By Tito Mike
We were privileged to be invited to the Christmas Tree Lighting Event of Limketkai Luxe Hotel on November 16 with the theme “Taste of Kumbira 2024, Simply the Best” featuring the awarding winning chefs of the hotel and their medal recipes in the recently concluded Culinary Competition organized by COHARA.
Photo Supplied by Limketkai Luxe (Buffet table)
“Since we started joining Kumbira under my watch, we’ve consistently won the most awards under the Professional Category,” said GM Jerome de la Fuente. “Now, I want to share that know-how with everyone, and they can even request for a copy of the recipe from us!””
Honored were the following GOLD AWARD CHEFS: Ace Augustine Reyes – KUMBIRA Chef Master (Chef de Partie); Ma. Teresa Laplana– Best Regional Ingredient Rice (Pastry Chef, Commis II); Cendy Clair Rocero– Best Regional Ingredient Rice (Pastry Chef, Commis III); Kristian Jeriko Nacalaban – Best Regional Ingredient – Suwa (Commis II – Hot Kitchen), and Ghandi Raagas – Best Regional Ingredient – Suwa (Commis I – Hot kitchen)
SILVER AWARD CHEFS: Flynn Magdua – Best Regional Ingredient Rice (Chief de Partie – Banquet Chef); Richard Cuerquiz -Best Regional Ingredient Rice (Commis III – Banquet Chef); Elena Castro Pascua – Best Traditional/Modern Cooking Technique – Chicken Pastil (Demi-Chef); Leo Echavez – Best Traditional/Modern Cooking Technique – Chicken Pastil (Commis III); Jomar Mamaran – Regional Fruit Jam/Preserve – Langka (Commis I); Vaughn Dale Senalist – Regional Fruit Jam/Preserve – Langka (Commis III); Josidiel Galit – Regional Kakanin platter; Perlito Edrolin – Bread Showpiece Theme- ‘Salu-Salo’ ( Pastry – Commis II); and Stephen James Tesocan – Bread Showpiece Theme- ‘Salu-Salo’ (Pastry – Commis II ).
Courtesy of Mumzy Vany
BRONZE AWARDS: Gabriel Calixto Gonzaga – Best Traditional/Modern Cooking Technique – Chicken Pastil; Mutma Innah Pakilulla – Best Traditional/Modern Cooking Technique – Chicken Pastil;Mary Jean Belhot – Regional Kakanin Platter; Jhon Crisvelle Alimoren – Latte Art.
Aside from the culinary awards, Limketkai Luxe also won a slew of awards in the non-culinary categories, the winners of whom were similarly feted during the event:
OTHER GOLD AWARDS, Nova Shellom Dagdagan – Buffet Table Centerpiece with a Theme (RECEPTIONIST); Mark Anthony Pasilan – Buffet Table Centerpiece with a Theme (Service Associate); Arvin Estoconing – Hotel Lobby Floral Centerpiece with a Theme (Housekeeping); Joel Solde ¬– Hotel Lobby Floral Centerpiece with a theme (Housekeeping); and, Juzel Narvaez – KUMBIRA Bar Master (Bartender)
OTHER SILVER AWARDS: Radel Visto – Table Setting w/ Floral Centerpiece (Service); Dian Cresille Rose Latayada – Table Setting w/ Floral Centerpiece (Service); Shiela Mae Salcedo – Mocktails Mixing – Regional Fresh Fruit Juices(Bartender ); Javier Manalastas – KUMBIRA Bar Master (Bartender)
DIPLOMA AWARDS: Den Matthew Sumicad – Latte Art; and Alken Jay Tan – Latte Art
Courtesy of Mumzy Vany
With his typical pizzazz and panache, GM Jerome didn’t stop with introducing the award winning chefs, but let the invited guests actually taste their award winning recipes in a buffet table for the ages!
“After the professionals and students, we are now taking the next step by conducting culinary competitions with our homemakers through Kumbira’s Pre-Event Inter-Barangay Competition,” GM Jerome noted. “This would not only elevate the level of our culinary expertise at the most basic level, but even more important, provide the family with an additional source of livelihood to help improve our standards of living and lower poverty incidence in our region.”
Since its inception in 1996, Kumbira has been sharpening the kitchen knives of culinary students and professionals all over Mindanao, which has significantly contributed to the increasing demand for skilled kitchen and hospitality staff from here and abroad.
KUMBIRA is the Philippines’ longest running live competition for students and professionals, and largest culinary show outside of Metro Manila which has been staged by COHARA for the past 27 years. A prelude event dubbed Hala Kumbira! Food Festival was held on August 16, 2024 to officially launch this year’s festival.
