Hafsa Khatun could hardly believe her ears when her name was announced as the final winner of the Nutri-Champ cooking competition. For the 14-year-old schoolgirl, competing against experienced home cooks was already a big deal—winning was beyond her wildest dreams.

With tears welling up in her eyes and a beaming smile, Hafsa leapt toward the stage to collect her prize. “This is unbelievable! I have so many things to say, but I can barely talk now,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. Her joy was contagious—ripples of applause, cheers, and claps spread across the school grounds.

Held for the very first time in Bangladesh, Nutri-Champ was no ordinary cooking contest—it was a celebration of nutrition, tradition, and creativity. Hosted on the vibrant grounds of Chatmohar Pilot Girls’ High School in Pabna, the event was a joint initiative by HarvestPlus Solutions, Nutritious Agrifuture Bangladesh Limited (NAF-BD) and the Bangladesh Safe Agro Food Efforts (BSAFE) Foundation, through the “Scaling Production of Biofortified Crops” project, implemented by HarvestPlus and supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Fourteen passionate home cooks from Sirajganj, Pabna, and Natore brought their culinary skills to life, preparing 20 unique dishes featuring zinc-rich rice, wheat, iron lentils, rice flour, and flattened rice. From savory to sweet, traditional to experimental, each plate told a story of innovation rooted in local culture—and a strong commitment to reducing malnutrition and addressing hidden hunger.

A panel of five expert judges, joined by five student food testers from the school, evaluated the dishes based on taste, presentation, and creative use of biofortified ingredients. “It was a fantastic experience to taste so many versions of our regular dishes, all made healthier with biofortified crops. The cooks were amazing! I liked most of the dishes!” shared one of the student testers, smiling between bites.

The entire school was transformed into a hub of color, flavor, and learning. Over 500 students roamed the venue between classes, chatting with chefs, collecting flyers, and eagerly sampling the dishes. Stalls showcasing zinc rice, zinc wheat, and iron lentils were surrounded by curious onlookers eager to learn how food can fight micronutrient deficiencies. For many, this was their first time hearing about the power of zinc to boost immunity and support healthy growth.

Headmaster RKM Abdur Rob Mia expressed heartfelt appreciation for the event: “We are proud to host such an inspiring program. With nearly 800 girls in our school—future mothers and changemakers, this experience was more than just fun; it was enlightening. Everyone should know the benefits of biofortified crops. We should even include this in our curriculum.”

From the enthusiasm of the contestants to the curiosity of the students, Nutri-Champ was more than a cooking competition—it was a celebration of community, learning, and the future of food and nutrition security in Bangladesh.