First Republican Student Competition in Professional Skills "Mountain Kitchen" Hosted at Moscow State University of Culture and Tourism

As part of the federal project "Professionalism" within the national project "Youth and Children," the Maykop State Humanitarian and Technical College of Adygea State University held the first republican student professional skills competition, "Mountain Kitchen." The event was timed to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the secondary vocational education system. The competition brought together students majoring in "Cooking and Pastry" from five educational institutions in the region.

At the opening ceremony, the participants were congratulated by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Adygea – Minister of Finance Viktor Orlov; Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Adygea Evgeny Lebedev; Rector of Adygea State University Daud Mamiy; and business representatives who collaborate with the college and are interested in attracting young, promising professionals.

The "Mountain Kitchen" competition included tasks that allowed for a comprehensive assessment of the participants' professional skills. Students created video presentations expressing their passion for their chosen profession. One of the most challenging yet spectacular stages involved identifying grains by touch while blindfolded, requiring excellent sensory memory and familiarity with the product range.

The contestants showcased their culinary talents through dishes reflecting the rich heritage of Adyghe cuisine. They prepared the national dish, "Lylybzh," and also demonstrated their skills by creating a dessert—"Syrniki with Adyghe Cheese and Pumpkin." The final stage involved preparing a refreshing smoothie using local ingredients.

The young chefs' skills were judged by professionals—experienced chefs from renowned restaurants and cafes in Maykop. The jury considered not only the taste and presentation of the dishes but also adherence to the recipe, the cooking technique, and the creativity and originality of the presentation.

According to the results of the competition, first place was awarded to Karina Zhiganyuk (Krasnogvardeisky Agrarian-Industrial Technical School), second place to Filipp Chernyshev (Maikop Polytechnic Technical School), and third place to Nikita Khitrov (MGGTK ASU).

Victoria Ilyina (MSTU Polytechnic College) and Anastasia Bodneva (Dondukovsky Agricultural College) took fourth and fifth places.

In addition, competition guests participated in master classes on Adyghe hospitality, led by students from the Department of Service Industry at Moscow State University of Technology and Culture (MGGTK), and by Bella Gonezhuk, head of the confectionery shop, on preparing a trifle dessert.

The "Mountain Kitchen" competition allowed students to showcase their skills, facilitated the exchange of experiences, and strengthened ties between educational institutions and industry companies.