The country's first-ever chef competition to promote Bangladeshi cuisine kicked off in Dhaka yesterday.

Travel magazine, The Bangladesh Monitor, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Square Consumer Products and Bangladesh Edible Oil have teamed up to launch the contest titled "Monitor Chef of the Year 2005 Competition."

Announcing the procedure of the contest at a press conference yesterday, Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor of The Bangladesh Monitor, said the competition is being held in two categories-- professional and amateur.

"The purpose of the contest is to foster professional chefs, encourage amateur chefs and promote authentic Bangladeshi dishes," he said.

Intending participants will have to send their recipes to Bangladesh Monitor by February 28. A partici-

pant can send a maximum of three recipes of local dishes.

A panel of judges comprising renowned chefs, hoteliers and restaurateurs will select best five recipes from each group. The selected chefs will be invited to prepare their recipes in front of the judges at a function on the eve of Bangla New Year on April 13.

One winner from each category will get Tk 10,000, air tickets and other gifts from the sponsors. Other participants will also get consolation prizes. Square Consumer Products will print the recipes of the final contestants to popularise the dishes.

Trevor MacDonald, general manager of Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Kazi Zahurul Qyyum, sales man-ager-Bangladesh of Emirates, Lee Peng Kwang, general manager of Bangladesh Edible Oil, and SK Das, director of Square Consumer Products Ltd, also spoke at the press conference.