Singapore National Culinary Team crowned World Champion at Expogast Culinary World Cup 2014 for Third Consecutive Year

The Singapore National Culinary Team has once again emerged World Champion at the Expogast Culinary World Cup 2014. Singapore, as defending champions of the competition, had sent a team of six chefs to the competition held at Luxembourg from 22 – 26 November 2014.

The international competition, which takes place every four years, is a platform to cultivate the best of skills amongst global chefs and harness their ability to design gastronomic menus. The team had also bagged the gold medal in Cold Display and Hot Cooking categories.

This is the third consecutive year that Singapore has taken top honours.

The team comprised notable and seasoned culinary chefs selected by the competitions committee of the Singapore Chef’s Association. The team members are:

• Chef Louis Tay (Team Manager, Executive Chef of Tanglin Club Singapore)
• Chef Yew Eng Tong (Team Manager, Chef de Cuisine, Ocean restaurant)
• Chef Teo Yeow Siang (Executive Chef, Lavish Dine Catering)
• Chef Jim Gim (Sous Chef, Marina Bay Sands)
• Chef Triston Fang (Sous Chef, Equinox Restaurant, Swissotel the Stamford)
• Chef Ivy Wong (Pastry Chef, Swissotel the Stamford)

“We are happy to have won the Championship. The Singapore Chefs’ Association has always believed that competitions were a good way for culinary professionals to not only showcase their talent and creativity, but also a way for them to learn from their counterparts from across the globe and improve.” said Mr Edmund Toh, President of the Singapore Chefs Association.

More than 105 teams from five continents participated in the competition. The juries of the competition composed of 55 masterchefs from across the globe.

What were the award-winning dishes served and what do they taste like?

Rachel and I were very fortunate to be invited to a preview tasting of the menu prepared by the team before they flew off to Luxembourg. After the tasting, I wanted to share about the items immediately, but I had to restrain myself from doing so as the details for the dishes are embargoed till after the competition.

Now that the team had did us proud and won the top prize once again, without further ado, here are the dishes:

How should I describe my culinary experience with these dishes?

For each dish, there is a multitude of flavours to tease the tastebuds. Each dish is plated beautifully with delicate care and attention; flavours are diverse, yet balanced and the ingredients have been kept to humble, everyday fares so as to challenge the team’s creativity.

I particularly enjoyed the Pigeon 3-way which displayed the team’s culinary prowess in presenting three vastly different escapades with the same poultry.

The appertizer introduces a little Asian flavours to the creations, but did not over emphasized. One of the team’s mentor shared that this was because as defending champion, the Singapore team first won the grand prize with their Asian flair to western dishes, but this would count against them if they keep pulling the same trick each year.

Winning thrice in a row is no mean feat, given that the judges would definitely hold the defending champion to higher standards each year. Congratulations to the team! The accolades were well-deserved and the dishes were truly splendid!

I went home with a very happy smile on my face and a satisfied tummy, having tasted one of the best meal in my life so far. Best thing is – the team that prepared it were all fellow Singaporeans!