28th MAGGI® Secondary School Cooking Competition Sets New Record

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Breaking records with a 50% rise in entries and 16 state finalists advancing, the competition highlights how creativity and culinary skills flourish well beyond the classroom.

Kuala Lumpur, October 8, 2025 - The 28th MAGGI® Secondary School Cooking Competition (MSSCC), a partnership with Ministry of Education (MOE) and State Education Department, culminated in a thrilling Grand Finale with 16 state finalists at The Campus Ampang, closing an exciting two-month culinary journey for secondary students from across Malaysia. 

MAGGI® continues to celebrate the creativity, talent, and passion of students who are shaping the future of Malaysia’s food culture, this year with the finale theme of Dari Negeri ke Pentas Dunia.

2025 drew an impressive record of 2044 student entries aged 13 – 17 from 16 states (including Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya and Labuan) with 866 students participating at the state levels. For the first time, the competition welcomed Form 4 and Form 5 students, giving even more young talents the opportunity to explore the fundamentals of cooking and learn about balanced diet — all while showcasing their creativity and passion in the kitchen.

Nurturing Skills and Inspiring the Next Generation of Everyday Cooks, Beyond the Classroom 

As part of its long-standing collaboration with the MOE since 1997, MAGGI® reaffirmed its dedication to nurturing the next generation of food enthusiasts in prioritising balanced cooking and eating. Throughout MSSCC, students not only sharpened their cooking skills but also developed essential life skills such as teamwork, creativity, and perseverance — all building blocks for future success.

Ms. Ivy Tan Link Cheh, Business Executive Officer of MAGGI® Malaysia and Singapore, also shared her thoughts on the enduring partnership with MOE: “We deeply value the Ministry’s trust and support over the past 28 years and are thrilled to continue our partnership this year. Together, we remain committed to nurturing healthy cooking and eating habits among the next generation of Everyday Cooks. Knowing that more than 350,000 students have explored their creativity and passion in the kitchen over the past 28 years is truly inspiring for all of us at MAGGI®.

Through MSSCC, students are learning more than recipes—they’re gaining confidence, collaborating with peers, and discovering the joy of preparing balanced meals that celebrate Malaysia’s rich and diverse food culture. Competitions like this introduce them to food fundamentals while giving them space to dream and experiment. Their energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm remind me of what we can achieve when we share, learn, and grow together. Their journey is just as inspiring as the dishes they create.”

Following a rigorous selection process, where judges evaluated the 16 finalists on creativity, taste, presentation, and nutritional balance of recipes, five national winners emerged — showcasing extraordinary culinary skills and creativity that truly captivated the judges’ palates.

The five national winners are: 

1. Muhammad Adiy Naufal Bin Muhammad Hazrul and Nur Muslihah Najwa Binti Hamizan, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Bemban, Melaka
2. Dhiya Hanis Syamimi Binti Faizatu Afkhma and Nur Atiqah Elisya Binti Zulfatihi, SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 1, Kelantan
3. Muhammad Asner Bin Asnal and Muhammad Alfian Bin Saadon, SM St. Mary, Sabah
4. Muhammad Amsyar Haikal Bin Abdullah and Muhammad Danial Asyraf Bin Awang @ Ahmad, SMK Belara, Terengganu
5. Mohammad Aidil Zaqwan Bin Mirza and Muhammad Airil Haikal Bin Abdullah, SMK Bandar Sibu, Sarawak

Muhammad Adiy Naufal Bin Muhammad Hazrul and Nur Muslihah Najwa Binti Hamizan shine brightest, taking home the 2025 MSSCC championship

“Every MSSCC participant is a winner in our eyes. Each student brought remarkable skill, creativity, and passion to the kitchen, showing what it takes to excel not just in this competition, but as everyday young cooks,” Chef Sharifah from MAGGI® proudly commented. “Among all the talented teams, one stood out for elevating their home state dish while preserving its original essence and keeping it nutritionally balanced. Using the Quarter-Quarter-Half principle from the Malaysian Healthy Plate, dishes were judged to ensure students understand and apply the fundamentals of balanced nutrition.”

Parents were introduced to a new initiative from the Nestlé For Healthier Kids programme. It featured an interactive cooking demo offering practical tips for preparing quick and balanced meals at home. The goal is to empower families to make healthier food choices and foster lifelong healthy eating habits for the whole family.

Muhammad Adiy Naufal Bin Muhammad Hazrul and Nur Muslihah Najwa Binti Hamizan from SMK Seri Bemban, Melaka, took home the championship while Dhiya Hanis Syamimi Binti Faizatu Afkhma and Nur Atiqah Elisya Binti Zulfatihi from SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 1, Kelantan placed second and Muhammad Asner Bin Asnal and Muhammad Alfian Bin Saadon from SM St. Mary, Sabah placed third. 

Muhammad Adiy Naufal Bin Muhammad Hazrul and Nur Muslihah Najwa Binti Hamizan, SMK Seri Bemban, Melaka, the winners of the 28th MAGGI® Secondary School Cooking Competition (MSSCC), shared their thoughts on their win: "We cooked Grilled Duck with MAGGI® Percik ala Thai Sauce with Salsa Mango served with Garlic Bread, a menu inspired from famous French cuisine, Duck L’Orange. In line with the theme, Dari Negeri ke Pentas Dunia, MSSCC gave us the chance to explore modern cooking and cooking solutions from MAGGI® that help us in our daily lives, whilst preserving flavour. The competition helped us appreciate the richness of Malaysian food culture even more. Sharing our dish and learning from other students’ traditional recipes has deepened our pride in our heritage and community.

Our teacher once told us, ‘Don’t just cook for the competition, cook for your story, cook for your loved ones.’ That advice inspired us to focus on the history and culture behind our dish, making our dish more meaningful. MSSCC encouraged us to always bring care, creativity, and balanced nutrition to every meal. We hope to continue learning and sharing our love for food in our daily lives and future career."

Dhiya Hanis Syamimi Binti Faizatu Afkhma and Nur Atiqah Elisya Binti Zulfatihi from SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 1, Kelantan, second place in MSSCC shared: “We cooked Sushi Itik Percik with Sos Hijau,. For MSSCC, we wanted to celebrate our heritage while making the dish healthier — keeping the key flavours but using methods like grilling using air fryer instead of frying and adding more vegetables. This experience showed us that traditional recipes can be adapted to be healthy without losing their authenticity. MSSCC has also taught young people like us the fundamentals of food, as well as the importance of creativity, teamwork, and perseverance - lessons we will cherish and practice forever.” 

Ms. Tan concluded: “I wish to applaud all students for diving into MSSCC and giving it their all. In true MAGGI® spirit, this competition is about sharing, learning, and creating together. Every young chef here has shown incredible passion and talent, and I hope this experience inspires them to keep cooking, experimenting, and celebrating Malaysia’s amazing flavours.” 

For more information on MAGGI® MSSCC 2025, please visit:
https://www.maggi.my/ms/memupuk-generasi-muda/

About MAGGI®

MAGGI® is the iconic food brand in Malaysia. Its core mission is to create good-food moments that bring families closer together. Through its wide range of products and food solutions, MAGGI® helps Malaysians to prepare tasty and balanced homemade meals for themselves or their families every day. The brand is also committed to the ever-evolving needs of meal providers, providing innovative solutions from noodles to culinary products, which continue to delight and inspire Malaysians to cook the fresh food they love and believe in. To learn more, please visit www.maggi.my. 

About Nestlé Malaysia: Nourishing Malaysians for Over a Century

Since 1912, Nestlé has been dedicated to nourishing Malaysians and building their trust through our high-quality brands and products. We contribute to food security as well as to the health and well-being of the Rakyat through our trusted brands and a long-term commitment to Malaysia in the form of investments, employment, and various initiatives that uplift local communities. Today, we operate six factories, employing over 5,000 Malaysians, and we are the Halal Centre of Excellence for Nestlé globally. We are committed to providing halal, nutritious, and high-quality products with sustainability at the heart of our business practices - Made in Malaysia, by Malaysians, for all Malaysians.

As the world's largest food and beverage manufacturer, with our headquarters based in Switzerland, Nestlé operates in over 180 countries. With a workforce of over 270,000 dedicated employees, we are driven by our purpose to unlock the power of food, enhancing the quality of life for everyone, both today and for future generations. Our commitment to nutrition, health, and wellness guides our performance, ensuring we deliver on our promise of GOOD FOOD, GOOD LIFE.

To discover more about our century-long journey of nourishing Malaysians, please visit our website at https://www.nestle.com.my/ask-nestle/we-are-nestle.

For more information, please contact:

Shaheen Zaffar
Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad
Tel: (+603) 7965 6456
E-mail: [email protected] 

Farah Aqilah or Deepa Mukundan
acorn communications
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