Phuket prison cookery contest stirs the taste buds

Inmates at Phuket prison have been learning new cooking skills and taking part in a cookery contest to prepare them for release.

Street Food Cooking Contest to Build a Career (Season 2) event, organised by Phuket Provincial Probation Office concluded the food and nutrition department of Phuket Polytechnic College Thursday.

Judging the contest, Phiphat Wongteerakijkosol, director of the probation office, was joined by college director Kraphat Nilwan and Kecha Chuachit, vice president of Phuket Probation Volunteers.

Explaining the value of the Phuket prison cookery contest as a recipe for a prisoner’s fresh start, Phiphat said…

“The contest is a great project to drive career building for offenders. It provides an opportunity for inmates to develop culinary skills, boost self-esteem and create stable careers with the income to support themselves and their families.

“This creates encouragement for people to support all participants in becoming good people in society.”

Kecha said the project helped newly-released inmates avoid returning to a life of crime, which in turn makes the community safer.

Four teams of inmates took part in the contest.

The first-placed team tasted success with their delicious Hokkien mee fried noodles.

The second placed team made an outstanding pad Thai.

Third came Pineapple Fried Rice.

The winners of the competition will represent Phuket at the regional contest to be held in Surat Thani.