On Friday, May 24, a young chefs’ competition focusing on healthy and sustainable cooking took place in Holešovice, a district in Prague, Czech Republic. Finalists from primary schools, kindergartens, as well as children's homes and children welfare organizations, competed in five categories. The winners shared prizes worth 110,000 CZK (about €4,450).
This year's 12th edition of the Healthy 5 finals saw 550 teams participate, making it the strongest edition in the history of the competition. In the first round, teams of three members cooked their original, healthy dishes under the guidance of a teacher. Based on photographs and each team’ story, a professional jury and the public selected fifteen finalists.
Participants from all over Bohemia and Moravia gathered at the Grand Final at the Chefparade cooking school in Holešovice, prepared for the competitive tasks. Children from kindergarten and younger grades prepared fun canapés and created aesthetic and healthy dishes. In the second half of the day, students from upper grades competed by baking homemade pizza and participating in a quiz on healthy eating.
"With this competition we aim to lead children to healthy eating in a playful way. This year the participants were tasked with using all the ingredients from their shopping, so we are also teaching them not to waste food during cooking," explains Alena Paldusová, the Project Manager of Healthy 5. "We are delighted that every year more teams apply, and finalists often travel from far away to attend the final. Once again, we are impressed by the culinary skills of the little chefs and the enthusiasm of all the teachers."
After completing the competition tasks, the judges assessed the entries. All finalists had the opportunity to share a total prize of CZK 110,000 (about €4,450), divided according to their ranking. The participants had complete freedom to decide whether to use the funds to improve the school’s kitchen or opt for a group experience.
"The Finale left us totally impressed. The children really enjoyed the competition and loved the opportunity to cook in front of the judges, an experience they rarely get. Making it to the final was a huge achievement, and winning our category was an even sweeter triumph. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire Healthy Five team for organizing this competition," expressed Jana Konečná from Větrná Primary School in Uherské Hradiště.
The expert jury consisted of:
Over the past 12 years, more than 11,000 aspiring chefs from all over the Czech Republic have participated in the competition. Each academic year, more than 30,000 children participate in the Healthy 5 educational program, which the Albert Foundation generously provides to schools free of charge.
