"I Never Thought A Salad Would Win"

 Top Tooting cook reports "Crushing Shame"

The Top Tooting Cook competition was a resounding success at the weekend with a dozen entrants and a wide range of dishes carefully tasted by our judging panel of Claudia Ruane (Director of Abel and Cole), Rex Osborn (Labour Councillor), Mark Watson (Chair of Sustainable Bungay) and Hoosen Randeree (Deputy Head of Gatton School) to whom we are very much indebted.

However, no one could have predicted that all the assiduous judging over forty minutes would result in the clear winner being "What's For Dinner?" with her Jazzy Garden Salad. All fine so far. However, scandal broke when it became clear that "What's For Dinner?" was actually competition organiser, Malsara Thorne, who now takes up the story. 

Spot the winner!

"It’s taken me a while to come to terms with what happened at Sunday's cooks' competition. When the judges finally came up with a winner, horror of horrors it turned out to be me!  To be crowned Top Tooting Cook in front of the good people of Tooting, after so many had spent hours over a hot stove was not what I had imagined in my craziest dreams. I was too embarrassed to accept any prize bar the hat I had made for the winner, ... that fitted me perfectly! 

My Embarrassing Moment of Victory

I confessed my shame and embarrassment to my boss who said: "you mean to say that you organised a cookery competition, set the criteria for scoring and won it by producing a salad? Did you pick the judges as well?!" No! I did not pick the judges or offer any bribes and yes, that is exactly what happened, I never thought a salad would win! I am sure if the judging criteria had been on taste alone, I would have been nowhere.

Lessons have been learnt, next year the scoring system will be simplified and “What’s for Dinner?” will not be featuring!

Well done to Mal who deserved to win despite her embarrassment! Recipes from the day can be found HERE