A total of 20 universities and colleges all over National Capital region and Luzon consisted of 70 young aspiring chefs and 38 chefs-coaches showcased their innovation, culinary skills, creativity and mastery in the 2018 Philippine Food Expo Culinary challenge which highlighted the mastery of Philippine Cuisines.

All the participants competed in the different categories namely:

Food Styling and Photography Category

Filipino Modern Dessert Category

Healthy Pasta Challenge

Mystery Ingredients Category

Kitchen Master 2018

All the categories were mixtures of students from Hotel and Restaurant Management course or other related courses and student and coach-chef competed for the title in the different categories.

The National College of Business and Arts’ Hotel and Restaurant Department Fairview Campus consisted of two entries which battled for the Food Styling and Photography, an on the spot Filipino Food Styling Competition. A combination of art and culinary skills and food must be fitted for consumption. All dishes must be photographed ready for presentation. Team Paella Negra composed of Michael Cuevas and Regina Esperanza, and Team Arroz Caldo composed of Joenard Bernardo and Camille Cordova.

Team Arroz Caldo won as  First runner-up,  out of 16 entries from different universities and colleges in National Capital Region.

Here is the result:

2nd Runner-up: St Scholastica’s College

1st Runner-up: NCBA Fairview Campus

Champion: La Consolacion College Manila

While Dino Balidoy and his Coach Chester Mogol bagged the CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE for Kitchen Master 2018, an unconventionally timed cooking competition, where the participants must prepare one (1) appetizer, one (1) main course and one (1) dessert good for two (2) within 30 minutes only. This consisted of 10 competing universities and colleges in NCR and all over Luzon.

Here is the result:

2nd Runner-up: Professional Academy for Culinary Education

1st Runner-up: University of Santo Tomas

CHAMPION: NCBA Fairview Campus

Here’s the complete list of participating schools:

Chiang Kai Shek College

Emilio Aguinaldo College

Far Eastern University

Global Innovative College

La Consolacion College Manila

Metropolitan Medical Center College of Arts, Science and Technology

National College of Business and Arts-Fairview

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Philippine Christian University

Professional Academy for Culinary Education

Punlaan School

South Mansfield College

St. Paul University Quezon City

St Scholasticas College

Manila Tytana College

University of Santo Tomas

University of Batangas.

The Philippine Food Expo 2018 Culinary challenge aims to enhance relationship among the  different Universities/Colleges in the Philippines in order to develop the students and industry practitioners in gaining and applying knowledge on the latest trends and innovations in Hotel and Restaurant operations, to foster friendly and healthy competition among students and faculty from Colleges/Universities, to focus on the culinary skills and artistry of future chefs, to showcase the various elements of the food and beverage services in the Hotel and Restaurant and tourism industry, as well as to enhance the education on nutrition and healthy cooking, and to showcase students and the general public with an experience of a student competition and exhibition of food preparation and services in the hospitality industry.

NCBA CHAMPION IN MIXED GRILL BARBEQUE, SAUCES AND GARNISHES

AND FIRST PLACE IN  NOCHE BUENANG PINOY MAIN DISH CATEGORY

Titles and accomplishments were once again brought home by the Hotel and Restaurant Management Department of the NCBA – Fairview Campus in the Culinary industry. Stones are being stepped, not just by the participating students, but the whole school. Our participants snatched places and attained a new level of learning and opportunities for themselves as they won 1st place and grand prize in two categories of Quezon City’s  2017’s QCNA Culinary Competition.

NCBA – Fairview Campus represented all branches. The QCNA 2017 was held on the 26th of November, 2017 in City Walk, Eastwood. Four carefully chosen students teamed up and competed on their respective categories. Mr. John Carlo B. Dela Torre and Mr. Dino B. Balidoy for the Mixed Grilled BBQ, Sauces and Garnishing Category. They won the grand prize award. They competed against the other four universities and colleges in Metro manila, including Chaing Kai Shek College, St. Scholasticas College Manila, Olivares University and St. Paul University Quezon City

Here are the exact results:

2^nd Place: St. Paul University Quezon City

1^st Place: Chiang Kai Shek College

Grand Prize Winner: NCBA Fairview Campus

Ms. Mariella Soriano and Ms. Vanessa Jane G. Angala, for the Noche Buenang Pinoy Main Dish Category won first place, with their signature dish Christmas Chicken Roulade in Bugnay and strawberry wine sauce. Noche buenang pinoy main dish category was competed by Far Eastern University Manila, Olivarez University, St. Paul University, NCBA Fairview Campus and St. Cholasticas College.

Here is  the exact result :

2^nd place: Far Eastern University Manila

1^st Place: NCBA Fairview Campus

Grand Prize Winner: St. Scholasticas College Manila

The NCBA is slowly, but surely, crawling its way up on the ladder of success in the culinary industry! There will be additions of a trophy and award in the HRM collections to be forever recognized. May the blessings continue to shower, not just on the HRM Department, but the whole school of NCBA System.

For 21 years of serving the Food and Beverage Industry, Foods and Drinks Asia held its International Exposition on Specialty Food, Delicatessen, Confectionery, Beverages, Beers, Wines and Spirits, The Food and Drinks Asia 2017. It was held on the 9th of September 2017 at the World Trade Center in Manila, Philippines. The event highlights the “Food and Drinks Asia Cooking Challenge 2017” with a theme of ‘the Philippine Cuisine Regional Fusion’. Wherein the National College of Business and Arts – Fairview Campus participated and had left footprints to this expo.

It all started when the head of the HRM Department, Mr. Chester E. Mogol, had received an invitation to participate in the upcoming, Food and Drinks Asia Cooking Challenge 2017. As Mr. Mogol saw it, it was an opportunity to expand their knowledge,  to gain new experiences, to learn more about creativity, to acquire more skills and ability in cooking techniques and food presentation, and to, again, earn a name in the culinary industry. They had given the needed requirements and started in carefully picking the students who will compete. Mr. Chester Mogol and Mrs. Roda Gonzales saw potentials in Mr. Dino B. Balidoy and Mr. John Carlo B.Dela Torre, and was the chosen students that represented the whole NCBA Fairview, Taytay and Cubao in the Food and Drinks Asia Cooking Challenge 2017. When asked why, Mr. Mogol said, “Carlo has potential both in knife skills and cooking skills. While Dino is the contrast of Carlo, which focuses on plating, presentation and flavor development and taste.” A perfect combination isn’t it? After declaring that they’ll compete, they started in the brainstorming of what kind of food they will present. And it all comes down to three regions and three of their specialty dishes, combined into one unique and extraordinary dish. They named the well thought dish, “TinapangcBangus sa Pancit Lucban with Kinunot Sauce”. TinapangBangus of Pangasinan (Region I), Pancit Lukban of Quezon (Region IV-A), and Kinunot Sauce of Bicol (Region V). It is a dish that showcases the creativity and flexibility of the mentors and students and their ability to exhibit food with high complexity of flavors but has this distinguished taste to it. But before all that, they had to make some discoveries and techniques of their own.

There had been challenges, and for the team it was how to retain the smoke in cooking the tinapangbangus. They used hays in producing smoke but the problem was that the fire goes out faster than what was expected, thus its flavor did not stick on the bangus. Instead of abandoning their ideas, they find ways through it. They add more ‘almost-dry’ hays, small chunks of woods and fresh leaves of celery, because less dry leaves produce more smoke. They had to put hays on fire, threw in the torched wood, topped with fresh celery leaves, and made more small clouds of fragrant smoke. With that resolved, they continued practicing with small hitches along the way. And in three weeks’ time, particularly every Tuesdays and Thursdays, they kept on practicing and sharpening their skills.

The day of the competition arrived and everybody was both anxious and excited. Anxious because anything can happen by the end of it, because the wheel is round and spinning, they might be at the top or bottom and no one could tell. Excited about having new experiences and demonstrating our abilities and skills in cooking. So when the team got there, they are one of the last groups to arrive and prepare. But that did not became a hindrance for them. At around 2:30 pm, the competition started for the first batch, where they were included as Team #3. They first did the miseen place, cleaned they’re station and then started in cooking. Everyone was amazed and mesmerized to the team when they made a high flare of fire for smoking purposes, as everyone could hear ‘ohhs’ and ‘ahhs’ of other students . The judges were left intrigued about their technique of cooking, the taste of the finished food and their overall performance.They fired questions to the team, nervous but standing their ground, Mr. Dela Torre and Mr. Balidoy answered equally. They were on faster pace compared to what they do in practices. Keeping calm under pressure, both in time and the observant eyes of the judges, is absolutely difficult especially when you have to do something cautiously. Thankfully, they finished it on time. When it was presented in a line up for the judge to taste and for a feedback, they were astounded of the peculiar mixture of taste. One judge said, “Beautifully presented. Magandaang technique ng plating, napaka-creative ng cooking technique. It lacks in flavor, at maytinik, but it is the ideal dish that represents ‘food fusion.’” They mentioned how the taste of three different regions complimented each other. It may lack in a few components of flavor they want to go for but they expressed how much they enjoyed the complexity of the taste made by combining the three different dishes. It was nerve-racking to stay and wait for the announcement, when there were still 2nd and 3rd batch to finish. And by the time when it had to be announced, every one of us were already sweating profusely.

Gripping tightly to whatever we were holding, everybody’s nerve spiked at the announcement of the 2nd place winner. Out of the 13 participating schools, the National College of Business and Arts – Fairview Campus attained to be one of the top schools to compete. Something that we should all be proud about. It is no joke to compete with schools who are well-known, having big names of their own and beating it in this competition and earning a spot with two reputable schools is worth a celebration. With that, we all went home feeling fortunate and humbled, but having a sense of pride.

When asked about how they felt about winning, Mr. Balidoy said, “Pinaghalongsaya at kabaangnaramdamankosapagkatitoangakingunangsinalihangkompetisyon, saisangmalakingevent. Pero di akopinanghinaan ng loob, nag focus langakosa dish namin, at ayon, naging successful naman.” And as for Mr. Del Torre, he only said, “Masaya, mag hahandanaulit para sasusunodna competition!”

At the end of it all, they flourished their skills and took home the second place in the “Foods and Drinks AsiaCooking Challenge 2017”.