Yamazato has a winner!
As part of its fifth year anniversary, the Okura Prestige Bangkok had organised a cooking competition among young Thai chefs.
The five finalists were given the opportunity to train for three weeks in May in the kitchen of Yamazato Japanese Restaurant with master chef Shigeru Hagiwara.
Hagiwara divided the training into five segment: sushi and sashimi, tempura, boiling and simmer, grilling, and teppanyaki. All the contestants received instruction under professional chefs for three days of each segment, rotating until the training was complete. In addition, Hagiwara spent time every day with the contestants to give them intensive personal training on Japanese culinary techniques.
Throughout the training, the hotel invited its executive committee and the heads of each department, plus members of the media and food specialists, to interview, assess and rate the contestants during visits to Yamazato’s kitchen. The scoring criteria were based on the contestants’ ability to learn, and their level of commitment and participation.
During the last two days, each contestant had the opportunity to practice his/her culinary skills and to prepare to cook for the judges’ panel night held last Friday. Each contestant was required to prepare four dishes – sushi, sashimi, a simmered dish and a special creation – and present them to the 12 judges who scored them on appearance and taste.
The finalist who received the highest score, accumulated from the first day of training to the judges’ panel night, was Pitchakorn Ramabut from Dusit Thani College and she received the winner’s trophy specially designed with sake box shaped as Mount Fuji, which the Japanese recognise as ‘Ichi Ban’ or Number One, from Hagiwara. She will also depart on a nine-day educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
The trip, valued at more than Bt100,000, includes air tickets, eight nights’ accommodation at the hotel, luncheon and dinner at Michelin starred Yamazato and Ciel Bleu restaurants, day trips in Amsterdam, visa and travel insurance, pocket money and, best of all, the opportunity to train under two-star Michelin chef Onno Kokmeijer.
Kokmeijer holds the title SVH Meesterchef (master chef), awarded by the Dutch hospitality organisation Stichting Vakbekwaamheid Horeca. SVH strives to promote professional knowledge in the hospitality industry and awards ‘master’ titles in five categories including chefs, hosts and sommeliers. The SVH ‘master’ title is the highest honour awarded by the Dutch hospitality industry.
Other contestants were rewarded with a voucher for one night stay at The Okura Prestige Bangkok inclusive of breakfast for two persons.
