The Contestants
1. Japan
Tetsuji Iio &
Moeko Kamoda
Armed with laser thermometers and high-tech gadgets, the Japanese team won over many judges not just with the flavours and artistic presentation of their dishes, but also because of their hygienic and organised workspace. And to think that Japan did not originally intend to participate in this inaugural challenge due to time constraints! It was Toshi Utsunomiya, president of the All Japan Chefs Association (AJCA), who insisted Japan support the fledging competition. Japan’s dynamic duo will represent Asia in the finals of the WACS Global Chefs Challenge to be held in Dubai next May.
2. Singapore
Anderson Ho Chow Foong &
Yeo Qiao Feng
Participating in the challenge was a great way to get away from my everyday routine and I returned to Singapore feeling very refreshed! Although, I must admit it was a very tiring experience— my assistant and I only slept at 2am the night before the competition and we had to be up by 6am. We were feeling very anxious because we couldn’t practise in a kitchen and our plans were only on paper, and my assistant and I only had three trials before the competition as it took some time for me to find someone under the age of twentythree. Also, the last time I took part in a competition was in 2001 and this was the very first competition my assistant was taking part in! I really needed to get back in tune for this Global Chefs Challenge.
3. Hong Kong
Eddy Chu Chi Leung &
Yi Wong Ka Yi
WACS Vice-President Edward Leonard and Asia Continental Director John Sloane were overseeing this great culinary challenge. They were impressed with our set-up and the international status of Hong Kong’s hospitality industry.
Rudy Muller, President,
Hong Kong Chefs Association
CHINA
Chen Jia Wu
Zhou Zhen Kun
INDONESIA
Made Putra
Nyoman Nurata
PHILIPPINES
Ariel Manuel
Andy Andrew Tabotabo
THAILAND
K Anurak Kittononnyang
Anthony Lo Kin Man
A Challenging Cook-Off
As the months draw closer to may 2008, everyone is gearing up for the world association of chefs’ societies (WACS) world congress to be held in Dubai. Here in Asia, we’ve just chosen our very first WACS global chefs challenge representative and he’s all ready to take on the other continental champions!
When the WACS board, comprising the presidium and continental directors, gave the WACS Global Chefs Challenge the green light at the most recent world congress in New Zealand (March 2006), Asia’s newly elected continental director, John Sloane, was given a monumental task. He had to oversee selections for the competition at local country levels as well as play a major part in organising and coordinating a continental cook-off. As executive chef of Singapore Airlines Terminal Services (SATS) Catering, Sloane had the advantage of travelling to many of the Asian countries under his care for work, and he took the opportunity to build even closer bonds with the respective chef association presidents.
Sloane’s objective was simple— to get as many Asian countries as possible involved in the inaugural WACS Global Chefs Challenge. The task took much encouragement, persuasion (some more than others) and a brave stand from Sloane at the 2006 WACS Asia Pacific Forum in Bangkok, where he gave his support for competitors from Asian countries even if they had not been selected through a competition (due to time and budget constraints of the chef associations). And after more than a year of hard work from Sloane and many Asian chefs associations, the WACS Global Chefs Challenge Asian Continental cook-off became a reality at HOFEX 2007 in Hong Kong, on 14 May. A total of 14 chefs from seven Asian countries gathered to compete in the continental challenge, meaning that just over half of the 13 countries in WACS Asia were represented— certainly a good turnout, considering it was the inaugural competition!
Each team of two included the competitor and a commis, who had to be under 23 years of age. Each competing country was also represented by a judge. WACS Vice-President Edward Leonard also flew in to help with judging and to oversee the procedures. A mystery basket containing over 100 items, including wines, was revealed to all competitors on 13 May, one day before the competition. Some useful tips were given on food and wine pairing and then each team was tasked to write up a four-course menu under two hours. Bright and early the next morning, the seven teams clocked in for ‘mise en place’ and the competition proper was well on its way! Over the next five hours, 28 different dishes were presented to the judging panel and the results were revealed at a prize-giving ceremony at the end of the day.
Venue HOFEX ICC
Hong Kong SAR
Date: 14 May 2007
ENTRY FORM
Closing Date: 27th April 2007
Please type or print clearly
Competing Country / Assoc --------------------------------------------------------
Name of participating Chef ---------------------------------------------------------
Position Date of birth I/D
1. ----------------------------------- -------------------------- -----------------
Names of assistant cook Position Date of birth I/D(age 23 and below)
2. ----------------------------------- ---------------------------- -----------------
Hotel Contact address --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact numbers
Tel/Office ----------------------- Handphone ----------------------------
Fax/Office ----------------------- Email --------------------------------------------
We agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the competition
Name --------------------------------
Association ---------------------
Signature ---------------------
Date ---------
Association Please Circle
AJCA, SCA, CCA, HKCA, BCP, CAM, LTB, KCA, CGL, TCA,
All sections of the entry form must be completed and sent by mail, or e-mail or Fax :
TO: WACS Global Chefs Challenge , P.O. Box 91614, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Kowloon, Hong Kong or rudolf.muller@disney.com or Fax no: 3550-2180 c/o Teresa Lau
Chef Ariel Manuel first started his career as a room boy in Hyatt Regency Manila. Then a self-supported architecture major, he quickly became fascinated by what he saw through glass window of the hotel kitchen: chefs preparing canapés and adding artful touches like vegetable and food carvings. He volunteered to help out in the kitchen and soon after, he was promoted to work in the kitchen.
Picking up culinary skills, he moved on to work in the Philippines’s finest hotels- the Peninsula, the Makati Shangri-La, the Heritage Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Manila, and The Westin Philippine Plaza, before opening his own Lolo Dad’s Café in the year 2000.
In 2002, he attended the Culinary Institute of America to hone his skills in Food and Wine Paring. After receiving the training he needed, he flew back to Manila to practice what he learned.
Eminent for pleasing consistency and the elegant but straightforward food he serves in his own restaurant, Chef Ariel is much sought-after by discriminating diners who want nothing less but perfection on their plates.
The WACS Global Chefs’ Challenge is made possible through the generosity of the following sponsors:
Global Sponsor:
Additional Sponsors:
CBI Food Distributors
Culinary Classics
Gary’s Seafood
Harvill’s Produce
Royal Doulton China
Official Outfitter for the WACS Global Chefs’ Challenge –
NewChef Fashion, Inc.