The 1st Runner-Up was awarded to the Historic Camalig Restaurant while the 2nd Runner-Up was given to RBI SteakHouse. The champion in the schools’ category was ILEAD.
With the theme: “East meets West” but with a Kapampangan touch, the Hotels and Restaurants Association in Pampanga (HARP) presented the HARP Cook-Off Challenge 3 at the SM City Clark here Wednesday last week.
Mitch Otsuru-Park of HARP said the contest aims to promote healthy competition among the different hotels and restaurants within Pampanga; further promote Pampanga as a culinary destination in Central Luzon; give participants a deeper understanding of the cultural exchange among countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas through the theme “East Meets West”; showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage through food; and to further establish the Philippines as center of culinary excellence in Asia.
Park said the event’s beneficiary is the Kitchen Project for Special Education Center at the Angeles Elementary School.
Park said each competing team is composed of two cooks or chefs; each team was given a total of one hour for food preparation, cooking and cleaning; and each team must prepare a three course meal in four sets – one hot or cold appetizer, one main course, and one dessert.
Park said each team shall prepare four portions of appetizer, main course and dessert that will be presented to the judges and to the media.
The participants were RBI Steakhouse, Nashly D’Elia and Lalaine Laggui; Widus Hotel and Casino, John Nino Cordero and Jaimes Van Hagut; Café Noelle, Rrejy Louise and Tapnio Joseph Oliver Enriquez; Historic Camalig Restaurant, Nino Emerito Pamintuan and Harrison Santos; Azurro Hotel, Berjohn Maglalang and Noe Lulu; and Royce Hotel & Casino, Jerry Ruth Ramos and Jay Carreon.
The school participants were Ilead, Louie Anthony Jimenez and Brian Michael Fina; Northpoint Academy, Nepthali Laxamana and Enrico Paras.
The judges for the professional category were James Yulo, Chef Don Edward Quito, and Chef Michelle Adrillana.
The judges for the school category were Clark International Airport Corp. President Dino Tanjuatco, Chef Michael Caffrey, and Chef Vince Garcia.
