By: Sampat JMB Kpakimah
The Head Judge of the recently concluded Liberian Cooking Championship, Chef Alex Yamah, has described the competition as a major step toward modernizing Liberian cuisine, empowering young people, and promoting professional culinary standards across the country.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Chef Yamah, former President of the Liberian Chefs Association, disclosed that he was invited by the competition’s founder and organizer, Chef Wonyean Aloycious Gaye, to serve as Head Judge because organizers wanted a transparent and unbiased judging process.
According to him, the championship was initially designed as a traditional Liberian cooking competition but was later expanded to include a cake-making category, creating broader opportunities for participants to showcase their culinary talents.
“The main objective of this competition is to promote Liberian traditional cuisine and demonstrate how chefs can transform our indigenous dishes from ordinary preparation methods to internationally acceptable standards,” Chef Yamah explained. “That vision is what convinced me to serve as a judge, and I believe the organizer has successfully achieved that goal.”
He emphasized that the initiative goes beyond cooking, describing it as a youth empowerment platform intended to engage young Liberians in productive activities while helping to strengthen the country’s culinary industry.
Chef Yamah noted that while many West African countries have modernized their food presentation and preparation techniques, Liberia still largely relies on traditional methods passed down through generations.
“We need to move onto the global stage by standardizing our food preparation methods,” he said. “For example, it is common in Liberia for people to cook fish, meat, and chicken together in one dish. As professional chefs, we discourage mixing multiple proteins because it can create health concerns and does not align with international culinary standards.”
He encouraged aspiring chefs and home cooks to adopt professional practices that improve food quality, safety, and presentation. The veteran chef also described the culinary profession as a pathway to economic independence. “It is good to be independent,” he said. “Since becoming a professional chef, I have never had to seek employment elsewhere. Cooking is a skill, and once you master it, you can create opportunities for yourself rather than depending on others for jobs.”
Explaining the selection process, Chef Yamah said contestants first submitted online applications before advancing to physical semi-final rounds, with the most outstanding participants progressing to the grand finale. He further disclosed plans to decentralize future editions of the competition by expanding activities to counties across Liberia, ensuring broader participation and talent development nationwide.
Chef Yamah also revealed that the Government of Liberia, through the Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA), commended the initiative and expressed interest in collaborating with organizers for future editions.
Meanwhile, the founder and organizer of the event, Chef Wonyean Aloycious Gaye, popularly known as Chef Aloycious, said the initiative was inspired by international food competitions he participated in while representing Liberia abroad. “I got inspired by the international food competitions I have taken part in while representing Liberia, and I thought it would be wise to host a similar event here to boost the talents and skills of our cooks and chefs,” he said.
Chef Aloycious disclosed that the competition has received overwhelming public support, with prominent individuals and institutions commending the initiative and pledging support for future editions.
“We are getting positive feedback from the public, and many influential people are reaching out to congratulate us and pledge their support for the next edition,” he noted.
He described the championship as the realization of a long-held dream to see Liberian cuisine gain both national and international recognition.
“It has always been my dream to see Liberian food gain national and international recognition, and that dream is gradually becoming a reality,” he said.
Chef Aloycious thanked sponsors, partners, supporters, and participants for contributing to the success of the maiden edition. “We appreciate all of our supporters, especially our sponsors, for trusting and partnering with us on this event. We are grateful for their investment and look forward to organizing an even bigger and better competition next year,” he added.
As winners were announced during the grand finale held Sunday at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium in Paynesville, judges reminded supporters that the competition was not judged solely on appearance. According to the judges, while presentation was important, taste, texture, creativity, technique, and overall quality were the key factors used in selecting winners.
Cake-Making Challenge Winners
1st Place: Adah Nowon
2nd Place: Lovetta Siah Nyumah
3rd Place: Massa Kamara
Traditional Cooking Challenge Winners
1st Place: Ruth Kwanwah (Nimba County)
2nd Place: Agnes Menyongar (Grand Bassa County)
3rd Place: Steffie Kamara Weah (Lofa County)
The event, believed to be Liberia’s first national cooking championship of its kind, showcased the creativity, talent, and passion of emerging cooks and cake makers from across the country. Despite praising the organizers for creating a platform to showcase their talents, several participants called for improvements in future editions. They recommended better time management, stronger sponsorship arrangements, and increased logistical support for contestants.
Third-place cake-making winner Massa Kamara said many of the materials needed for the competition had to be imported because they were unavailable locally.
“The organizers should work on the time allotted because most of the things I needed had to be ordered from outside Liberia. We are behind time and do not have many cake products and materials available in the country,” Kamara said.
She added that her winnings would be used to expand her school and empower more aspiring bakers.
Another participant, Adah Nowon, claimed that sponsors assigned to contestants provided little assistance, leaving participants to shoulder most of the expenses themselves while also being responsible for ticket sales and fundraising efforts.
Participants noted that despite the challenges, the competition was a worthwhile experience and encouraged organizers to continue building the initiative into a larger national event. Organizers have since pledged to make the Liberian Cooking Championship an annual event aimed at promoting Liberian cuisine, developing culinary talent, and creating opportunities for young people across the country.
