The school’s highly anticipated Ready Steady Cook competition  Mrs Edwards’ brainchild – delivered an exciting showcase of culinary talent, creativity, and innovation across multiple rounds, culminating in a thrilling grand finale.

Learners of Dundee High School  were challenged to think outside the box as they tackled a variety of themed rounds. From crafting an Instagrammable sandwich to baking a muffin with a twist and mastering cake decoration, each stage pushed contestants to elevate their skills. The semi-final round, sponsored by Tanya Putterill, featured an “egg-cellent” challenge, where participants impressed judges with dishes ranging from tantalising tagliatelle to a perfect eggs benedict. It was a tie between Mpho and Zoe for that round.

The competition would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors including Pick n Pay, Stonemill, Garage Café, Wimpy, The Pantry, JV’s, The Shed, Charlies Spar, Spiceworld, Chats Dundee, Arla Food-Nigeria and Tanya Putterill, whose contributions added real value to the experience.

After several elimination rounds, four finalists  Mpho, Zoe, Hlelo, and Celiwe  advanced to the grand finale. In a high-pressure mystery box challenge, contestants were required to create a complete dish using chicken breasts, dried onions, potatoes, and a surprise ingredient, testing both their creativity and composure.

Zoe Wild emerged as the overall winner, impressing judges with exceptional skill, presentation, and flavour.

Individual rounds also celebrated standout performances: Megan Pretorius won the Instagrammable sandwich challenge, Siphelele Ntuli claimed victory in the muffin round, and Celiwe Zibula shone in the cake decoration challenge.

With such high standards set this year, Ready Steady Cook continues to grow as a flagship event, leaving both participants and spectators eagerly anticipating next year’s competition