Teamwork, Avocados & a Surprise Win at the Master Chef Contest in the Office 

Yesterday was no ordinary day at work. Instead of reports and meetings, my colleague and I rolled up our sleeves, tied on aprons, and stepped into the makeshift office kitchen spotlight to represent our department in this year’s Master Chef Challenge—and guess what? We won! 

The task sounded simple (but wasn’t): prepare healthy snacks in under 30 minutes using a surprise spread of ingredients. The twist? Each dish had to highlight a mystery ingredient—only revealed the moment the timer started.

And that secret ingredient was… avocado! 🥑

We had just five minutes to rush around gathering what we needed: salad greens, vegetables, cold cuts, breads, nachos, cheese, dressing options, boiled eggs—you name it. We weren’t allowed to bring any recipes, and the only equipment available was a panini press and toaster oven. That’s it. No stove, no blender, no frying pan. 😅

Before the cooking began, my teammate and I quickly strategized: What healthy, no-cook meals could we pull off using what was there? In half an hour of pure focus, a bit of laughter, and lots of chopping and layering, we came up with:

Tortilla “Sushi” Rolls – basically a tortilla wrap smothered with salsa, layered with slices of avocado, apple, cucumber, boiled egg, and onion; rolled and then cut to look like sushi. We added crushed nachos on top of each for flair.
Rainbow Salad with a Twist – slew of cubed vegetables, tuna, corn, apple, and avocado with Ceasar salad dressing mixed with mashed avocado.
Layered Sandwiches – loaded with cold cuts, boiled egg slices, avocado, onions, a touch of Thousand Island, and sweet apple for sweet contrast.

The real pressure? Our department won this contest last year, so we were the team to beat. Plus, I’ll admit—I usually cook meals using heat and pans. I’ve never made salad or sandwiches under pressure (let alone without tasting as I go!). We were literally making it up as we went, hoping our flavors worked.

With just seconds left, we plated and stepped back. The judges went around and tasted every contestant’s plated concoctions. When it was our turn, we explained how we prepared the food and why we came up with what we plated as part of the mechanics of contest. They told us they taste great but thought they were just being polite. Take note, we didn’t get the chance to savor the meals we just made!

When they announced the second and first runner ups and it wasn’t us, I was a bit crestfallen. The food prepared by all contestant really did look good and promising. When they announced our win, we were thrilled—and also so surprised!

Our reward? A personal blender each—perfect for smoothies, sauces, or continuing this healthy habit at home (hello, avocado shakes!).

Honestly, it was fast, a little frantic, and completely fun. We have all been so busy as office workers and the contest was a reminder that creativity and teamwork can shine outside spreadsheets—this was a great lesson in thinking on your feet, working together, and having fun with food. My key takeaway was that given the right ingredients, we can make healthy meals in under 30 minutes, it doesn’t take that much effort to make one or three as was in our case!