SUBANG JAYA: The air at Empire Shopping Gallery was filled with mouth watering smells as eight radio presenters put their culinary skills to the test on Saturday at the Palm Oil Rocks Cook Off challenge.
Shoppers stopped to watch as Suria FM deejays Halim Othman, Linda Onn and DJ Lin, along with news reader Haffiz, competed against Red FM deejays Jeremy, Lil Kev, Fiqrie and Terry, to cook a three course meal for four judges within 90 minutes.
“The most difficult aspect of this was time, as we do not usually rush it like this at home,” said Linda Onn, whose team had struggled to finish before the bell rang.
The challenge is part of Star Radio Group’s initiative to educate Malaysians on the economic importance of palm oil, and its various uses and benefits.
Meals cooked by the two teams contained palm oil as a key ingredient, as Red FM served up creamy pumpkin soup, salmon with yellow rice and sago gula melaka, while Suria FM presented Middle Eastern dishes of tabouleh and nasi arab kabsa, along with caramel pudding.
Visitors to the event were tickled by the antics of the radio presenters, particularly the all-male Red FM team, who admitted to lack of cooking skills.
“We hardly even knew how we were going to cook what we had chosen, and we just bulldozed our way through,” said Terry.
The four judges were the winner of Malaysia’s first Masterchef Celebrity, Datuk Fazley Yaakob, celebrity chef Sherson Lian, G Tower executive chef Johny Fua, and Star Publications (M) Bhd acting chief executive officer Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.
After evaluating the two teams’ dishes based on taste and presentation, the judges decided on Suria FM team as the winners.
In delivering their verdicts, the judges had praised both teams for their good work in producing dishes that tasted good within a limited time.
The event was organised by the Star Radio Group, and sponsored by Daisy, Buruh and Carotino.
Felda Global Ventures also contributed 100 oil palm seedlings, which were distributed to the public after the event.
Source : The Star
