Nestlé’s Ideal Milk promotes innovative cooking

Nestlé Ghana through its Ideal Milk brand has organised a cooking challenge for Home Economics students from nine Polytechnics in Ghana.

The event was dubbed ‘Idealicious Cooking Challenge’ and took place on the 7th November 2015 at the West Hills Mall in Weija.

Nestlé, a world leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness, is committed to producing safe and high-quality products that ensure nutrition any time of the day, anywhere.

The cooking event was organised to promote creativity and allow students to demonstrate their cooking abilities, by using evaporated milk beyond its traditional use in tea and porridge. This event is part of a broader campaign introduced earlier this year to create awareness about the varied ways evaporated milks can be used.

As part of the ‘Idealicious Cooking Challenge’, the participants prepared a main meal and dessert using their own recipes, to unearth their cooking talents and showcase how Ideal Milk can be used in a variety of dishes.

The winning team from Bolgatanga Polytechnic was awarded GHS 3,000, for their recipes Idealicious Zomkom - a millet and flour drink cooked in Ideal milk with local spices, Idealicious KunKunlepgere - a one pot dish of guinea fowl sauce prepared with Ideal milk and millet, and Idealicious Yellow Melon Dessert – a steamed pudding made of chopped yellow melons mixed with beaten eggs, honey and Ideal milk.

The second place runners up, Kumasi Polytechnic, were awarded GHS 2,000 and the third place runners up, Tamale Polytechnic, also received GHS 1,000. All participants were awarded a certificate of participation and a hamper of Nestlé products.

Speaking about their experience of the event, the winners Ajene Baba Frank and Saratu Dramani expressed their appreciation to Nestlé for organising the event and for creating a platform for them to showcase their creativity in the culinary art.

The eighteen participants from nine Polytechnics were assessed by a panel of three judges, a seasoned Chef; Chef Henry Duah from Le-Must, Audrey Akyeampong who is the Greater Accra Regional Chairperson of the Ghana Home Economics Association, and the popular character Grandma from the Ideal Recipes television advert. The students were judged based on the criteria of taste, presentation, creativity and neatness. The popular actress Naa Ashorkor ensured an exciting and engaging experience for participants and on-lookers alike.

Thanks to the ‘Idealicious Cooking Challenge’, the participants and those present at the event discovered that the rich and creamy taste, as well as the nutritional value, of Ideal Milk is not only great for breakfast, but also for a wide variety of local dishes.