100 Years of Cookery at the Royal Adelaide Show
Cookery was first included in the Royal Adelaide Show in 1926. In this first year, only female competitors were permitted to enter and there were only 18 competition classes: preserved and canned vegetables, canned tomatoes, candied fruits, jams, jellies, bread, damper, pastry, biscuits, scones, pound cake (with and without fruit), iced fruit cake, plum pudding (steamed and boiled), and small cakes (plain and fancy). Entries for this year were low, but special commendation was given to Mrs W. Carroll of Aldgate, for her selection of jellies, best scones in show, and ‘perfectly mixed’ pound cake.
By its second year, Cookery had almost doubled in size, expanding to include 34 distinct competition classes, and RA&HS reports show that entries had increased ‘sixfold’. In 1929, Cookery was further expanded to include a junior division, open to girls who were still in school.
In 1955, almost 30 years after the Show’s first Cookery events, entry conditions for the adults were extended to include male competitors, though it took three years for a man to place in any of the open classes. This honour went to Mr E.A. James, who was awarded first prize for puff pastry and second prize for fruit cake in 1958. In 1964, the Junior Cookery classes were also extended to boy competitors, as well as girls.
In 2026, after 100 years, the Royal Adelaide Show’s Cookery competition has grown to 188 classes across a range of skill levels. Cookery at the Show still includes some of the original 1926 classes, including jams and preserves, scones, damper and plum pudding. Over time, classes have expanded to include a wider variety of classic and modern favourites, including sourdough and focaccia, baklava, energy balls, sweet and savoury pastries, lamingtons, pavlova, fudge, Anzac biscuits, large and decorated cakes, cheesecake, and gingerbread structures, as well as baked goods made with Australian Native ingredients, and those catering to a variety of dietary requirements.
Over the course of its existence, Cookery has remained one of the most beloved events at the Royal Adelaide Show, popular with competitors and visitors alike. Make sure to visit the Cookery section at this year’s show, and to stop by the Show Museum to view a special display celebrating the Centenary of Cookery!
Do you have photographs and memories of Cookery at the Show? We would love you to share them with us! To get in touch with the RA&HS Museum & Archives, please email history@adelaideshowground.com.au
Take a look at the gallery below, highlighting a century of Cookery images.
100 Years of Cookery at the Royal Adelaide Show
Cookery was first included in the Royal Adelaide Show in 1926. In this first year, only female competitors were permitted to enter and there were only 18 competition classes: preserved and canned vegetables, canned tomatoes, candied fruits, jams, jellies, bread, damper, pastry, biscuits, scones, pound cake (with and without fruit), iced fruit cake, plum pudding (steamed and boiled), and small cakes (plain and fancy). Entries for this year were low, but special commendation was given to Mrs W. Carroll of Aldgate, for her selection of jellies, best scones in show, and ‘perfectly mixed’ pound cake.
By its second year, Cookery had almost doubled in size, expanding to include 34 distinct competition classes, and RA&HS reports show that entries had increased ‘sixfold’. In 1929, Cookery was further expanded to include a junior division, open to girls who were still in school.
In 1955, almost 30 years after the Show’s first Cookery events, entry conditions for the adults were extended to include male competitors, though it took three years for a man to place in any of the open classes. This honour went to Mr E.A. James, who was awarded first prize for puff pastry and second prize for fruit cake in 1958. In 1964, the Junior Cookery classes were also extended to boy competitors, as well as girls.
In 2026, after 100 years, the Royal Adelaide Show’s Cookery competition has grown to 188 classes across a range of skill levels. Cookery at the Show still includes some of the original 1926 classes, including jams and preserves, scones, damper and plum pudding. Over time, classes have expanded to include a wider variety of classic and modern favourites, including sourdough and focaccia, baklava, energy balls, sweet and savoury pastries, lamingtons, pavlova, fudge, Anzac biscuits, large and decorated cakes, cheesecake, and gingerbread structures, as well as baked goods made with Australian Native ingredients, and those catering to a variety of dietary requirements.
Over the course of its existence, Cookery has remained one of the most beloved events at the Royal Adelaide Show, popular with competitors and visitors alike. Make sure to visit the Cookery section at this year’s show, and to stop by the Show Museum to view a special display celebrating the Centenary of Cookery!
Do you have photographs and memories of Cookery at the Show? We would love you to share them with us! To get in touch with the RA&HS Museum & Archives, please email history@adelaideshowground.com.au
Take a look at the gallery below, highlighting a century of Cookery images.