FHA Show Daily Day 1 — April 24, 2018 -2 | Page 19

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FHA Culinary Challenge:
Contestants need to
deliver high level of skills
and creativity, say judges
For this year’s FHA Culinary Challenge
(FCC), expect the competition to be more
intense, and the standards of entries to be
higher. Widely recognised as the region’s
most prestigious international culinary com-
petition, the FCC is supported by the World
Association of Chef Societies (WACS) and
regional chef associations. Competitors will
not only be facing off against each other but
will also be presenting their skills in front of
a panel of international judges, renowned
in the culinary world.
“FHA Culinary Challenge is the fourth
largest culinary competition in the world,
so we expect the contestants to come out
with new techniques, very creative recipes
which, of course, should reflect on the
region where they come from,” says chef
Edmund Toh, president of the Singapore
Chefs Association, and a judge at the FCC.
Another member of this year’s distin-
guished panel of judges, chef Otto Weibel,
who is also the honorary president emeritus,
Singapore Chefs Association, declares: “I
am expecting a good standard from the con-
testants. Every two years, this competition
has improved, so I am expecting the stand-
ards for this year to be of very high level.”
FHA2018 organiser UBM says the FCC
adds to the experience at FHA, with intense
competitions designed to showcase the best
culinary talent from the region. Target-
ing professionals from specific sectors of
the food and hospitality industries, these
competitions include the Gourmet Team
Challenge, Individual Challenge, National
Team Challenge, Sweet High Tea Challenge
and the Battle for the Lion.
Another judge, chef Eric Teo, honorary
president mentor, Singapore Chefs Associa-
tion, expects a lot from this year’s contest-
ants. “We have over a thousand contestants,
so our expectations are higher. As there are
a lot of contestants coming from all over the
world, we expect some new trends, different
techniques and new ingredients; standards
are definitely higher,” he says.
While most of the FCC action is sched-
uled at Halls 1, 3, 10 and Max Atria Foyer
1 at Singapore Expo, the Live Hot Cooking
and Plated Food Display categories are be-
ing staged at HotelAsia on Level 6, Suntec
Singapore.
Contestants come from all over the world to
participate at this year’s FCC.
FHA2018 SHOWDAILY
19
Expect the
action at
FCC this
year to
be more
intense.