Oradea will host on June 12, in a national premiere, the first edition of the county gastronomy championship 'School of Taste', a competition dedicated to students from Bihor high schools and colleges with culinary profiles, organised under the theme 'Romania on a Plate' by the National Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs in Tourism (ANBCT) Romania.

'We have not found such an event anywhere else in the country and neither has the National Association of Chefs heard of a similar competition bringing together all schools with culinary profiles. The theme we chose - 'Romania on a Plate' - speaks about identity, taste and the ability of the new generation to approach Romanian gastronomy in a modern, creative and professional way. We want students to understand that performance starts at school and with the seriousness with which they choose to build their path,' event organiser Nicolae Pop, ANBCT regional director, told AGERPRES on Wednesday.

According to him, the event will take place at the 'Traian Vuia' Technical College in Oradea and will bring together eight teams of aspiring chefs.

Each team will consist of two students (chef and commis), coordinated by a supervising teacher and supported by mentors from the National Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs in Tourism (ANBCT), chefs experienced in national and international gastronomy competitions.

Participants will have to prepare live, within three hours, two dishes in five portions each: a trout-based starter and a pork tenderloin main course accompanied by garnishes and sauce.

Under the theme 'Romania on a Plate', each team will be challenged to develop a culinary concept inspired by a Romanian geographical area or gastronomic culture, reinterpreted in a contemporary and coherent manner, both in terms of taste and presentation.

'The purpose of this championship is to bring students as close as possible to the reality of professional gastronomy competitions and to offer them the context in which they can understand what rigour, organisation, time pressure and the construction of a complete culinary concept truly mean. At the same time, we aim to identify young people who can later progress to national and international junior competitions,' ANBCT president and jury chairman Cezar Munteanu said, according to a press release issued by the organisers.

Participating institutions (in registration order) are the Mihai Viteazul Technical College Oradea, the Traian Vuia Technical College Oradea, Technological High School No. 1 Valea lui Mihai, Technological High School No. 1 Salonta, the Partenie Cosma Economic College Oradea, the Ioan Ciordas Technical College Beius, the Szent Laszlo Roman Catholic Theological High School Oradea and the Horvath Janos Theoretical High School Marghita.

A specialist jury will award first, second and third prizes, as well as special distinctions such as Best Starter, Best Main Course, Best Organisation, Most Original Concept and the ANCBT Special Prize, consisting of cash prizes and items offered by sponsors.

The competition is organised by the National Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs in Tourism (ANBCT) Romania, the Bihor County School Inspectorate, the Traian Vuia Technical College Oradea and and the festival-contest 'D'ale porcului'. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Eugenia Pasca; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)