Over 50 students from around the world flocked to India to compete in the Annual Third International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO), a global tournament for youthful talents in the culinary field.
Jasmin Castillo Buensalida of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) represented the Philippines, accompanied by Chef Sabrina Gan, an instructor of the college’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM).
Buensalida was named one of the 10 finalists and finished sixth overall. The YCO, organized by India’s International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), tests the skills of the participants, as well as introduces them to an international network of celebrity chefs and industry professionals. Originally launched in 2015 as an all-India tilt, it now sees young apprentices worldwide who battle it out in three rounds of grueling challenges.Entrants cooked pre-selected dishes for three elimination rounds. Only the competitors with the highest cumulative scores advanced to the finals. The participants traveled to New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and Kolkata, for the cities hosted one segment each.
“Time management was the most challenging task of the competition,” she said. “Even if you presented the best dish, but you finished beyond the time limit, then you lose points. There should be an organized workflow, so that everything runs smooth. Proudly, I trained for each round under time pressure. That’s why when it was the actual competition, I finished minutes ahead.” (mb.com)