The black box is back!
If nature’s beauty moves an artist to render breathtaking works of art, then the finest ingredients inspire a chef to create the most exquisite dishes. Such was the banquet that I partook of last Wednesday night at the Blue Leaf Pavilion in the Fort. I was all at once humbled, impressed, and overwhelmed by the tasteful spread of dishes prepared by the country’s finest young chefs in the culinary competition that is to set the bar for all local contests. The MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge is back, and the second time around is indeed sweeter than the last.
This prestigious global competition is sponsored by the Meat and Livestock Australia, developed in 1996 to promote the quality and versatility of Australian red meat. This year saw over 20 countries vying for the honors in the following categories: appetizer, main course, and dessert. The
The aim of the MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge is to encourage young professionals to work and compete in a team environment to display their skills and talents in a hands-on outside catering. All teams are presented with a box of identical ingredients from which they will have one hour to develop a three-course menu The menu is then handed to the organizer at the end of the hour.
This year the main mystery ingredients in the black box were Australian red meat from
Winners were judged on the following merits:
• Mise en place and cleanliness during preparation, which entail the arrangement of materials for a trouble-free working environment, and safe and hygienic work methods employed, during and after the completion of the event.
• Correct basic preparation of food, corresponding to today’s modern culinary art. Appropriate cooking techniques must be applied for all ingredients, including starches and vegetables.
• Arrangement and professional presentation, which includes artistic plating to ensure an appetizing appearance, creative use of display materials, and unique presentations of centerpiece. Table decoration should also be in keeping with the general theme of the food being served.
• Innovation. Never have I seen such display of inspiration. All teams had their own personalities, and are to be commended for being distinctly unique from each other.
• Taste. The typical taste of the food should be preserved. It must have appropriate taste and seasoning. In quality, flavor and color, the dish should conform with today’s standards of nutritional values.
And needless to say, hygiene.
I was sat at the Mezzaluna table, and it was fascinating to witness how the team members each took their stations and worked with their assignments. Mezzaluna is Italian for “half moon,” or is a kind of knife used in the Italian kitchen. But regular patrons would say that Mezzaluna is synonymous to its chef, Carlo Miguel, who breathes life into traditional Italian recipes and transforms them into gustatory masterpieces. I am honored to have such talent share his valued time to teach in my cooking school at Pasong Tamo this month.
I was a witness at the first MLA Black Box challenge two years ago, and this year’s lot proved as great if not even superior than the previous one. Of all, the toughest job lies in the hands of the jury. Chairman of the judging committee Norbert Gandler admits that it was a very tight match where all should be adjudged winners, but only one would stand victorious and claim the top prize. Last season, Lolo Dad’s Café, which is no stranger to awards, went all the way to
And after much deliberation, the gold once more was awarded to Lolo Dad’s Café. Their amazing award-winning menu consisted of compressed and lightly seared lamb with warm poached pear, fruit jelly, herbed butter panini and roasted garlic aioli for appetizer; sautéed beef slivers and roasted beef rump with gremolata, potato terrine, vegetable flan and tomato confit for main course; and Italian meringue with chocolate and pineapple filling, strawberry coulis, and mocha ice cream. Such a display of abounding grace flowed under pressure, and credit is truly given where it is due.
Cheers and heartfelt congratulations go out to all the teams who displayed equal passion. I am proud to be in a profession where there is so much abundance of talent. In my book, they all proved themselves that night. They are all winners!
Here’s the rest of the honor roll:
Best appetizer: Mezzaluna
Best main course: Lolo Dad’s Cafe
Best dessert: Edsa Shangri-La Hotel
Best table setting: The Palms Country Club
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E-mail the author at henysison@pacific.net.ph.
