#Japan #Fukushima #Local Ingredients #Fukushima Challenge #pastry competition

The Fukushima Challenge Cup: A Celebration of Youth and Local Delicacies

On August 24th, history was made at the Fukushima Challenge Cup, a prestigious pastry-making competition co-hosted by the Sankei Shimbun Company and four towns of Fukushima Prefecture: Okuma, Tomioka, Naraha, and Hirono. This exciting event, held at J-Village, gathered aspiring pastry chefs from high schools across Japan to showcase their culinary skills using local ingredients, which included kiwifruit, passion fruit, sweet potatoes, and bananas.

Each category saw vigorous competition, with 547 submissions narrowed down through a thorough selection process, ultimately leading to 12 finalists for the showdown. The finalists engaged in a nerve-wracking 120-minute cooking challenge, where their creations were rigorously evaluated by four esteemed chefs.

The competition culminated in a thrilling announcement of the winners in four categories:

• - Okuma Town Award (Kiwifruit Category):

Shota Kurosaki (Tochigi; International TBC Culinary and Pastry School) for his exquisite creation titled "Première rencontre."

• - Tomioka Town Award (Passion Fruit Category):

Hiroki Kawahara (Okayama; Okayama Sanyo High School) dazzled the judges with the dessert "Tarte au passion Fukusima."

• - Naraha Town Award (Sweet Potato Category):

Duo Aoi Wakita and Mimika Kida (Wakayama; Nambu High School) impressed with their enchanting "Sweet Potato Chiboust."

• - Hirono Town Award (Banana Category):

Hinoka Setoguchi and Haruka Mizumoto (Kagoshima; Kamimura Gakuen High School) gained acclaim for their creation titled "Lumière."

In addition to the glory of the awards, the winners were given a remarkable opportunity. They will collaborate with the judges, all recognized chefs, to develop new desserts featuring local specialties from their respective towns. These unique sweets will be available at the upcoming Fukushima Sweets Festival to be held in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park in February next year, highlighting the talents of these young chefs.

The Fukushima Challenge Cup is now in its inaugural year, serving as a sister competition to the 18th Sweets Koshien: The No.1 Pastry Chef Contest among high school students. This event emphasizes the importance of supporting the region's recovery following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear disaster through the power of sweets.

This year saw dedicated participation from the community, including collaborations between local organizations and the support of the Japanese government. The overwhelming response to the event showcased the budding talent across the nation and brought together communities in celebration of resilience and creativity.

The special event capturing the final showdown will be aired on September 27th at 1 PM via BS Fuji, offering viewers a glimpse of these extraordinary moments and culinary masterpieces.

Event Overview

• - Name: Fukushima Challenge Cup
• - Co-hosts: Okuma Town, Tomioka Town, Naraha Town, Hirono Town, Sankei Shimbun Company
• - Special Cooperation: J-Village
• - Support: Various local businesses and organizations
• - Sponsors: Reconstruction Agency, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Fukushima Prefecture
• - Awards: Okuma Town Award (Kiwifruit), Tomioka Town Award (Passion Fruit), Naraha Town Award (Sweet Potato), Hirono Town Award (Banana)

For further details, visit the official site: Sweets Challenge Cup