The Culinary and Hospitality Club of Trinity College engages with the college community in many ways, whether by bringing the spirit of the holidays to life or fostering a sense of unity among students and staff. The Inter-House Culinary Competition has played a major role in this mission by creating a competitive, yet friendly environment where students’ excellence and creativity shine, and the values of teamwork are cultivated among the competitors.
Reflecting upon the previous three successful editions of the competition, it is evident that the main objective has been inclusivity and participation. To support this, a variety of contests in addition to the main cooking competition have been introduced, namely the Quiz Competition, the Taste Testing Competition, and the Teachers’ Competition. Furthermore, a new contest was introduced last year to engage the Middle School community, allowing them to set up stalls and sell their culinary masterpieces.
The biggest attraction of the evening, the Main Cooking Competition, features five cooks from each house working together to produce a culinary masterpiece within the given time frame. Adding to the challenge, contestants must adhere to strict budgetary constraints while also ensuring their dish aligns with the given criteria. For this edition, each house is allotted a specific cuisine and a main ingredient to incorporate.
The Quiz Competition invites two members from each house to participate in a rapid-fire round of questions based on the broad world of culinary techniques, global cuisines and cultures, and the hospitality industry. In the end, the house that answers the most questions correctly will emerge victorious.
The Taste Testing Competition requires a refined palate, as a contestant from each house must taste and list the ingredients of a given mystery dish. The contestant who identifies the most correct ingredients will, quite literally, take the cake.
The Teachers’ Contest offers great entertainment value and features three teachers from each house as they tackle a culinary challenge within a given time frame, whether it involves making mocktails, creating a dish from mystery ingredients, or recreating a known dish from scratch.
It is also worth acknowledging the efforts of our Teacher-in-Charge, Mrs Indika Kulatunga, and Thenuk Piyathilake, along with their committee from the year 2022, for initiating this project and bringing the magic of cooking into the college community.
All in all, the Inter-House Culinary Competition has established itself as one of the most anticipated events on the College calendar. Therefore, we are turning up the heat once again for the Inter-House Culinary Competition 2025, scheduled for the 25th of June at the AJ Deck.
See you there!
