They don’t work in expensive Michelin-starred restaurants or serve dishes on fine china. Their stage is the school cafeteria, and their toughest critics are the children. The "Best School Chef – 2025" competition has once again shown that these individuals are the true heroes on the culinary frontline.
This isn't about lofty slogans; it's about real stories. In June 2025, 145 applications were submitted for the fourth annual school chef competition. In their applications, the cooks shared why they chose their profession and their reasons for entering the contest. Reading their words, the jury saw genuine motivation: a desire to learn, pride in their work, and a commitment to feeding children not just adequately, but with meals that are both delicious and nutritious.
Preparation: Seminar and First Instructions
Before stepping onto the competitive grounds of the regional qualifying rounds, the chefs attended an online seminar. For an hour and a half, they received practical advice on proper food handling, sanitation standards, and working with standardized recipes. This year, finalists from previous years joined the seminar to offer encouragement and share their own advice:
●“Be confident and don’t rush.”
●“Follow the standardized recipes precisely.”
●“Ask questions if anything is unclear.”
Armed with these simple tips, the chefs returned to their regions to face the real test.
Semi-Final: Kitchen Battles in the Regions
Each participant was given two hours and five tasks: prepare a soup, a main course, a salad, a drink, and a baked good. It sounds straightforward, but in practice, it was a mini culinary Olympics.
●In the GBAO region, they prepared rassolnik (pickle soup), moshkichiri (a porridge of mung bean and rice), shakarob salad with apples, syrniki (cheese pancakes), and cocoa.
●In Sughd — fish soup, potato cutlets, pancakes, and dried fruit compote.
●In Kulob — shchi (cabbage soup), pasta, school pizza, and a vitamin compote.
●In Dushanbe — pilaf, vegetable salads, pancakes, and kissel (fruit jelly).
Mistakes were typical: some over-salted the lentils, others confused kissel with compote, and some fried vegetables instead of sautéing them. But it was through these missteps and subsequent feedback from experts that the participants learned on the fly.
Master Classes: Secrets on the Tip of a Knife
After each round, the chefs didn't just go home. Food technologists took to the kitchen:
●Maksuda Raufova, a confectionery technologist, demonstrated how to "tame" dough. She explained in detail the difference between pancakes and blini, how to bake a casserole, and how to shape syrniki: "Syrniki should be golden brown, but not raw inside."
●Zulfiya Fayziyeva, a chef-technologist from SIFI and senior lecturer at the Lyceum of Service and Tourism, demonstrated techniques for decorative vegetable cutting. “For children, how the plate looks is very important—appetite is sparked not only by taste but also by appearance,” she said, showcasing specialty knives and presentation tips.
They learned practically everything: how to shape pizza dough, how to fry a fluffy omelet, and how to garnish salads with vegetable "flowers." It was like an express culinary school—only instead of notebooks, the participants had pots and knives.
Who Was on the Jury?
The judging was strict but fair. The panel included:
●Jaloliddin Amirov, representative of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan (Chairman of the Jury);
●Kholmurod Alijonov, representative of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection;
●Technologists Zulfiya Fayziyeva and Maksuda Raufova;
●Representatives from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and regional coordinators.
They evaluated everything: from taste and presentation to the ability to adhere to sanitary rules.
The Finalists: The Top Nine
Nine chefs advanced to the final—each with their own story and character. They are:
●Saidbegim Kobirova (GBAO)
●Sabokhat Khamidova and Matlyubakhon Ismoilzoda (Khujand)
●Shokhrukh Niyozov (Sughd)
●Khusniyabonu Saidova (Lakhsh)
●Kharamgul Gulova (Kulob)
●Jobbirova Khayrinisso (Jayhun)
●Nasriddinova Zebo and Khamidova Zarrina (Dushanbe)
Their new challenge is to create a main course for the school menu costing no more than 9 somoni, using local products and mandatory vegetables or fruits.
When the Competition Goes Beyond the Kitchen
It might seem that the competition is just about winning. But it has already changed school kitchens. The chefs return home not just with a certificate, but with new knowledge: how to prepare fish, how to work with lentils, how to bake pizza a new way. This means school lunches are changing too—becoming tastier, more varied, and healthier.
A Final Where Everyone Wins
The winner will be named later, but one thing is already clear: everyone has won. The chefs leave with a new wealth of knowledge, the organizers with experience and ideas on how to make the competition even better.
But the most important winners are the children. After all, they can look forward to aromatic soups, vibrant salads, and those perfectly golden-brown syrniki. The competition will end, but its results will live on in every school meal served.
