IPS Worldwide was asked, by the State Chamber of Commerce, if we would like to send a team to be part of the inaugural Company Cooks Award run by the Sydney Fish Market. Entrance was by a small donation to the National Heart Foundation and we were delighted to take part.

The competition was run over 2 weeks when several companies sent teams to participate and 3 were chosen each week to take part in the final. We sent our team of 4 people to the second week. We were somewhat apprehensive, not quite knowing what to expect, and of course all saying whilst we could cook, we weren't that good at it. Each team was given 2 pieces of fish to cook and could choose from herbs, vegetables, pasta or rice. The idea was to do whatever you wished with what was provided and marks were given for inventiveness, taste and presentation.

We all had good fun preparing the dishes and there was definitely an air of competitiveness while waiting for the judges to make a decision. Much to our delight we were among the groups chosen to go forward to the final and returned to go through the whole process again, only this time the winner, and there will only be one, has to wait until the Seafood Awards for 2003 are presented on 30 August.

I would like to thank the State Chamber of Commerce for inviting us and to the Sydney Fish Market for all the effort they put into the event. We certainly enjoyed ourselves.