Chefs, students to join August culinary contest

HUNDREDS of food enthusiasts, students and those in the hotel, restaurant and resorts industry are expected to  attend the  food festival and culinary competition at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) on August 3 and 4.

About 300 professional chefs and students will show their creativity in preparing food in  Cebu Goes Culinary 2012, a competition held every two years and organized by the Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC).

The event will also be  part of the  One Cebu Expo to celebrate Cebu province’s charter anniversary in August.

HRRAC chairman Hans Hauri said the event would be a way for the tourism industry to prepare for its Southeast Asian neighbors.

“Cebu is moving away from nursing and the  medical field to hotel and restaurant management,” said Hauri,   Marco Polo Plaza general manager.

Ces Manguilimotan of Cebu Parklane Hotel said that the event would be a chance for students to show  their talents to potential employers.

“For the past years, we have noticed that students strive harder than the professionals (chefs) maybe because experts in this field will be watching,”said Manguilimotan, who is in charge of the competition’s student’s category.

Former student contestants have joined Cebu’s leading hotels and restaurants, she said.

Lita Urbina of Cafe Laguna, who’s in charge of the competition’s professional category, said that the winners of the chef wars would compete in the national  level.

Corrine Joseph of Darras+Bowler said one challenge for the organizers was the venue.

“This year, we will hold it at the CICC. The challenge is that the venue is not in a hotel setting where we can easily get tables, chairs and utensils when we need more,” Joseph said./Correspondent Jessa Marie Agua