2017.08.30
Spicy “Taco Okinawa Soba” wins High School Gourmet Competition
The Okinawa tournament of “The 6th Gotouchi! Zeppin Umaimon Koushien” contest, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Zenkoku Shokuno Koushien Association, was held Saturday in Naha. In the contest, student teams from five high schools competed in cooking techniques and ideas.
At the end of the contest, “Tacosoba,” Okinawa soba topped with spicy taco meatwas declared the winner. The dish was a creation of the Kouyou High School team. The win earned the team a slot in the national competition that will take place in November. In addition, Okinawa FamilyMart plans to commercialize their soba, and it will be sold in Okinawa FamilyMart and Ryubo stores next year.
In the contest, student teams from Kouyou, Yomitan, Okinawa Kougyou, Miyako Soubi, and Nanbu Shougyou high schools competed to cook “an unique and superb dish using local materials” within 30 minutes.
After cooking, each team had five minutes to make a presentation of their own dish. The competition judges then calculated the total score for the dish and presentation.
Nami Watanabe, a judge and executive director of Shokuno Koushien, said, “Each school knew local materials, but Kouyou High School team was great and the best, since they used Okinawa Soba. That resulted in a truly unique and original dish.”