The Ultimate Curry Crew of La Grange, West Coast Demerara scored 123 points to win the first round of Guyana's first ever duck curry competition sponsored by King's Jewellery World (KJW), Banks DIH and Indi Madras Curry Powder through the Edward B. Beharry Group of Companies.

More than 200 persons converged at the Diamond, East Bank Demerara Community Centre ground last Sunday to watch 20 entrants vie for a place among the five finalists as the race for the grand $100,000 prize got underway.

At approximately 5 pm, after sampling the various entries and viewing the creativity of the participants, the five judges gave the nod to the Ultimate Curry Crew. "It was a special moment for me. I know that everyone in the group is very happy because we did a lot of hard work...," a beaming Jamal Satar, head chef of the winning group told Stabroek News. Satar and his crew, all decked out in white jerseys with the Indi Madras Curry Powder logo, posed for several photographs after receiving $10,000 and a trophy.

The remaining finalists were the Open House Posse of Chaguanas, Trinidad and Lawrence Lowe Jewellery, each carting off a trophy and $10,000 in the second and third place, respectively with Safraz Imran and crew and Le Meridien Pegasus', Browne's Cafe in the fourth and fifth positions hauling in $10,000 each. Taste and texture carried ten points each while participants were awarded five points each for aroma and presentation.

Meanwhile, the prize for the Most Original Fireside was presented to Lachmi Rampersaud and the Open House Posse won the Best Presentation prize.

The five judges were attorney-at-law K.A. Juman-Yassin; Diamond Neighbourhood Democratic Council Chairman, Omar Khan; retired Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry executive, Paul Geer; executive of Singh's Electronic World, Indi Singh and Proprietor of the Guinness Bar, Troy Mendonca.

Juman-Yassin told this newspaper that the event provided entertainment for the entire family and noted that persons from every walk of life including businessmen, professional chefs and housewives had supported it.

When Stabroek News arrived initially, a number of tents of varying colours could be seen in position and participants were busy preparing for the event while their children enjoyed kite flying and other games in the breezy environs.

Each contestant expressed confidence of outdoing the other as they boasted of secret recipes and experience. Overseas-based Guyanese, Donald Singh, who has been resident in London for the past 35 years explained that he had been scanning this newspaper's headlines on the internet and became intrigued when he saw the article on the contest. "I had been planning a holiday in Guyana anyway, so I thought that this [would] coincide nicely," Singh stated. He said that his recipe was Thai and as such was likely to be a definite winner. He, however, didn't place in the top five.

Cooking got underway at around 12:30 pm and some 15 minutes later, the pungent aroma of spices and seasonings had begun to waft its way across the ground and the surrounding community as pots of the curried meat of the web-footed bird simmered. The appetising scents blended with the sounds of laughter and children's voices calling out to each other as well as music by De Originals Band, the New Generation Band and the King's Tassa Group from Trinidad.

"It's an excellent competition and an occasion which highlights the quality of local products like the XM rum, curry and jewellery. It also incorporates Guyanese of all races," member of the Beharry board of directors, Suresh Beharry, remarked. Beharry further suggested that the government examine the idea of promoting similar activities in order to assist in bonding the nation. He voiced the hope that other major companies would support the venture, which he said was likely to become an annual event.

The second, third, fourth and final contests will be held respectively on April 28 at the Canje Ground, Berbice; May 19 at the Hampton Court ground, Essequibo; June 9 at the Enmore Community Centre ground, East Coast Demerara and June 30 at the Everest Cricket ground, Georgetown.