Hilton Announces Winners of South East Asia & India F&B Masters

Hilton Announces Winners of South East Asia & India F&B Masters

Hilton held the highly-anticipated grand finale of its South East Asia & India F&B Masters 2017/2018 (Hilton ISEA F&B Masters 2017/2018) in Hilton Bali Resort last week. Following a series of rigorous competitions in the bar, barista, culinary, dessert and sommelier disciplines, five winners have emerged during the finals on February 13. The results of the Hilton ISEA F&B Masters 2017/2018 are:

▪ Bar Challenge Winner: Larry Dimapilis of Conrad Manila

▪ Barista Challenge Winner: I Komang Karsana of Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai Airport

▪ Sommelier Challenge Winner: Gaurav Pandey of Conrad Pune

▪ Culinary Challenge Winner: Rakchanok Buangam of DoubleTree by Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok

▪ Dessert Challenge Winner: Mulyadi Sain of DoubleTree by Hilton Jakarta-Diponegoro

“Hilton South East Asia & India F&B Masters is a testament to our commitment as a global business leader to celebrate the amazing breadth of talent we have in this region. Through this competition, we seek to create meaningful opportunities for our Team Members and excellent F&B experiences for our guests,” says Paul Hutton, Vice President, Operations, South East Asia, Hilton. “As F&B continues to serve as a cornerstone of Hilton’s guest experience, we leverage on the competition to raise the bar of our F&B offerings and foster loyalty among guests as Team Members deliver exceptional and memorable dining experiences.”

At the Hilton ISEA F&B Masters 2017/2018 finals last week, 23 world-class talents from across eight countries – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand – competed and demonstrated their skills, innovation and flair while using local produce sourced across Indonesia. These finalists competed and won against their peers at the hotel level competition, followed by the country / sub-regional level competition to earn their place in the finals. They shared a common passion in F&B and delivered superior palate sensations that have impressed the panel of judges in Bali.

“In recognition of the region’s myriad of rich and flavorsome produce, the Hilton ISEA F&B Masters 2017/2018 placed huge emphasis on using locally sourced ingredients. This initiative also nods to the evolving preferences of our guests who are seeking authentic experiences wherever they travel,” says Markus Schueller, Vice President, Food & Beverage, Asia Pacific, Hilton on the use of locally sourced ingredients throughout the competition.

The Hilton ISEA F&B Masters is an internal competition open to all employees within Hilton properties across South East Asia and India. The 2017/2018 competition, which kicked off in July 2017, saw more than 800 participants from close to 40 Hilton properties across 10 countries including Myanmar and Vietnam competing in five disciplines – Culinary, Pastry, Barista, Sommelier and Bar. Held for the fourth year running, the competition was incepted to identify, develop and celebrate top food and beverage talent across the Hilton portfolio in the region while giving them the opportunity to develop skills, hone their creativity, and gain real-world experience.
At the Hilton ISEA F&B Masters 2016/2017, over 1,600 new food, cocktail and coffee recipes were created by the contestants in South East Asia & India, and some of these creations have even been featured in the hotels’ menus as well as during promotions.