Eight home chefs competed in the debut Prego Home Chef Live Showdown for the coveted title
Kuala Lumpur, 30 April 2025 – Home cooking took centre stage at 1 Mont Kiara on Sunday as eight passionate home chefs battled it out in the first-ever Prego Home Chef Live Showdown. Held at the mall’s vibrant concourse area, the competition brought culinary skills to life as contestants competed for the coveted title and a grand prize of RM2,000. All eight had earned their place after winning Prego’s earlier ‘Master the Menu’ contest, qualifying them for this live cook-off.
The event, organised by Prego and hosted at 1 Mont Kiara, consisted of two rounds: a preliminary cook-off and a high-stakes final where only two chefs advanced. In the preliminary round, contestants were judged by food content creator Nurul Ain and professional chef Jay, founder of Base Pasta & Bistro. The final round placed the decision in the hands of the audience, who voted for the ultimate winner.
Emerging as the champion was Jeanette Faustina Effendi, who impressed both judges and the crowd despite facing hurdles during the competition. It marked her first-ever live cooking contest — and her first experience preparing food with plastic gloves. Jeanette’s opening dish, a Chicken Parmigiana featuring tomato-based pasta topped with fried chicken and melted cheese, drew praise for its subtle Japanese flavour, a nod to her inspiration from chicken katsu.
In the final round, the top two contestants faced a new challenge: creating a dish for ten people within 45 minutes using Prego ingredients and two shrimps. Jeanette adapted quickly, preparing a cream-based pasta accented with lemon juice to balance the richness, while finely mincing the shrimps as the dish’s main protein. Her careful attention to flavour and balance helped her edge out fellow finalist Siti Zaitun by a single vote from the enthusiastic crowd.
Even after injuring her finger with a knife during the competition, Jeanette remained calm and carried on. “I just joined for fun and didn’t expect to win. I’m used to cooking for my friends who often come over every weekend — sometimes up to 15 people,” she shared.
The Prego Home Chef Live Showdown celebrated culinary creativity while showcasing resilience and resourcefulness in the kitchen, inspiring home cooks across Malaysia to continue sharing their passion through hearty meals.
Reflecting on the event, Ivy Chew, Centre Manager of 1 Mont Kiara, said, “Prego Malaysia chose our mall for its shopper demographics, which align with their brand. Having Village Grocer on our Lower Ground floor, well-stocked with Prego products, made it easy to source additional ingredients during the competition. We are proud to support avid home chefs and look forward to hosting more events that promote healthy home cooking in our community.”
For more information about 1 Mont Kiara, visit www.1montkiara.com or follow us on our official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/1montkiara/.
