By Temiloluwa Areola
The National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (NASELS) held its much-anticipated Cooking Competition on the 15th of June, 2026, bringing together talented student chefs in a lively event filled with competition, suspense, and entertainment. The programme showcased culinary creativity while providing an avenue for students to demonstrate their cooking skills before an enthusiastic audience.
The event commenced with the introduction of the Master of Ceremony, MC Popper, and the Assistant MC, Hypewoman Ajayi, who welcomed guests and participants to the competition. They subsequently invited the Vice President of the association, Mamadelo Christiana, to deliver her opening remarks.
Following her address, the contest officially began with an opening prayer led by a volunteer from the audience. The judges for the competition were then introduced as Olwadunsin Oladipupo (Chef Duns), Akinishole Damilare (Beans Faculty), and Roshidat Raji (Chef Roshidat). Shortly afterwards, the contestants were introduced to the audience.
The atmosphere took an unexpected turn when the judges announced that two contestants would be eliminated through a preliminary custard-making challenge. The announcement came as a surprise to both contestants and spectators, drawing loud reactions from the audience. At the end of the challenge, two contestants were disqualified based on their custard preparation, reducing the number of participants advancing to the main competition.
At exactly 1:30 p.m., the cooking phase commenced. Although contestants were initially given 45 minutes to prepare their meals, the judges later extended the time by an additional 15 minutes, bringing the total cooking time to one hour.
To keep the audience engaged while the contestants worked, MC Pauper organised a mini competition for freshers in attendance. The event also featured a celebration for students born in June, as birthday celebrants were invited to the stage to cut a cake specially prepared for the occasion.
As the competition drew closer to its conclusion, selected members of the audience were invited to taste the meals prepared by the contestants and score each dish. Their ratings contributed to the excitement of the event, with Chef Tomisin receiving 12 points, Chef Precious receiving 8 points, Queen Nas receiving 9.8 points and Chef Paul receiving the highest audience score of 16 points.
Certificates were subsequently presented to all participants in recognition of their efforts and participation.
The much-awaited announcement of winners followed shortly afterwards. Chef Precious finished in fourth place, Queen Nas secured third place, Chef Tomisin emerged as the first runner-up, while Chef Paul was announced as the winner of the NASELS Cooking Competition 2026.
Interestingly, Chef Paul was the only male contestant in the competition. Reflecting on this, he said, "Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to it. I don't really see it as an advantage or a disadvantage because, to me, cooking isn't about gender. Everyone is there for the same reason: to showcase their skills and do their best."
Speaking on his victory, the winner described the experience as both emotional and rewarding. "Before the competition, I was confident and believed I could win. But once the contest started and I saw the skills of the other contestants, I began to wonder if I really had what it takes," he said.
He added that the tension during the announcement of results was intense and that he felt a wave of excitement and relief when he realised he would be named the winner. According to him, the victory was particularly meaningful because he rarely participates in competitions and had never won a contest where a single individual emerged as the overall winner.
Despite his success, Chef Paul noted that he does not currently intend to pursue cooking as a formal career. "For me, it is more of a skill I enjoy using and something I can offer in a more personal or service-based way when needed, rather than building it into a structured professional path right now," he said.
The competition ended on a high note, leaving participants and spectators with memorable moments and reinforcing the spirit of creativity, talent, and healthy competition within NASELS.
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