Street Food,” set to take place in Suva next month.
This fundraiser will occur at the Paradiso Restaurant grounds on the 27th of next month and aims to bolster the advocacy efforts of the FCEF MSME Council in Fiji. The event seeks to elevate and celebrate street food vendors by providing them with a platform to showcase their culinary talents.
Watesoni Nata, the chairman of the MSME Council, explained that the competition is designed to shine a spotlight on street food vendors and encourage creativity within their offerings. “We’ve opened registrations not only for street vendors but also for anyone eager to share their culinary passion and enhance their cooking abilities,” he stated.
Tickets for the event are priced at $30 and are available online through Ticket Max for general admission. The top three participants will compete for cash prizes ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, in addition to a one-year membership with the MSME Council.
Nata noted that there are 12 spots available for the competition, and participants will be selected based on their creativity and proposed dishes for the event. French chef Phillipe Garand, who will serve as a panellist, expressed his desire for participants to reflect Fiji’s essence in their dishes while reimagining them as street food. He remarked on the rich flavor profiles in Fijian cuisine and encouraged vendors to capitalize on the diversity of available ingredients.
Registration is currently open and free via the FCEF MSME Council’s social media pages. Registration will close on the 26th of this month, and those selected will then be required to pay a $100 fee.