The first and most celebrated online culinary competition during the pandemic year 2020 is back to excite the local gastronomic scene.
The “East Meets West” culinary competition, organized by Bord Bia, the Irish Government Food Board, kicked off on September 1.
This popular online culinary competition aims to raise the awareness of the high quality as well as the unique taste and versatility of European Pork and Beef among the Philippines’ market audience.
EU Pork & Beef Programme Manager Marion Rogan said: “We are excited to launch the 2021 East Meets West culinary competition after a highly successful 2020 competition.”
“The culinary community in the Philippines appears to really appreciate the chance to compete and showcase their culinary skills to our leading judges, particularly during COVID times,” Rogan said.
“We were all impressed by the high standard of cooking on display and we believe the 2020 competition will inspire many young chefs and culinary students to get creative for this year’s competition,” she added.
The “East Meets West” culinary competition is open to professional chefs, culinary students, food bloggers/influencers and home cooks. Participants are to submit recipes that are high quality restaurant standard inspired by Filipino-fusion cuisine.
“We look forward to seeing some culinary twists to well-loved Filipino dishes from the food bloggers/influencers and home cooks,” Rogan said.
A group of world-renowned chefs, as well as representatives from Bord Bia, will review all the entries by the end of September.
The shortlisted top 10 semi-finalists will receive a cooking kit to create and submit a 3-minute video of their dishes, using both European pork and beef from Ireland, and then they will be evaluated to move forward as the top 5 finalists to showcase their world-class Filipino culinary talents.
The final selection of their winning recipes will be made at a final cook-off event scheduled by the end of November with the announcement of the top 5 winners by rank.
Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, is giving away exciting prizes for the five winners. The prize pool includes P325,000 in prize vouchers, a cooking class with renowned chefs Philip John Golding and Mark Hagan, a luxurious hotel staycation with Irish breakfast and high quality chef’s kit supplies.
The “East Meets West” culinary competition will have the special participation of an Irish chef from Dublin, Chef Mark Hagan, the Executive Chef of The Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City.
Partnering with Chef Mark Hagan is Chef Philip John Golding, the Founding Chairman of Disciples Escoffier International Asia – Philippine Delegation and the Founding Chairman and President of World Master Chefs Society – Philippine Delegation.
Completing the panel of judges is Donie Bigcas, the Grand Prize winner of East Meets West Culinary Competition – Philippines 2020. Bigcas is a recent culinary student graduate from Center for Culinary Arts – Manila.
For chefs, foodies, or home cooks, it is a good time to try out European Pork and Beef from Ireland as it is now available online through One World Deli on Lazada.com.
As Jack Hogan, Market Specialist from Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board stated, “Our trading relationship with the Philippines stretches back many decades and European beef from Ireland remains one of the largest suppliers of beef to the Philippines.”
“This high quality, sustainable grass-fed beef was recently launched online on Lazada, and is also available at a number of high-end restaurants and hotels. European pork producers from Ireland have long established relationships with their partners in the Philippines and supply large restaurant groups and popular chicharon producers and retailers,” Hogan said.
