FoodfindsAsia.com | 2021 EAST MEETS WEST CULINARY COMPETITION won by Culinary Student Joaquin Carsi Cruz | The second edition of the Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board’s East meets West culinary competition was a resounding success! This year’s competition in the Philippines was originally scheduled to begin in August 2020 as part of a European pork and beef marketing campaign. The 2021 event attracted nearly 200 participants from across the Philippines, including professional chefs, culinary students, and home cooks, and food bloggers.
The final cook-off was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manila on November 30th, 2021, with the top five finalists presenting their recipes in a tense final cook-off. Outstanding culinary creativity in using European pork and Irish beef was required of each finalist in the competition. In a fiercely contested competition, the top five finalists prepared and served their individual recipes to the esteemed panel of chef judges.
Students at the Center for Culinary Arts-Manila have won the prestigious East Meets West Culinary Competition with their dish Pares: Shortrib and Mushroom Pares with Sweet Garlic Adlai Risotto, Mango Chili Fluid Gel, and a Mango-Garlic Vinaigrette. A close second-place finisher is chef/cook/mentor Miguel Antonio Lorino, who prepared Kabisera: Pahimis Coffee Braised European Beef Shanks for the competition. Bulcachong Smoked Pork Jowl Curry, prepared by De La Salle-College of St. Benilde student Bianca Abola, came in second place. Mae Romelin Almirante, a student at La Flamme Bleue Center for Culinary Arts in Iloilo City, was awarded the 3rd runner-up spot. Pork Belly Adobo with Mediterranean flair was served in a Tagine by her. With his Binagoongan dish, Marc Rensus Espinosa of Tarlac City, a culinary student, came in fourth place.
In order to ensure that the winning dishes had excellent presentation and high quality world-class standards, our panel of world-renowned chefs, including Chef Mark Hagan of the Grand Hyatt Manila – Bonifacio Global City, Chef Philip John Golding of Disciples d’Escoffier International Asia – Philippines and Donie Bigcas, 2020 East Meets West Culinary Competition winner, carefully evaluated the winning recipes.
Top 5 recipes were judged for the final round based on the following factors:.
The recipes of the top 5 finalists were judged for the final round according to the
following criteria:
Taste and Texture – 50%
Correct professional cooking & preparation -25%
Mise en place – 10%
Presentation – 10%
Authenticity and originality of the recipe – 5%
Chef Mark Hagan, the Executive Chef of Grand “Showing their ‘heart and soul’ while demonstrating the dish preparation, kitchen skills, and plating/setting,” said Grand Hyatt Manila Executive Chef Mark Hagan of this year’s finalists.
The views expressed in this press release are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the company. For the European Commission, there is no liability whatsoever for the information it provides.
“Key point is expertise in bringing out the flavor of the high-quality European pork and beef from Ireland,” Chef Philip John Golding stated at the beginning of the competition.
Just one year ago, Donie Bigcas, the winner of the East Meets West Culinary Competition, was in the same position, and he was blown away by the quality of the food on display.
It is the goal of the Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, to raise awareness of the quality and unique taste of European pork and beef from Ireland through this competition.
A spokesperson for Bord Bia’s EU Pork and Beef Program said, “We are delighted with the strong interest shown in the 2021 competition and the high standard of recipes on display. ” Marion Rogan. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and congratulations to our top five winners for making it to the final.”
There are PHP325,000 worth of gift vouchers up for grabs, as well as a cooking class with world-renowned chefs Philip John Golding and Mark Hagan, a luxurious hotel stay with an Irish breakfast, and a chef’s kit full of high-end supplies for the top five finalists.
The European Pork and Beef Campaign in the Philippines can be found here:
https://www.europeanporkbeef.com/ph
There is a Facebook page for the company: https://www.facebook.com/EUPorkandBeefPH.
Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/euporkbeef ph
