Q Life Magazine Q Magazine (US) December 2015 | Page 43

Arts & Culture |
Call it culinary diplomacy. Every year, 500 members of
the world’s largest diplomatic community rub shoulders
in the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center to tickle
their taste buds in the Embassy Chef Challenge, a gala
fundraiser for Cultural Tourism DC. In the challenge,
12 chefs from embassies around the world prepare an
amuse-bouche of national dishes in hopes of winning top
honors in two awards: the Judges’ Pick Award and the
People’s Choice Award, selected by the gala guests.
| Chef Rodriguez receives Judges’ Pick and People’s Choice Award
| Traditional Qatari chicken machbus
| Embassy Chef Challenge at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center
This year was the seventh annual challenge, and
the second time the State of Qatar had competed.
Head Chef Mujibul Hoque Bachu prepared machbus,
a traditional Qatari rice dish, for 500 people: 250
servings of chicken and another 250 of meat (see recipe
on page 45). The competition was stiff; Chef Lars
Beese from the Embassy of Denmark served sunchoke
soup; Chef Galih Kuntobaskoro of Indonesia made
pecel and rendang, a distinctive beef curry; while Chef
Irma Japaridze from the Embassy of Georgia prepared
khachapuri, a cheese bread dish that is all the rage
in Washington these days.
The winner was unanimous. Chef Manuel Rodriguez
from the Embassy of Venezuela took home both
the Judges’ Pick and the People’s Choice Awards
for a refreshing seafood ceviche he called “summer
on a plate.” And everyone went home with the flavors
of 12 countries and four continents on their lips.
And for many, their first ever taste of Qatar.
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