The Home Economics department of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic in the Upper East Region over the weekend emerged overall winner of the maiden edition of the Nestle Ideal Milk Cooking competition.

The event was held at the West Hills Shopping Mall in Accra.

The polytechnic took away GHC 3,000, a plague and assorted Nestle products as their prize.

Dubbed ‘Idealicious Cooking Challenge’, the students battled contestants from nine other polytechnics across the country that assembled at the forecourt of the West Hills Mall to display their talent and creative way of using Ideal Milk to prepare local dishes to win the ultimate prize.

The Bolgatanga Polytechnic students creatively used millet and Ideal Milk to prepare a dish called Konkonlebgre. The students explained the dish is common to most communities in the north of the country.

They also displayed Yonkon, a Guinea fowl sausage and Yellow Melon dessert to beat their keen contestant Kumasi Polytechnic.

Second place Kumasi Polytechnic took away GHC 2,000 and a hamper of the company’s products.

Tamale Polytechnic received GHC1,000 as 3rd prize while the remaining participating schools received various  consolation prizes.

Salatu Dramani, leader of the Bolgatanga team thanked the management of Nestle Ghana for organizing the competition.

She said the competition has helped polytechnic students to display their skills in the preparation of local meals with Ideal Milk.

She said their victory was based on a technique of preparing a variety of local dishes with the Nestle Ideal Milk.

She said her team was initially intimidated by the students from the other schools, but said they were committed to showcasing their best.

The cooking event was organized to promote creativity and allow students to demonstrate their cooking abilities, by using evaporated milk beyond its tradition use in tea and porridge.

This event is part of a broader campaign by Nestle introduced earlier this year to create awareness about the varied ways evaporated milk can be used meet the nutritious needs of people.

The twenty participants were assessed by a panel of seasoned judges who are experts in home science and nutrition.

The participants were judged based on the criteria of taste, presentation, creativity and neatness.

Nestle, a world leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness, has committed to producing safe and high quality products that ensure nutrition anytime of the day.