Students get a rise out of baking competition

Almost 100 students are vying for the title of Murrays Bay Intermediate School’s Hottest Home Baker.

Contestants work in pairs and are divided into four groups, known as mini-schools, which take turns to bake treats for the competition once a week.

Nicole Fletcher, a Year Eight participant who has entered cooking competitions, including the Maggi Kitchen Showdown before, says she is passionate about cooking and gets her best tips from watching the contestants on the Hottest Home Baker television competition.

“I listen to the judges on TV and try and learn tricks to help me in the school competition,” she says.

Her partner Celine McGahan, a self-proclaimed carrot cake master, says they both really want to win and think they have a good chance if they keep baking well.

The duo came third in their last challenge but still have a long way to go before becoming the school’s baking champions.

Both girls say they want to own restaurants and be famous cooks when they grow up.

Food technology teacher and organiser of the competition Georgina Mitchell says she is really excited to give the students the chance to bake at school as many parents no longer encourage children in the kitchen.

Competitors have already baked pikelets and Anzac biscuits and will soon compete in brownie and muffin challenges.

In November Mrs Mitchell and a panel of judges will pick the top three pairs from each “mini-school”, based on their baking over the year, to face off in the final.