Kerala chef wins India’s first national seafood skill showdown held by MPEDA

CHENNAI: In a thrilling display of culinary precision and seafood expertise, Thanseer KR from Kerala emerged victorious at the inaugural National Skill Olympiad on Seafood Value Addition, held recently at the bustling Seafood Expo Bharat 2025, Chennai.

The event, spearheaded by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), spotlighted the critical role of skilled professionals in boosting India’s seafood exports.

Thanseer outperformed three other finalists in a high-pressure finale. The contestants faced the challenge of transforming raw seafood into premium, value-added products within a strict 80-minute. Their tasks included crafting Breaded Butterfly Shrimp, Cooked PDTO (Peeled, Deveined, Tail-On) shrimp, Breaded Squid Rings, and PDTO Skewered Shrimp.

A panel of five industry experts from leading research institutions and seafood companies evaluated the final creations. Parvathy U (ICAR-CIFT, Kochi) and B Koteswar (NIFPHATT, Vizag) were among the judges who assessed the dishes based on stringent criteria: quality, hygiene, execution, and presentation.

Thanseer was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a medal, and a certificate for his performance. Other finalists received awards, and cash prizes between Rs 75,000 and Rs 25,000. The awards were presented by Hibi George Eden, MP and MPEDA Authority Member, and DV Swamy, chairman of MPEDA, amidst stakeholders including fisheries officials, exporters, and international buyers.

Highlighting the growing international demand for ready-to-cook and prepared seafood, Swamy, chairman of MPEDA, announced that “MPEDA will make it an annual event, as it will give a fillip to seafood exports from India”.