Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines back for second season

MANILA, Philippines – Asian Food Channel once again showcases the vibrant and delicious dishes of the Philippines by premiering the second season of Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines.

Produced in collaboration with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB), Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines returns with a fresh batch of contestants from across Asia Pacific who will battle it out for USD 50,000 worth of cash and prizes.

Under the watchful eye of program host and celebrity cook Sherson Lian, resident judge Chef Laudico, and a guest judge from each of the five Philippine regions they will visit, contestants will tackle grueling physical and culinary challenges. Look forward to races through markets, mazes and rivers, where contestants will have to out-smart, out-run and out-cook one another. In each nail-biting episode, one contestant will be eliminated until only three remain to compete for the grand prize of USD 30,000 and a three day two night travel package to the Philippines.

Here is the list of the contenders vying for the prizes.

Karen Chow - Malaysia, Investment Manager

When it comes to exploring cultures, Karen always opts for the complete experience. Whether she is out chatting with locals or checking out eateries that are local favorites, Karen is up for anything! Besides being an Indian cuisine enthusiast, she can never resist digging into a plate of fresh salmon sashimi whenever she can.Citing Nigella Lawson as her role model, Karen hopes to host her own food and travel show one day!

Kenton Wu - Hong Kong, F&B Student

Despite being one of the youngest contestants in the show, Kenton knows that cooking is his ultimate passion. Always backed by a well-stocked pantry at home, he enjoys cooking for his friends and girlfriend. Kenton hopes to work up the ranks in the kitchen and open his own restaurant one day.

Phan Thanh Truc  - Vietnam, Reporter/ Blogger

Born into a family of cooks, this Vietnamese native enjoys spending time in the kitchen perfecting her cooking technique. When asked what her last meal would be, Phan chose Vietnamese Salad being a vegetable enthusiast. It was an easy choice! When she’s not honing her culinary skills, Phan also enjoys drawing and writing.

Denny Gunawan -  Indonesia, Professional Chef

Hailing from Indonesia, this professional chef loves Asian cuisine, listing Japanese and Korean cuisine as some of his favorites. However, nothing beats mom’s cooking, as for his last meal, he would definitely choose his mother’s Sweet Corn Fritters and Cassava Leaf Stew. In his spare time, Denny enjoys customizing vintage cars and bicycles.

Guntevchimeg "Chimee" Bayandorj - Mongolia, Jr. Lawyer/ Advocator

Born into a huge family of 14 members, this junior lawyer grew up in the
Mongolian countryside before moving to the city to attend a law school in 2006. While she works hard towards becoming an accomplished lawyer, Chimee also dreams of travelling the world. Filming The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines 2 was her first travel adventure, and her favorite Philippine dish is the stew dish Sinigang!

James Lo -  Taiwan, Film Critic/ Reporter

Being an avid Japanese cuisine fan, James dreams of having his last meal prepared by sushi master Jiro Ono. This Taiwanese film critic also loves the dish Chirashi, a Japanese rice bowl with mixed fresh fish and vegetables. When not in the kitchen, James enjoys watching films.

Joseph Pavey - Australia, Landscape Designer

Not only is Joseph talented in the kitchen, he is also great around the home! This Australian native designs landscapes for a living, and he enjoys spending time in the garden or working on little furniture projects in his spare time. Besides being a fan of Vietnamese and Spanish food, Joseph is also a huge ice-cream lover. If he could cook for anyone in the world, he would do so for the late rapper Notorious B.I.G.

Christy Lee - Singapore, Marketing Manager

Christy’s passion for food was fostered at a young age from watching her grandmother cook. It was also because of her grandmother that she developed diverse appreciation for culinary flavors. With seafood being her favorite type of cuisine, it’s no surprise that she names salted egg crabs as one of her all-time favorite dishes!

Sunya Thadathanawong - Thailand, Photographer

Sunya loves to joke that his eyes are bigger than his tummy. This Thai photographer enjoys cooking for his mother and aunt and names the mortar and pestle being one of his favorite kitchen tools. One person whom he admires greatly is Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his humility and generosity.

Alec Wing - Singapore, Technology Sales

Despite being a lover of Italian food, Alec’s ideal last meal would be a big bowl of Hakkata Ramen, complete with braised pork belly, half boiled egg and Shimiji mushrooms!He dreams of cooking for celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain at his very own Hawaiian-themed feast someday. Besides food, Alec is also passionate about sports, particularly squash and canoeing.

Catch the premiere of Asian Food Channel’s Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines 2 from Thursday, 27 November 2014, 9pm on SkyCable (Ch 22), Dream Satellite TV (Ch 27), Cignal (Ch 26) and Destiny Cable TV (Ch 71 Analog and Ch 22 Digital). For more information on the program, please visit www.asianfoodchannel.com/afcfoodchallenge2 from Thursday 27 November onwards.