❝ Every culture can interpret its own tradition and taste while making gelato .❞

— Chef Giancarlo Timballo , President , Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria , and Judge , Asian Gelato Cup

The first Asian Gelato Cup is being held in conjunction with FHA2018 . Organised by UBM and supported by the Singapore Pastry Alliance , the Asian Gelato Cup is the first official Asian selection for the highly accredited Coppa del Mondo of Gelateria ( Gelato World Cup ). The Show Daily interviews chef Giancarlo Timballo , president of the Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria , and a judge at the Asian Gelato Cup , who reveals more about how this exciting competition will not only promote gelato making skills , but Asian-inspired creations as well .

FOR this first Asian Gelato Cup edition , are you looking forward to seeing gelato entries with Asian-inspired flavours ? Chef Giancarlo Timballo : For us , this gelato market and the Asian traditions are all waiting to be discovered . I am very motivated by this new experience which will give me a better understanding of the professional level linked to the competing nations . My expectations are mainly aimed at unveiling innovative ( for European gelato chefs ) products / ingredients that combine Asian fruit and spices , which

can give new flavours to the traditional gelato .

All the Asian teams who came to Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria ( Gelato World Cup ) in the past were highly skilled and professional — revealing that the culture of artisan gelato is growing and thriving in Asia .

What will be the next step for the winners of the Asian Gelato Cup ? Will they need to compete in other events or will they be the official Asian representatives to the next Gelato World Cup in Italy ?

Timballo : The three winning teams will participate in the 2020 Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria that will be held in Rimini at Sigep . The teams themselves will be allowed to officially register in this competition . The final regulation will be ready by the end of next year .

How do you find the gelato offerings in Asia ? How different are the offerings here compared to those in Italy ? Timballo : I look forward to answering this question with a deeper knowledge in the next few weeks . Japan , Singapore and South Korea already took part at the Coppa del Mondo della Gelateria and the flavours showcased during the competition impressed me for their low sweetness ( that ’ s also healthy ) and exotic tastes . Every culture can interpret its own tradition and taste while making gelato . Asian ingredients such

as azuki , matcha , gula melaka , kimchi , Asian coconut , mango , botanic and spicy flavours made me curious enough to look deeper into the varied culinary heritage in the region .

Aside from holding prestigious competitions like the first Asian Gelato Cup , what do you think needs to be done to further promote the culture of gelato making in the region ? Timballo : This competition will create more awareness of the artisan gelato culture , as well as give us the precious opportunity to establish direct relations with local professionals . It will allow us to find , while exchanging and sharing ideas , new roads for the promotion of traditional Italian artisan gelato worldwide .

The four-day event is happening at Booth C8 , between Halls 1 and 2 , Singapore Expo .

FHA2018 is hosting the brightest stars of the pastry world who are competing and exhibiting their dessert-making skills at the show ’ s Asian Pastry Week , which includes the Asian Pastry Cup ( APC ), Valrhona C3 ( Chocolate Chef Competition ), the Global StarChefs Pastry Show , and La Crème de la Crème 2018 , all happening at the APC Platform , Hall 1 , Singapore Expo .

At APC this week , 12 teams from Australia , China , India , Japan , South Korea , Malaysia , Maldives , the Philippines , Singapore , Sri Lanka , Syria and Taiwan are competing and presenting their most ambitious and complex works of pastry arts . Will the Singapore team , who won in the APC 2016 edition , be able to defend their title ? Find out at the APC Platform starting today .

Other pastry competitions happening all week at the APC Platform include the Valrhona C3 — Chocolate Chef Competition — where six top pastry chef contestants ( each supported by a designated commis ) can be seen preparing chocolate plated desserts as well as chocolate bonbons in just five hours and 30 minutes . These chocolate magicians will create desserts using Valrhona ’ s Manjari Grand Cru chocolate

produced exclusively using cocoa beans from Madagascar .

At the Global Star Chefs Pastry Show , visitors have the chance to watch star chefs — world champions and those awarded with Meilleur Ouvriers de France ( MOF ) — prepare a magnificent spread of chocolate and sugar showpieces , entremets , mini pastries , plated desserts , and more .

Chefs slated to entrance audiences with their pastry feats include Philippe Rigollot , MOF and World Champion ; Nicolas Boussin , MOF ; Yann Brice , MOF ; Christophe Renou , MOF ; and

Chef Vincent Bourdin , director of the Asian Pastry Cup : “ This year , [ at the Global StarChef Pastry Show ,] we want chefs to also have fun and to show off what they can do to a young crowd eager to meet and approach the chefs they could otherwise never talk to .”

Jean Jacque Masse , MOF ; and Christophe Domange , World Ice Cream Champion 2018 .

Over at La Crème de la Crème 2018 Presentation of Masterpieces , the chefs are tasked to create their interpretation of the theme “ Cream and Chocolate ” using French dairy cream and Valrhona chocolates to enhance the taste and quality of their creations . The pastries will all be photographed , compiled into a limited-edition recipe book , and distributed to students and pastry chefs .

Chef Vincent Bourdin , director of the Asian Pastry Cup , says with 12 teams competing this year at the APC , expect a huge battle as the top teams from countries such as Japan and Singapore are being challenged by newcomers .

“ The level and skills of pastry chefs in Asia are growing at a pretty fast pace . I remember the time when only Japanese chefs could compete at a global level ,” he says . “ Today , the paradigm has changed , and some pastry chefs from Singapore and Malaysia are beating the Japanese team at international contests . The Japanese hegemony is almost gone . It remains a very strong pastry nation , but other Asian countries are catching up in terms of international pastry standards .”

Will the Singapore team , who won in the APC 2016 edition , be able to defend their title this year ? Find out at the APC Platform starting today .

Meanwhile , the C3 competition is all about chocolate desserts . “ C3 is a different ball game . Here , we are concentrating on chocolate desserts — the most popular of all desserts that cannot be missing in any top restaurant menu ,” Bourdin explains . “ This is also why global chocolate supplier Valrhona created this specific competition .”

Contestants will create one dessert and one praline with the jury awarding points based on the entries ’ creativity , look , balance of flavour , textures , level of complexity , risk taking , quality of execution , as well as organisation , timing and skills of the pastry chefs .

Originally initiated by l ’ Ecole Valrhona , C3 is a competition open to restaurant pastry chefs seeking recognition in the art of plated dessert . The competition strives to create a community and creative exchange between

pastry professionals to push the industry forward . C3 is also the Asian selection platform for the international finale during the Annual Star Chefs International Chefs Congress in New York this October .

For FHA2018 , APC organisers decided to mix fun with competition by staging the Global Star Chef Pastry Show as well . “ We have created this event with a different angle ; pastry shows in the past were always based on competitive challenges ,” he says . “ This year , we want chefs to also have fun and to show off what they can do to a young crowd eager to meet and approach the chefs they could otherwise never talk to .”

Bourdin wants to show visitors , especially culinary and pastry students attending the event , another dimension of being a pastry chef . The profession is not only rewarding , but can be glamorous too , he quips .