Central Thai launches Cooking Battle Season 2

Central Department Store in Thailand used a May 24 social-media push to spotlight “Cooking Battle Season 2,” a cooking contest tied to its kitchenware sales campaign. The retailer’s post on X highlighted sponsor-linked cookware, appliances and pantry-related home products connected to the event, according to the social briefing provided for this story. Separate campaign coverage and brand write-ups show the contest sat inside Central’s broader “Central Cooking Time” promotion, which ran across its home department and digital shopping channels. The event is part promotion, part branded cooking competition. Central’s campaign materials said the retailer was using the program to bring cooking-focused shoppers into its home category, where it was selling cookware and small appliances with discounts and other purchase incentives. A sponsor article published by Wachi Zone said the second season was staged at CentralWorld and aimed to find the “best chef of Central Department Store 2026.” (makemoneyinsight.com) ### What exactly did Central launch? “Cooking Battle Season 2” is a contest attached to Central’s “Central Cooking Time” campaign, which promotes kitchen and home-cooking products. The social briefing says Central promoted the event on X on May 24 and included product links and event dates in that post. Campaign coverage published earlier by Makemoneyinsight described the broader promotion as a home-department push built around cookware, small appliances and cooking participation. (makemoneyinsight.com) May 2 campaign details show Central had already been running a cooking-themed retail program before the May 24 social push. Makemoneyinsight said the campaign offered discounts of as much as 50% and additional coupons and cashback under specified conditions, with shopping available in stores, through the Central app, on its website and via concierge-style services. (makemoneyinsight.com) ### How was Season 2 structured? Wachi Zone said the 2026 edition featured three teams and a “mystery box” challenge, with contestants given 40 minutes to create dishes. The same report said the contest offered total prizes worth more than 200,000 baht. That marks a larger prize figure than Central’s 2025 “Central Cooking Battle,” which Makemoneyinsight said carried total prizes worth more than 150,000 baht. (makemoneyinsight.com) The competition also appears to have shifted format from the prior year. In 2025, Central asked entrants to submit cooking clips through Facebook or TikTok, selected participants from those submissions and then held the live event on May 22 at Central Ladprao, according to Makemoneyinsight. The 2026 sponsor write-up instead described an on-site contest at CentralWorld with three competing teams. (wachizone.com) ### Which brands and chefs were involved? Wachi Zone named Meyer as a sponsor participant and listed other kitchen and appliance brands showcased at the event, including Balmuda, Electrolux, DeLonghi, Kenwood, LocknLock, SharkNinja, Tefal and Zwilling. The article said the event was designed to reinforce Central’s position as a destination for cooking-focused shoppers. (makemoneyinsight.com) Three chefs were named in the Wachi Zone account of Season 2: Phurin Phatthanawiriyawanit, identified as representing Meyer and known from MasterChef Season 4; Pimthip Paosila; and Thanakrit Thiangtham. Central’s 2025 campaign used a different judging lineup that included Supamongkol Suphipipat, Jessica Wang and Nathinee Jiamprasert, according to Makemoneyinsight and other 2025 coverage surfaced in search results. (wachizone.com) ### Was this mainly a contest or a retail campaign? Central’s campaign materials tied the contest directly to shopping. Makemoneyinsight said “Central Cooking Time” ran through May 26 at Central stores and across the retailer’s digital channels, while the Wachi Zone article said the event also gathered a range of sponsored cookware and electric kitchen products in one place. (wachizone.com) The next concrete marker was May 26, the end date Central gave for the wider “Central Cooking Time” promotion in its campaign materials. Central said customers could continue shopping the campaign through stores, the Central app, its website, Central Chat & Shop and Central Personal Shopper On Demand until then. (makemoneyinsight.com)