Philippines wins bronze at HK Culinary Classic 2009

MANILA, Philippines – Center for Culinary Arts chef instructor Erika Tobia de Leon won a bronze medal at the recently concluded Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2009. The cooking competition is a much-awaited division of HOFEX, the International Exhibition of Food & Drink, Hotel, Restaurant & Foodservice Equipment Supplies and Service.  Currently in its 13th edition, the exhibit has been held biennially since 1987, and is one of Asia’s most important trade shows. Competing in the Western Cuisine-Professional: Vegetarian Division, De Leon prepared Portobello mushrooms in balsamic and thyme vinaigrette. “The inspiration for the dish is a Middle Eastern beef stew. In this case, the mushroom replaces the beef,” explained De Leon. Health-conscious vegetarians will wholeheartedly agree that the Portobello mushrooms are a sound choice. High in vitamin B, potassium and phosphorous, an added benefit of using the mushroom is that it is cholesterol and fat free. The mushroom is served with curried bell pepper, zucchini, spinach and carrots. What is interesting is that the vegetables are cut into long strips to resemble spaghetti noodles. To achieve this effect, De Leon uses a Japanese kitchen contraption called a turning slicer. Accompanying the vegetables was a coulis or sauce from a puree of vegetables and fruit. This was made with sun-dried tomatoes, blood orange juice and cumin.  A topping of smoked eggplant, feta cheese and garlic added flavor; and to increase taste and visual impact even more, the dish was finished with herb oil made with parsley and chives.

De Leon shared that timed practice sessions were necessary to prepare for the competition. This honed efficiency and allowed her to maximize the one-hour session set for the culinary challenge. Moreover, the practice sessions allowed her to improve on the plating of the dish for better visual appeal. “Using a bigger- capped Portobello made the dish too brown,” said De Leon who had culinary training in Australia before teaching at the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA). And thus, it was necessary to find mushrooms that were sized just right.

CCA is a firm believer in the importance of competitions as venues for sharpening the skills of both its instructors and students. Because of this, the school regularly supports and sends teams to cooking contests in the Philippines and abroad. “Although some will hesitate to join competitions for fear of losing, we always believe that the exposure to new trends is always essential,” says Marinela “Badjie” Trinidad, vice president and CEO of the Cravings Group that runs CCA.

“More important than the awards and medals, competition exposes our chefs and students to new trends. It allows them to gauge where they stand and to strive to do even better.” She is a firm believer that resolve and discipline are vital in becoming a successful chef and that constant practice is necessary to improve culinary skills. To train their students for local and foreign competition, a school organization called Societe’ de Excellance subjects them to rigid culinary training under time pressure.

Now on its 11th year, CCA is young as far as international culinary schools go. However, CCA is among the most respected schools in the region, with a curriculum accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

Some of the Philippines’ most accomplished celebrity chefs have been trained in the school, and instructors and graduates have won numerous medals in various prestigious international culinary competitions in the region.

For this year’s Hong Kong International Culinary Classic, CCA chef instructor Roel Vargas was part of the Philippine team that won a gold medal for Live Baking category and student Kim Naval competing with Pastry Alliance, won bronze in the Plated Desserts category.

A chef’s work is difficult, but CCA chefs are not just forging forward, as testament to their excellent training, they continue to win accolades, too.