Behind every hearty and healthy school lunch lies a touch of magic. It’s what fuels children with energy, lifts their spirits, and helps them stay focused in class. The ones creating this magic are the unsung heroes of school canteens — the cooks who put a piece of their heart into every dish.
Recently, these culinary heroes met in Dushanbe for an exciting showdown! On September 27, the Yuri Gagarin School hosted the final of the Best School Cook 2025 national competition, a day filled with emotions, discoveries, and, of course, mouthwatering food.
When the kitchen is buzzing
Nine finalists from across the country — Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar, and remote areas — spent the entire day proving that healthy food can be irresistibly delicious.
The competition unfolded in two stages.
First came the “home assignment”: cooks presented their signature hot dishes (each costing no more than 7 somoni per portion), using only local ingredients, as well as fruits or vegetables. The guests enjoyed a dazzling variety, including tender Kadui Dampukht (baked pumpkin) by Khairiniso Jobbirova from Khatlon, hearty Shulomashak (mung bean porridge) by Matlyuba Ismoilzoda from Khujand, and fragrant Damlama by Saboat Khomidova.
The tensions reached a high when, after the random draw, the cooks were briefed on their main task: in just 90 minutes, they had to prepare a meal consisting of lentil soup, a vegetable salad with baked pumpkin, pancakes, and dried fruit compote.
The kitchen came alive. Pots bubbled with soups, each cook choosing from four types of lentils to highlight their own approach. Salads with baked pumpkin were crafted with creativity, proving that even an ordinary dish can be presented in a new and surprising way.
Various types of pancakes sizzled on the stove, some stuffed and others folded with flair, while fragrant fruit compotes steeped in large pitchers.
While pots were bubbling and pans sizzling, the cooks also had to handle tricky quiz questions on school kitchen rules, showing not just their cooking speed, but also their professional knowledge.
Quick hands, healthy snacks
For the guests, the program was just as engaging. Popular food blogger Shamsiddin Nasriddinov hosted a lively cooking masterclass, proving that healthy snacks can be simple, fun, and delicious.
Together with the audience, he whipped up a banana-oat-yogurt-honey smoothie, created cheerful “smiley sandwiches” with cream cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and herbs, and made sweet treats from dried fruit. Children eagerly tasted the treats, shouting, “We’ll prepare this at home, for sure!” Many adults admitted they never imagined such familiar ingredients could taste so fresh and new.
Children’s Choice: the sweetest reward
One of the most touching moments was the special Children’s Choice award. While the adult jury carefully scored the dishes by strict criteria, the fourth graders of Gagarin School kept their evaluation simple and honest: “Delicious!”
After tasting every dish, the children chose the creations of Saboat Khomidova from Khujand.
“First of all, I want to thank my family and school headmaster for believing in me,” Saboat said. “The contest was truly fair, because not only the jury but also the children themselves found my dishes both tasty and healthy. I learned so much through this experience.”
Awards Ceremony: applause, trophies, and Golden Spoon
Then came the most anticipated moment when the winners were announced! The suspense ended with a surprise: in the category Best School Cook from urban schools, two cooks tied for first place with 157 points each:
In the category for schools participating in the WFP’s School Feeding Programme, the title of Best School Cook went to Shohruh Niyozov (Secondary School No. 18, J. Rasulov District), with 153 points.
“I was a little bit nervous, but I was confident that the victory will be mine,” admitted Zebo Nasriddinova. “Even with that confidence, I gave it my all, using every skill I had. It motivated me, and now I’ll keep working and creating new, delicious dishes for the children at my school.”
The winners and finalists received not only trophies, diplomas, and medals, but also valuable prizes: gift certificates for household appliances and sets of professional cookware for school canteens. The ultimate symbol of professional recognition, the honorary Golden Spoon, this year was awarded to Saboat Khomidova and Shohruh Niyozov.
More than a competition: a shared mission
This celebration of taste and professionalism became possible thanks to the support of long-standing partners. For many years, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Russia’s Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) have been helping to improve the quality of school meals in Tajikistan. Backed by financial support from the Russian Federation, the initiative continues to expand, providing hot meals to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren nationwide.
“For the fourth year in a row, we are holding this competition at the national level,” said Adham Musallam, WFP Country Director in Tajikistan. “Without our cooks, the School Feeding Programme would not exist. These remarkable people rise at dawn, work tirelessly, and ensure that every child receives a warm, nutritious meal.”
The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan are also driving this work forward. As Deputy Minister of Education Bahriddin Muzaffarzoda emphasized, the competition is an opportunity “to identify the best school cooks and make their skills a benchmark for cooks in schools across Tajikistan.”
Building the future with their hands
Behind the awards and ceremonies lies an enormous daily effort. More than 5,600 school cooks across the country wake up before dawn so that children are greeted with appetizing, nutritious meals during school breaks. They do more than feed schoolchildren. They strengthen health, give energy for learning and sports, and instill a culture of balanced and healthy eating.
The Best School Cook competition is a heartfelt thank you to those who care for what matters most, our children. So, when you look at the joyful kids tasting meals prepared with love, it becomes clear: these cooks create real magic. This magic begins with a single plate and continues in the healthy, successful future of the entire country.
Recently, these culinary heroes met in Dushanbe for an exciting showdown! On September 27, the Yuri Gagarin School hosted the final of the Best School Cook 2025 national competition, a day filled with emotions, discoveries, and, of course, mouthwatering food.
When the kitchen is buzzing
Nine finalists from across the country — Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar, and remote areas — spent the entire day proving that healthy food can be irresistibly delicious.
The competition unfolded in two stages.
First came the “home assignment”: cooks presented their signature hot dishes (each costing no more than 7 somoni per portion), using only local ingredients, as well as fruits or vegetables. The guests enjoyed a dazzling variety, including tender Kadui Dampukht (baked pumpkin) by Khairiniso Jobbirova from Khatlon, hearty Shulomashak (mung bean porridge) by Matlyuba Ismoilzoda from Khujand, and fragrant Damlama by Saboat Khomidova.
The tensions reached a high when, after the random draw, the cooks were briefed on their main task: in just 90 minutes, they had to prepare a meal consisting of lentil soup, a vegetable salad with baked pumpkin, pancakes, and dried fruit compote.
The kitchen came alive. Pots bubbled with soups, each cook choosing from four types of lentils to highlight their own approach. Salads with baked pumpkin were crafted with creativity, proving that even an ordinary dish can be presented in a new and surprising way.
Various types of pancakes sizzled on the stove, some stuffed and others folded with flair, while fragrant fruit compotes steeped in large pitchers.
While pots were bubbling and pans sizzling, the cooks also had to handle tricky quiz questions on school kitchen rules, showing not just their cooking speed, but also their professional knowledge.
Quick hands, healthy snacks
For the guests, the program was just as engaging. Popular food blogger Shamsiddin Nasriddinov hosted a lively cooking masterclass, proving that healthy snacks can be simple, fun, and delicious.
Together with the audience, he whipped up a banana-oat-yogurt-honey smoothie, created cheerful “smiley sandwiches” with cream cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and herbs, and made sweet treats from dried fruit. Children eagerly tasted the treats, shouting, “We’ll prepare this at home, for sure!” Many adults admitted they never imagined such familiar ingredients could taste so fresh and new.
Children’s Choice: the sweetest reward
One of the most touching moments was the special Children’s Choice award. While the adult jury carefully scored the dishes by strict criteria, the fourth graders of Gagarin School kept their evaluation simple and honest: “Delicious!”
After tasting every dish, the children chose the creations of Saboat Khomidova from Khujand.
“First of all, I want to thank my family and school headmaster for believing in me,” Saboat said. “The contest was truly fair, because not only the jury but also the children themselves found my dishes both tasty and healthy. I learned so much through this experience.”
Awards Ceremony: applause, trophies, and Golden Spoon
Then came the most anticipated moment when the winners were announced! The suspense ended with a surprise: in the category Best School Cook from urban schools, two cooks tied for first place with 157 points each:
- Zebo Nasriddinova (Lyceum No. 3, Dushanbe)
- Saboat Khomidova (Secondary School No. 17, Khujand)
In the category for schools participating in the WFP’s School Feeding Programme, the title of Best School Cook went to Shohruh Niyozov (Secondary School No. 18, J. Rasulov District), with 153 points.
“I was a little bit nervous, but I was confident that the victory will be mine,” admitted Zebo Nasriddinova. “Even with that confidence, I gave it my all, using every skill I had. It motivated me, and now I’ll keep working and creating new, delicious dishes for the children at my school.”
The winners and finalists received not only trophies, diplomas, and medals, but also valuable prizes: gift certificates for household appliances and sets of professional cookware for school canteens. The ultimate symbol of professional recognition, the honorary Golden Spoon, this year was awarded to Saboat Khomidova and Shohruh Niyozov.
More than a competition: a shared mission
This celebration of taste and professionalism became possible thanks to the support of long-standing partners. For many years, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Russia’s Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) have been helping to improve the quality of school meals in Tajikistan. Backed by financial support from the Russian Federation, the initiative continues to expand, providing hot meals to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren nationwide.
“For the fourth year in a row, we are holding this competition at the national level,” said Adham Musallam, WFP Country Director in Tajikistan. “Without our cooks, the School Feeding Programme would not exist. These remarkable people rise at dawn, work tirelessly, and ensure that every child receives a warm, nutritious meal.”
The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan are also driving this work forward. As Deputy Minister of Education Bahriddin Muzaffarzoda emphasized, the competition is an opportunity “to identify the best school cooks and make their skills a benchmark for cooks in schools across Tajikistan.”
Building the future with their hands
Behind the awards and ceremonies lies an enormous daily effort. More than 5,600 school cooks across the country wake up before dawn so that children are greeted with appetizing, nutritious meals during school breaks. They do more than feed schoolchildren. They strengthen health, give energy for learning and sports, and instill a culture of balanced and healthy eating.
The Best School Cook competition is a heartfelt thank you to those who care for what matters most, our children. So, when you look at the joyful kids tasting meals prepared with love, it becomes clear: these cooks create real magic. This magic begins with a single plate and continues in the healthy, successful future of the entire country.