Simone is a member of the Sunrise Seventh-day Adventist Church in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas.

"It was a great experience, it was hard work and took a lot of preparation and skill," she said, adding that although she felt very confident when she left Freeport, once she arrived at the competition, she did feel a little nervous.

"I wasn't rushing though, I finished maybe two minutes before the time was up, just in time."

In the end, Bethel earned a total of 879 points, taking home a $1,700 scholarship as well as the coveted bragging rights. The competition, sponsored by Mahatma Rice and Robin Hood flour, is in its 16th Year. Each contestant is required to prepare an original rice dish and flour dish in a two hour session. The food must be plated as four servings. Among the comments Bethel said she heard from the judges about her entry was that her rice was very colourful and flavourful, and that the samosas and the chutney both tasted very good.

Katrina Hodge accompanied her to the competition and said she believed Bethel impressed the judges with the ethnic flavour of her dishes as well as her presentation. Noting that the young chef is a very introverted young woman, Hodge said her calmness is perhaps what helped her during the competition. The coach said she and Bethel spent many hours preparing for the competition, and commended the student for her persistence and diligence. Throughout the long practice sessions, Hodge said, Bethel worked without complaint until each dish was perfected and met the high standards required for the competition. Hodge said she came up with the idea for the Indian-themed recipes with the assistance from an Indian teacher at her school, and then she and Bethel tested it several times.

"I was very confident that she would do well. The dishes were good enough," she said.

Though there were originally three students in her class that were vying for the chance to represent the school at the Grand Bahama Championship in March, Bethel had won a cook-off competition and proceeded to compete in that preliminary leg.

"I just like to cook and to learn how to do dishes, especially for different nationalities. It' s fun," Bethel said.

Simone is the second of three girls born to Dale and Andrea Bethel of the Sunrise Seventh-day Adventist Church. . Simone also enjoys participating in the Youth Department, singing in the Youth Choir and according to her mother, hopes one day to open her own restaurant.

Adapted from an article in the Freeport News, May 5, 2008 by K. Nancoo-Russell