Aspiring chefs competed in a cooking contest to promote an iconic Thai stir fry dish.

Dozens of cooks from Thailand's northeast region entered the preliminaries of the 'World Kaphrao Thailand Grand Prix 2023' in Chiang Mai on August 16, hoping to impress tourists and locals alike with their own spin on the popular 'Phat kaphrao' or Thai holy basil stir-fry.

The event was organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as part of its 'gastronomy tourism' campaign, and aims to showcase the history and culture behind the beloved dish.

Among the anticipated highlights is the 'Pad Kaphrao Thailand Championship', where participants from different regions across Thailand will try to cook the dish under the theme 'Authentic and Beyond'.

Contestants must use at least 50 per cent domestic and local ingredients to 'create a uniquely named dish that reflects Thai identity.'

Qualifying rounds will be held to find representatives from the country's northern, northeastern, eastern, southern, and central regions, who will enter the national finals, scheduled on August 25 to 27 at the Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem in Bangkok, Thailand.

The winner of the showdown will take home 400,000 THB (11,428 USD), while the runner-up and third-placer will receive 100,000 THB (2,856 USD) and 70,000 THB (2,000) respectively.

An additional winner of the 'Classic Award' will receive 50,000 THB (1,428 USD).

There will also be nine winners who will take home 10,000 THB (285 USD) as consolation prizes.