Finding the Solomon’s best Tuna Fish Dish is a focus of Tuna Bites, a live cooking competition that will take place on Friday 26th May at the Coral Sea Resort from 4pm.
All Solomon Islanders who love to cook are invited to participate by entering the Fusion or Traditional categories and creating a dish that not only tastes good, but is unique and aesthetically pleasing to our panel of judges. There will be 20 contestants chosen from all entrants to partake in the event which will be televised at a later date on Pasifika TV.
Chosen Contestants will need to cook their Tuna fish-based dish for a nominated time in real time in front of a live audience. The 20 chosen contestants will be given a chef’s apron, chef’s hat, polo shirt and baseball cap for entering and to wear on the day.
Contestants will be judged by an independent panel of 4 and the top two winners from each category will get the opportunity to have their recipe and photo featured in the very first Tuna Bites recipe book, which will be published and circulated around the Pacific.
Pacific Tuna Month recognises the importance of tuna to Pacific food security. It increases awareness about the value of tuna, the threats they face, and the benefits of sustainable management. Tuna is essential for employment, and culture in the Pacific region.
Although the Pacific fisheries contribute significantly to local economies and food security, there is a deficit in knowledge about their value. To bridge this knowledge gap, the Pacific Tuna Month Celebration project, is conducting national campaigns in each member country, this year through this - “best Tuna Dish” Competition.
This year, eight member countries - Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia Kiribati, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Marshalls and Vanuatu - have agreed to collaborate to organise a "Best Tuna Dish” competition to showcase the diverse ways in which tuna can be used in different culinary traditions from around the region.
The competition is supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, SPC (The Pacific Community), Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, , Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and the Japanese government, through OFCF.
To enter, contestants can simply head to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) located on (opposite SINU) and fill out an application form. Application forms are also available at the Coral Sea Resort reception or they can call the MFMR office on 39143 for more information.
It is free to enter, so don’t miss your chance to showcase your culinary skills. Entries close Wednesday 24th May 2023 at 5pm. All Applicants will be notified if they are a Top 20 finalist on Thursday 25th May 2023.
Source: Press Release