La Agbawe wins cooking contest
La Agbawe were adjudged winners of a Ga-Dangbe traditional cooking competition held last Friday, October 9, at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra as part of events marking the 2015 Homogeneous Festival in Accra.
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The competition, dubbed Onga Homowo Cooking Competition, involved 12 indigenous Ga-Dangbe communities: Nungua Obienetso Shihie, Kpone Sanshie, La Agbawe, Tema Ashaman, Osudoku Dorsi, Gbugbla Kotoko Prampram, Ningo Lower Adainya, Ada Otumfuo Wem, Shai/Dodowa Mahiome, Ga Mashi Bantama, Osu Teinor We and Teshie Krobor.
The contestants prepared dishes that best represented their communities.
The rain threatened to disrupt the event but the teams, each comprising five ladies, were not bothered as they prepared their dishes under canopies at the venue.
In the end, the La Agbawe ladies wowed the judges with their kpokpoi and main dish of banku, grilled tilapia and okro soup.
The team’s effort won each member a gas stove after the judges, Nana Yopeyo Dadetsu III, Linda Nartey and Dennis Lomo, Chief Chef of Royal Senchi, declared them winners after tasting all the dishes.
The ladies from Teshie Krobor placed second with their main dish of ampesi and kontomire stew. Each of them won a microwave oven.
Ga Mashi Bantama clinched the third place after presenting a dish of banku and fresh fish light soup. Each member of the team went away with a set of cooking utensils.
Mr Dennis Lomo explained that La Agbawe were awarded the highest marks for meeting the criteria which required competitors to combine creativity, hygiene, speed, teamwork and portion control in order to produce dishes with high nutritional value.
Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, commended all the participants and the event organisers for helping to promote the Ghanaian culture.
She urged all Ghanaians to consume more local dishes in order to accelerate economic development and create jobs for the youth.
Mrs Emmeline Tagoe, the Brands Manager of Onga, said her outfit was delighted to be associated with events which promote food tourism.