Whitebait cards held close to chests | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

The heat is on and the knives are out, but the competition is shrouded in secrecy as competitors in Jigsaw Whanganui's Great Whitebait Cook-Off stay mum on what they say is the winning recipe.

Last night they came together to hear Whanganui UCOL Hospitality tutor Gina Wagstaff state the finer points for the August 20 cook-off in the War Memorial Hall.

However, the competitors were dealing out some psychological warfare of their own.

Whanganui Community Foundation's chief executive Judith Timpany says she and team member Belinda Marker have had two practices.

Mrs Timpany said she already knew that huhu grubs were the secret ingredient in Wanganui Chronicle general manager Andy Jarden's and team member Amanda deRuyter's whitebait recipe.

She added that Jigsaw did "amazing work in the community" and their entry was "stepping up to help the organisation".

Mayor Annette Main and Jane Lillington are adamant they have the winning recipe.

"I lived by the Mowhanau Stream for years, and my mum came from the Makirikiri Valley. My grandfather had a secret ingredient, so they did not get sick of the family's delicacy," Ms Main said.

More FM's morning announcers, Jason Granville and Sue Miller, say they're always up early and it will be the "early bird that gets the worm" with their "something-exotic twist on an old favourite".

There will be three judges on the night: Angela Ferguson from the Taranaki branch of the NZ Chefs' Association and Patrick Van Alfen, a wine merchant from Wairarapa Wines, and a third person who will agree to have their name put forward when they arrive at the event and drawn before the judging takes place.