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Mrs Renilda Herbert-Hook receives the first place trophy from Premier Amory. |
Charlestown Nevis (May 2, 2004) -- St. Eustatius-born Mrs Renilda Herbert-Hook is the winner of the Nevis leg of the East Caribbean Flour Mills Limited’s ‘Champion of Champions’ OECS and Barbados Baking Competition.
The Nevis leg of the competition, which attracted fifteen male and female bakers, was held on Thursday afternoon at the Spotlight Convention Centre in Bath, where the Nevisian by marriage Mrs Herbert-Hook’s unique creation gave the three judges very little option but to award her the highest points.
The hawk-eyed judges, Ms Denise Walters, Mrs Lorna Bussue and Mrs Jackie Mitchell, were unanimous that the mostly green coloured cake modelled in the shape of a home and garden with an environmental theme was good enough to win near maximum points for originality, creativity, presentation and appearance.
And with all the icing on it, they certainly felt that it would not be soft enough, but were indeed instantly proved wrong when their soft palates were reassured by its consistency and rich texture, while their taste buds were tantalised by its taste and flavour.
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Mrs Joan Roberts receives the third place trophy from Mr Steve Francis, ECGC Marketing Manager |
Coming in second place was Ms Nelsia Brown, and Mrs Joan Roberts clinched the third position. Mrs Herbert-Hook received her trophy from the Hon Premier, Mr Vance Amory. Ms Brown was not present during the presentation, while Mrs Roberts received her trophy from Mr Steve Francis, ECGC’s marketing manager.
According to Mr Francis, it was the first time the competition was being held, and all the country winners would travel to St. Vincent’s on May 21, 2004, for the final competition that would be held on May 24. By end of last week, local competitions had been held in Antigua, Grenada, St. Kitts, Montserrat and Nevis.
At the competition in St. Vincent’s, the finalists will choose two of the three categories in which to participate. To ensure fairness, Mr Francis announced that there would three neutral judges, from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
“The winner will receive a trophy, a trip for two persons to Barbados or any OECS country of their choice, and US$500.00,” commented the marketing manager. “Second and third place winners will also receive a trophy and US$300.00 and US$200.00 respectively. All other finalists will receive consolation prizes.”
He told the participants that at the end of the regional competition there would be an evaluation to determine if it would be held annually or biannually. He, however, had some encouraging words when he said: “But I can say that from what we have seen so far it looks good for an annual competition.”
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Renilda and her husband Gene Herbert (right) savour their moment of glory as members of the public, including the Hon Laughton Brandy (left) admire the winning cake, before they (members of public) were given the chance to have a sample. It was eaten to the last morsel. |
Mr Francis, who was accompanied by ECGC’s marketing officer, Mr Stanley Gonsalves, apologised for the absence of the company’s General Manager, Dr Julian Ferdinand, who could not come to witness the Nevis finals as he had travelled to Brussels as a member of the Regional Negotiating Machinery that is being involved in some trade negotiations on behalf of Caricom.
Premier the Hon Mr Vance Amory who gave some brief remarks observed that there were a lot of talented persons in Nevis who are engaged in baking and other culinary skills. He told them that the Government had all the intentions to take those skills, which they have, to the next step.
“We want you to see that there are opportunities, which you can utilise to make a small business into a successful business,” commented the Premier. He encouraged local people to support and buy local saying that “if we look at the cost of some of imported items as against what we can produce they are of equal quality, with sometimes better quality.”
Junior Minister of Trade and Industry the Hon Mr Laughton Brandy who thanked the ECGC for organising the competition praised the competitors for the high quality evidenced by the products that they made, and pointing at the cakes, bread and pastry on display, said that those exhibits had not come from a workshop.
“I want us all to realise that we have talent making these in our homes, in our cottages right here on Nevis,” said Mr Brandy. “The exhibits speak of the resourcefulness of the people of Nevis. It speaks of the raw talent, the potential of our people.”
He requested Mr Francis to arrange to have a workshop in Nevis in the near future saying that the Department of Youth and Sports in his Ministry was looking for partners in the development of the island’s young people to assist in training in culinary arts and in baking among others.
Assistant Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Youth, Sports and Community Affairs, Mr Brian David, who chaired the proceedings, said that the Department of Youth and Sports would be conducting workshops during the rest of year, which he might take part and he sent out an early, and clear, warning that he would take part in next year’s competition.
