Durban - A mother and daughter team from Glen Anil, Lee-Anne and Hannah Ibbetson, have come out tops in a national cooking competition that has won them a kitchen make-over worth R300 000, a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, US – and their recipes being featured in a cookbook that will be released later this year.
They impressed the judges with their originality, creativity and teamwork in the kitchen.
For the duo, it was simply a matter of doing what they love to do at home.
“We enjoy being in the kitchen together and during the course of the competition, we both grew as cooks and I learnt to trust Hannah’s cooking skills,” says Lee-Anne, an insurance underwriting manager.
During the elimination rounds that led up to the final, Hannah, 12, a pupil at Our Lady of Fatima School in Durban North, was required to do many tasks on her own, without the help of her mom.
“She really impressed me,” says Lee-Anne.
The duo, called Sugar and Spice, made it through all the rounds of the Clover Clover Little Big Cook Off TV show that was featured on SABC 3 over 13 weeks.
Mike, Hannah’s step-father, entered the pair after seeing the competition advertised on packs of Clover products.
“I didn’t know what the competition was about until we got a call and were interviewed,” says Lee-Anne. As they progressed further in the contest, she realised that they would be flown to Johannesburg several times and have to cook in the tough rounds of a TV show.
For the final, the pair cooked Pea and Mint Soup with Parmesan Biscuits and Croutons for a starter, and a Chicken and Butternut Bake with Mushrooms and Cheese for their main course.
“I can’t believe we won!” said an overjoyed Hannah. “All that practising in the kitchen was worth it!”
The Clover Little Big Cook Off recipe book, featuring the top dishes from the show, will be released later in the year. Lee-Anne and Hannah get to choose two charities that will benefit from proceeds of the sale of the book.
Hannah has chosen St Theresa’s Children’s Home in Sherwood and Lee-Anne has chosen the Domino Foundation Babies Home.
“I am so inspired, I have started taking cooking lessons – and Hannah and I will definitely continue cooking together,” says Lee-Anne.
Daily News