In 2026, Kyrgyzstan’s national Best School Cook competition will be held in a renewed format as an educational intensive and professional contest titled Flavor Lab: Mission “Healthy Student.”
The project will bring together school cooks from across the country and serve not only as a professional competition, but also as a large-scale learning platform. Participants will have the opportunity to test their knowledge, take part in training sessions, develop signature dishes for school menus, work alongside food technologists, nutritionists, and chefs, and receive individual recommendations to support their professional development.
The competition aims to highlight the important role school cooks play in everyday school life and to raise the profile of the profession among local communities, parents, and public authorities. More than simply a contest for the title of “best,” the initiative offers participants a possibility to strengthen their professional skills, exchange experience, and gain practical knowledge that can help make school meals safer, more diverse, and more appealing to children.
“School cooks influence children’s health, mood, and eating habits every single day. The new competition format is designed not only to identify the best professionals, but also to give every participant practical tools, knowledge, and confidence for their work,” the organizers note.
The Best School Cook competition has been held in Kyrgyzstan since 2019 at the initiative of the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Russian Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI). Over the years, it has become a sustainable annual initiative that helps promote best practices, improve the quality of school meals, and strengthen the professional community of school kitchen workers.
In 2026, the organizers will preserve the competition’s core mission while introducing a stronger focus on training, practical assignments, and participants’ individual professional development. One of the key updates will be the introduction of two in-person final rounds held as educational intensives. Participants from the northern provinces will gather at the Republican Competency Center based at Kyrgyz State Technical University in Bishkek, while representatives of the southern provinces will meet at the Southern Competency Center based at Vocational Lyceum No. 12 of Osh State University.
Another key feature of the new format is learning through engagement. Competition tasks will be based on edutainment principles, allowing participants to learn through practice, interactive formats, case studies, and teamwork.
The competition will take place in several stages. Applications will be accepted until May 31. From June through August, all registered participants will complete the online stage, gaining access to educational materials, webinars, and templates for developing a signature dish and mini school menu. They will take an online test, propose a dish suitable for school meals, and compose a menu option that meets sanitary requirements, seasonal considerations, and the principles of balanced nutrition. Cooks who achieve the required passing score will advance to the in-person final.
The final stage of the competition will take place in November and will combine both theoretical and practical assignments. Participants will demonstrate their professional knowledge, analyze real-life school kitchen scenarios, conduct a menu audit, showcase product receiving and inspection skills, and prepare dishes according to standardized flowcharts.
The final program will also feature a masterclass led by a professional chef on how to make healthy foods more appealing to children.
At the conclusion of the competition, Kyrgyzstan’s best school cooks will be selected. Participants will receive prizes based on their scores, while finalists will be awarded certificates for the purchase of kitchen equipment. Cooks who successfully complete both the online and in-person stages will also receive state-recognized certificates confirming completion of the training program and their level of professional competency.
The new format is designed to help school cooks recognize the importance of their profession, gain new knowledge, and return to their schools with ideas that can make children’s meals healthier, safer, and more enjoyable.
Background
The national Best School Cook competition is held within the framework of the Optimization of School Meals in the Kyrgyz Republic project. Its goal is to raise the profile of the school cook profession, strengthen the professional skills of school canteen staff, and support the introduction of modern approaches to preparing healthy, diverse, and child-friendly meals.
More detailed information about the program is available on the website.