Julie O. Manglona’s shrimp tinaktak got the judges’ nod in the adult nonprofessional category.
“It was my first time to join a cooking contest, and my first time to cook shrimp tinaktak,” Manglona told the Variety.
She said she just experimented with the ingredients and came up with a recipe for the contest.
Grabbing second place and $200 was Ariadne G. Snodgrass with her pinakbet.
Priscilla J. Pangelinan’s shirmplicious with coconut milk placed third and won $100.
The other contestants in the nonprofessional category were Susan Marchitti’s shrimp & veggie medley, and Fe Quimzon’s spicy rainbow shrimp.
Six contestants joined the youth category which was won by Kassandra T. Royal’s mini-shrimp burgers.
The grand prize awarded to Royal was $300.
Kenyon Schultz’s shrimp kelaguen placed second and received $200 while Jaehoon Shin’s chili shrimp won the third prize of $100.
The other participants in the youth category were Kassandra A. Snodgrass’ miracle veggies de pasta, Madison Schultz’s shrimp scampi and Crosby Schultz’s garlic shrimp.
Nonprofessional cooks are those who have no association with a restaurant or food service establishment.
It was the first time that a youth category was added to the contest.
Participants were required to include shrimp in their recipes, and each was given $20 to cover the cost of the ingredients.
The entrees were judged based on taste, creative presentation, texture, use of fresh local ingredients and originality.
The Cook-A-Rainbow Challenge is an annual event in coordination with the Ayuda Network, the CNMI Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, NMC-CREES, PSS-Head Start, Public Health-Breast and Cervical Cancer Program and the Commonwealth Cancer Association.
