Bocuse d'Or in Singapore: Here are the winners of the Asian-Pacific selection

As in the past, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, ambassadors of the best events of gastronomy all over the world, have once more partnered this year’s edition of the Bocuse d’Or Competition, the unique event held at Singapore Expo’s Food & Hotel Asia 2016 fair, during which the most promising chefs of the Asian Pacific area have taken up the challenge.

This year Kataro Hasegawa from Japan’s Hiramatsu Group is the talented young chef who has won the Asian-Pacific continental selection of the prestigious Bocuse d’Or. Up on the podium, He was flanked by the runner-up Eng Tong Yew from Singapore’s Resort World Sentosa who got the silver medal while the bronze and 3000 euros was picked up by Australian chef Dan Arnold.

The contestants of the Asian-Pacific selections of the Bocuse d'Or award were the 12 finalists from the respective selections carried out in the countries taking part: Australia, China, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and, for the first time ever, New Zealand. The prize at stake is admittance to the Grand Finale of the Bocuse d’Or to be held in Lyon on 24 and 25 January 2017. 

In Singapore the panel of judges, chaired by Bruno Ménard, President of the newly founded Bocuse d'Or Academy Singapore and Otto Weibel, Honorary President, was made up of some of the most eminent chefs and celebrities from the Ho.Re.Ca. industry. All the gifted winners of the national selections taking part in the great event were:

• Daniel Arnold, Restaurant Serge Vieira - Australia
• Peter Lin, The Peninsula Shanghai - China
• Sanjay Thakur, Etihad - India
• Daniel Edward, Sofitel Bali/Nusa Dua Beach Resort - Indonesia
• Kotaro Hasegawa, Hiramatsu Inc. - Japan
• David Schofield, Meat Fish Wine / Chancery Chambers Limited – New-Zealand
• Eng Tong Yew, Ocean Restaurant at Resorts World Sentosa - Singapore
• Joonjae Ham, Seven square / The Plaza Hotel – South Korea
• Binara Asanka Paranavithana Wickramasingha, The Fortress Resort & Spa – Sri Lanka

When Paul Bocuse first conceived this competition in 1987, he imagined a challenge conducted at a pace worthy of a sports event. Consequently, contestants have to prepare two dishes, one meat-based and one fish-based, in a set space of time: 5 hours and 35 minutes. Great chefs and personalities from the catering world will be there to judge the results. 

The next unmissable session of the competition will take place in Budapest, on 10 and 11 May at the Sirha Budapest trade fair event, where talented young chefs from 20 European countries will gather to compete.