The province-level rounds of the Best School Cook 2026 competition have come to an end. Throughout July and August, school cooks from across Tajikistan took part in province-level contests, demonstrating their professional skills, knowledge of modern school feeding standards, and ability to prepare meals that are nutritious, healthy, and appealing.
The five finalists have now been selected. They will meet in Dushanbe to compete for the title of Tajikistan’s 2026 Best School Cook.
Who made it to the final
The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) will be represented by Javohira Yodgorshoeva, the cook at School No. 12 in Vanj District. At the province-level round, held on July 23 at School No. 14 in Shugnan District, she scored 85.7 out of 100 points.
Representing Sughd Province will be Mavjudakhon Rahimova, the cook at School No. 28 in Bobojon-Ghafurov District. The province-level round was held on July 30 at School No. 31 in Khujand. She scored 91.1 points.
The Districts under Republican Subordination (DRS) will be represented by Sharofat Ortikova, the cook at School No. 26 in Rasht District. In the province-level round, held on August 4 at School No. 1 in Rasht District, she scored 90.6 points.
The winner of the province-level round in the Kulob Area of Khatlon Province was Manzura Abdurova, the cook at School No. 5 in Danghara District. She scored 86.5 points. The round was held on August 12 at School No. 34 in Kulob.
Representing the Bokhtar Area of Khatlon Province will be Lola Shoeva, the cook at a school in Jomi District, with a score of 72.3 points. The province-level round was held on August 14.
The way to the final
Each province-level round was a comprehensive professional test for the participants. Within a limited time, school cooks had to prepare a set of dishes while following the relevant standard flowcharts, meeting sanitary and hygiene requirements, and maintaining a well-organized workspace.
The judging covered the entire process, from cooking techniques and efficient organization of work to the taste, appearance, and presentation of the finished dishes. Simply being able to cook well was therefore not enough: contestants had to demonstrate good command of the full range of skills required in a modern school kitchen.
Signature dish for school menu
Preparation for the final will go beyond practice in the competition kitchen. The finalists will also be given a separate home assignment.
Over the course of one week, each of the five participants will develop a signature dish that could potentially be included in a school menu.
Creativity will be only part of the challenge. The new dish must be tasty and appealing to children, follow the principles of healthy and balanced nutrition, and meet school feeding requirements in terms of ingredients, preparation methods, and practical implementation.
Each finalist must submit:
the name of the dish;
the original recipe;
a standard flowchart specifying the ingredients, quantities, preparation method, and the final output;
a photograph of the finished dish;
an explanation of why the dish is suitable for school feeding and could be included in a school menu;
information on its nutritional and practical value, ingredient availability, and feasibility of preparation in a school kitchen.
This assignment will allow participants to demonstrate that they are not only capable of following established recipes, but can also develop a dish for a school menu independently, from the initial concept and preparation method through to practical implementation.
Week with mentors
The five finalists now face an intensive period of training for the competition's main challenge. Over the coming week, they will take part in a mentoring program with WFP representatives and the winners of previous editions of the competition.
The program will combine theoretical and practical training. Finalists will continue to develop their skills in working with standard flowcharts, organizing their workspace, meeting sanitation requirements, and preparing dishes.
Practical training will be a particular focus. Participants will prepare dishes against the clock and practise the sequence of operations, taste, quality, presentation, and plating under conditions designed to closely replicate those they will face in the final round.
After each training session, mentors will review the participants' performance, provide individual feedback, and help identify aspects that require particular attention before the final competition.
The final: Dushanbe, September 18
The final of the Best School Cook 2026 republican competition will take place on September 18 in Dushanbe.
The finalists have several weeks to train and work on their signature dishes.
All five have already demonstrated their skills at the province level. Now they have one more step to take: to put everything they have learned into practice and compete for the competition's top professional title.
Five talented school cooks. One final. One title — Tajikistan’s 2026 Best School Cook.
We wish all the finalists confidence, inspiration, and successful preparation for the final round!