𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐡𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐜𝐨-𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

…𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒅 “𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏,” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔, 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑

By Kezang Choden

Dorokha Lower Secondary School in Samtse Dzongkhag hosted its annual cooking competition on August 16, themed “Cooking Green.” The event aimed to encourage youth to cook independently while emphasizing environmentally friendly practices. As a long-standing tradition, the competition not only fosters self-reliance among students but also seeks to preserve traditional Bhutanese cuisine, which faces the risk of fading away. This year’s theme underscored the significance of sustainable cooking methods, with participants using traditional wood-fired ovens to minimize their environmental impact—a nod to past eco-conscious food preparation practices.

The competition also served to highlight the environmental consequences of modern cooking methods, including pollution from fuels and machinery. As an extracurricular activity, it provided students with an opportunity to explore their culinary creativity and celebrate regional food. The event was met with enthusiasm, with many students actively engaging and showing a strong interest in sustainable cooking.

Pema Sherpa, the principal of Dorokha Lower Secondary School, emphasized that the primary objective of the competition was to equip students with essential skills for self-reliance. “We organized this competition to upgrade our students’ skills, ensuring they are capable of standing on their own in any situation,” Sherpa stated. He added that beyond skill development, the school is committed to broadening students’ experiences beyond the traditional curriculum. “We want to provide our students with extracurricular opportunities that enrich their lives beyond academics,” he said.

A significant focus of the event was environmental stewardship. The competition included activities designed to teach students about eco-friendly practices, particularly in the use of cooking fuels and machinery. Sherpa highlighted that one of the key objectives was to educate students on reducing pollution through sustainable practices. “It is important that our students learn the value of protecting the environment by avoiding polluting methods and adopting eco-friendly alternatives,” Sherpa noted.

Ugyen Norbu, a teacher and coordinator, emphasized the importance of the cooking competition held among scout troops. This initiative, designed to enhance students’ cooking skills, also provides a valuable learning experience outside their regular studies. “The competition, themed ‘Cooking Green,’ emphasizes eco-friendly practices and encourages students to explore sustainable cooking methods. Recognizing the importance of self-sufficiency, the event prepares students for emergencies where they might find themselves in situations such as being stranded in the forest and relying on their cooking abilities,” Norbu shared.

The event saw enthusiastic participation, with students presenting a variety of dishes that showcased their creativity and dedication. The competition not only allowed students to refine their culinary skills but also to understand the significance of environmental responsibility. As a key component of the extracurricular curriculum, this annual event offers students an opportunity to integrate practical skills into their everyday lives. By fostering both culinary skills and eco-awareness, the cooking competition plays a crucial role in preparing students for the diverse challenges they may encounter.

Rejina Rai, a sixth-grader at Dorokha Lower Secondary School, shared her enthusiasm for cooking during the recent scout cooking competition. She found the experience particularly fascinating, especially when using traditional cooking methods. Despite challenges, such as igniting the fire in the oven, Rai found the event to be highly educational. “I really enjoyed making different types of dishes,” Rai said. “Now, I have a lot of extra knowledge about cooking and presenting dishes beautifully.” Her main contributions included pumpkin soup, dried spinach, and corn rice. Rai also enjoyed observing her peers’ culinary creations, noting the valuable knowledge she gained about preparing various dishes.

Jigme Kungsang Tamang, a seventh-grade student at Dorokha Lower Secondary School, reflected on his experience after participating in the recent cooking competition among scout troops. Initially nervous due to his limited cooking experience, Tamang admitted, “I was quite anxious because I had no prior knowledge of cooking and had never even seen it done before.” Despite his initial apprehension, Tamang found the experience transformative. “I’ve learned how to start a fire on my own and can cook for myself if an emergency arises. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about preparing various dishes and can confidently cook without relying on others,” he added.

Radika Biswa, also a seventh-grader, shared her reflections on the cooking competition, emphasizing the challenges and rewards of her participation. Biswa noted that making fire was particularly challenging, a skill often overshadowed by modern conveniences. “In today’s world, technology has made many aspects of life easier, but it has also led to a reliance on machines and a decline in traditional skills,” Biswa remarked. “This competition was a valuable opportunity for me to reconnect with our cultural heritage. I learned a great deal about traditional foods and the methods used to prepare them in the past.” Biswa expressed her enthusiasm for experimenting with various dishes and appreciated seeing her peers engage in the same traditional cooking methods. “It was exciting to make and taste different dishes while observing how my friends approached cooking in the same way,” she added. “I truly cherished this experience and the insights it provided into our culinary traditions.”