(From left) Charles Tsai, Fiona Yuen, Walter Kei and Mimi Yeung officiating at the opening ceremony for HMC’s new practical classroom Children in national costumes presenting the five most popular international dishes for the cooking competition In making their dish “Singaporean Chilli Crabs”, Fiona (second from left) stir fries the crabs, while Charles adds in the seasoning. One of the contestants preparing the puff pastry for his French dish of fillet of beef and liver pate.                One of the contestants preparing the       “Rice with Minced Chicken in Spicy Sauce” Fiona and Charles proudly presenting their dish Contestants ready to share their tips of how they prepare their dish Contestants eagerly trying out their own dish All contestants and judges pictured after the prize presentation ceremony

(From left) Charles Tsai, Fiona Yuen, Walter Kei and Mimi Yeung officiating at the opening ceremony for HMC’s new practical classroom Children in national costumes presenting the five most popular international dishes for the cooking competition In making their dish “Singaporean Chilli Crabs”, Fiona (second from left) stir fries the crabs, while Charles adds in the seasoning. One of the contestants preparing the puff pastry for his French dish of fillet of beef and liver pate.              One of the contestants preparing the    “Rice with Minced Chicken in Spicy Sauce” Fiona and Charles proudly presenting their dish Contestants ready to share their tips of how they prepare their dish Contestants eagerly trying out their own dish All contestants and judges pictured after the prize presentation ceremony

HK Electric’s Home Management Centre (HMC) celebrated the opening of its cooking classroom with a competition involving preparation of five international dishes ranked most popular in a recent public poll.

The contestants included celebrity chef Fiona Yuen, who partnered with Mr. Charles Tsai, General Manager of Hongkong Electric International, for the competition.

Well-known culinary expert Mr. Walter Kei and Ms. Mimi Yeung, Director of HMC, judged the dishes based on creativity, presentation, taste and cooking skills. Mr. Kei also shared with the audience his cooking and dining experience.

Each team was required to cook one of the five cuisines in 30 minutes. The Chinese dish “Fried Prawns in Salted Egg Yolks”, meeting the all-round criteria, was named the best dish, while the Korean-style “Rice with Minced Chicken in Spicy Sauce” was named most creative. The judges decided the Italian “Spinach Seafood au Gratin with Ink Pasta” had the best presentation, the French “Fillet of Beef and Liver Pate in Puff Pastry” most tasty, and the “Singaporean Chilli Crabs” most mouth-watering and hard to resist.

Mr. Kei, a former HMC student, was impressed by the contestants’ high standard and the classroom’s comprehensive equipment. “I think the cooking equipment has been most helpful to contestants, particularly the induction cookers which are highly efficient and convenient to use,” he said.

Ms. Yuen also said, “The classroom is well-equipped and I like its sleek and modern design, which provides a wonderful environment for enjoying cooking.”

Ms. Yeung said the competition was to allow the public to try out the classroom facilities and further promote the benefits of electric cooking.

“The 1,500 sq ft classroom is equipped with advanced electric cooking appliances and can accommodate up to 24 students, making it an ideal venue for cooking classes and other activities,” she said. The classroom is also open to companies or institutions wishing to organise private cooking classes taught by HMC tutors.

The opening ceremony was followed by a carnival featuring cooking demonstrations, handicraft workshops and health talks, which attracted about 200 participants.

Located in North Point, the 10,000 sq foot HMC is one of few places in Hong Kong providing both cooking and special interest classes aimed at enhancing the quality of life.