A ‘jolly’ cooking contest

CHAMPIONS: UST’s Cajiles, Siguenza and Asiddao

“Dream on while keeping your eyes wide open.”

This was the message of chef Sau del Rosario to culinary students at the Jolly University Grand Culinary Challenge held recently at Midtown Atrium in Robinsons Place Manila. The chef was one of the judges in the competition.

Defending champion University of Santo Tomas, represented by Team Epicure composed of Christopher Elijah John Asiddao, Rian Wilfred Cajiles and Monique Siguenza, once again won the grand prize with Bulacan Longganisa Pastilito de Kalikis with Jolly Mix Mushroom Garbanzos Water Chesnut and Kesong Puti.

The winning team received P15,000 and Jolly products.

Team Epicure will also participate in some Jolly projects, including recipe development.

2ND RUNNER-UP winners Beso, Boliche and Manning of Letran with judges Food magazine editor Nana Ozaeta, Fly Ace’s Marilou Acuna and Ritchie Conde, and chef Del Rosario

Dream Team from the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) was first runner-up. Members Wilnor Bataller Jr., Nieliza Beriso and Marvic Malenab prepared the Malunggay Waffle Cake. They won P10,000 and products from Jolly.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran, represented by Ancel Jeff Beso, Cyril Jerome Manning, and Queen Mary Ann Boliche of Team ND Knights, was second runner-up with Paella con Champiñones. The team received P5,000 and products from Jolly.

“Jolly University aims to develop future industry champions who are jolly, passion-driven and values-oriented,” said Marilou Acuna, senior product manager of Jolly Food Line.

FIRST RUNNER-UP: Malenab, Beriso and Bataller from TUP

All competing teams had to come up with the best dish that could be served or sold in an actual food business. At the Midtown Atrium, where the competition was held, participating teams were given more than an hour to cook their special dishes using Jolly products before a live audience that included media people, parents, students from different universities, shoppers and the judges.

Nine other higher education institutions joined the competition: San Sebastian College, St. Louis College Valenzuela, Perpetual Help College of Manila, Far Eastern University, Universidad de Manila, Arellano University, La Consolacion College, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and National University.

All participants received medals and Jolly products for joining the grand culinary challenge.