The Institute of Tourism Studies and the Malta Dairy Products recently joined forces to host the Benna Cooking challenge, a cooking competition using Benna products, open to final year students undergoing the ‘Food preparation and production’ course.

A total of 50 students took part in this competition which was split into three categories namely, starters, main course and desert. To participate, in any of the three categories, students were asked to use any Benna product, ranging from fresh freshmilk, ricotta, mozzarella, yogurt and fresh cream as a main ingredient for their appetisingentry.

The competition was held at the new Individual Kitchen at ITS and was judged by a team of expert judges composed of Andrew Farrugia, organiser of the event and lecturer at ITS, Mario Sammut, lecturer at ITS, Joe Cassar from Malta Dairy Products, Jimmy Aquilina Executive Pastry Chef at Radisson Golden Sands and Carlos Buttigieg owner of Horza Restaurant.

The winners of the five different categories were Daniel Vella Macintyre who won ‘The best starter category’, David Buttigieg who won ’The best main course category’, Adrian Bonaci who won ‘The best desert category’, Melchoir Camilleri who won ‘The best use of Benna product’ category and Andrea Amore who won ‘The Best Overall category’.

Whilst congratulating the winners and all the participants, the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, Roderick Galdes in the presence of Joseph Debrincat, Chairman of the Malta Dairy Products, said that the aim of this challenge was to encourage our future chefs and patisseries to use genuine and fresh Maltese products in their recipes.

The milk sector in the past years has seen an investment of over €40 million in farms where the milk is produced as well as another €17 million capital investment at the Malta Dairy Products plant. This investment has made all Benna products something to be proud of even on an international standard.