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Alvin Gho

BONCRU / ENOMATIC Sommelier of the Year | Wine & Spirit Awards
Company
Wine RVLT
Category
Wine & Spirit Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
Various
Location
Italy: Various - Veneto, Piedmont, Montalcino, Chianti, Etna, Vittoria
Location
This trip is a great opportunity to prepare myself for two major milestones in October (2018):

- To represent Singapore in the 4th Asia-Oceania Best Sommelier Competition in Kyoto
- To prepare myself for the Master Sommelier Diploma exams in London

The fact that I’ve squeezed many wineries into this trip allowed me to deeply understand the Italian culture as well as motivation behind its wine making and traditions. I am better able to see at the ground level how the appellation system works and does not work for the people. Sustainability has been a big conversation throughout my trip and I do realize how a new renaissance is indeed starting again about farming clean, eating and drinking clean.

 
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Angus Chow

MKN Chef of the Year | Chef Awards
Company
Gake
Category
Chef Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
Disfrutar
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Location
Mornings with their usual preparations were an eye opener to me, with over 30 items in their menu and considering each dish with more than 5 components, carefully curated in precision, it is certainly more than just perfect and aesthetically brilliant. Every day is challenging yet exciting for me, working with the chefs and analysing on the way and crafted out each dish precisely, taking delicate touch and control, the passion in creating the best dish in detail, is the most important feeling in the gastronomic experience.

Over the next days, I spent my time in Disfrutar, learning and exchanging culinary knowledge with the other chefs from around the world.

Spain is indeed a very colourful and vibrant country and Barcelona is a captivating and a breath-taking city, with the different markets and gastronomy cultures. It is truly a great
experience that I will never forget.
 
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Daniel Quek

LUZERNE Food & Beverage Manager of the Year | Service Professionals & Establishment Awards
Company
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
Category
Service Professionals & Establishment Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo, Imperial Hotel Tokyo, The Peninsula Tokyo
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Location
It was an experience to visit 3 of the top hotels in Tokyo namely Shangri-La Hotel, Imperial Hotel and The Peninsula Tokyo.

A common observation I had across the 3 properties was that the staff were committed and took pride in their work. As such, they formed a team of credible ambassadors of the respective hotels they worked in. This led me to think about the motivation behind each staff that drove this mind-set.

Continuous improvement is necessary to meet evolving guest expectations. Perhaps the next step is to think about how we can use technology to free up the time of the customer-facing staff so that they can focus on establishing and maintaining quality customer relationships in the long run.
 
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Elvin Chew

WELBILT Rising Chef of the Year | Chef Awards
Company
30 Bencoolen
Category
Chef Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
Shanghai Disney Resort
Location
Shanghai, China
Location
I end the Program with a better understanding of large resorts and theme park operations.

Like what Chef Alan said to me, to be able to understand and work in Disney, first you need to have the Disney DNA in you. In the resort, everyone will say let us impress you with the Disney Magical way.

To put it simply, it is about having a sincere heart to delight your customer, and try to cater to their needs and surprise them all the way.
 
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Louis Tay

HALTON Executive Chef of the Year | Chef Awards
Company
Swissotel Merchant Court
Category
Chef Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
City of Dreams
Location
Macau
Location
This program has given me a deep understanding into the F&B Industry, and the Japanese culture.

They have proven to be efficient and meticulous in the various areas of work, and they take pride in crafting and plating every single dish element that goes into a dish. They did not compromise on quality, in terms of the food and service provided.

I bring back the knowledge and I will see how I can implement some of their work processes into my kitchen.
 
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Thomas Koh

MEIKO Restaurant Manager of the Year | Service Professionals & Establishment Awards
Company
Burnt Ends
Category
Service Professionals & Establishment Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
The Clove Club
Location
London, UK
Location
While the front of the house team had confidence, grace and calmness, the kitchen team packed more momentum and drives the vibe of the restaurant in this open kitchen concept.

The core team of managers are extremely confident and gels the rest of the guys together well, everyone knew exactly what they needed to do and at most times there seems to be “no curve balls” every service simply because they all work so well together! Hands down for sure one of the most efficient, professional and competent team I have worked with.

I take home with me a fresh approach to many aspects to my restaurant group, a few ideas to explore and possibly implement and definitely an eye opener to the culture and hospitality of what this city can offer.
 
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Winnie Goh

CACAO BARRY Pastry Chef of the Year | Chef Awards
Company
Mandarin Orchard Hotel
Category
Chef Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
Escuela Torreblanca
Location
Alicante, Spain
Location
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Head Chef Paco on a special product – Panettone. It was a time consuming and labour intensive process, from having to start early at 5am to start the second dough in order to catch up with the production deadline to feeding pasta madre 3 times a day in order to get to the finished product. The Chefs at Escuela Torreblanca were very knowledgeable and helpful, willing to share the recipe and discuss the baking process of the product. Despite the distinct language barrier that presented itself, we were still able to understand one another.

The language barrier aside, it was a very fulfilling and educational trip, having been able to learn from the Spanish in their pastry making and experience the rush and life in a bakery there as well as to see budding future bakers in the making, pun intended. 

 
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Alvin Leong

KUHLBARRA Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year | Chef Awards
Company
Baba Chews Bar and Eatery
Category
Chef Awards
Hosting Establishment(s)
Hongqiao State guest hotel
Location
Shanghai, China
Location
This overseas attachment program has really been  an eye-opening journey, and also my first time experiencing a working environment in China. I have been welcomed warmly and am very touched by the hospitality provided by Mr Dong and his team. This trip was a reminder for me that working from the bottom to the top isn’t that easy. From picking up of skillsets, improving and execution, it always takes a lot of effort behind the scenes.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Peter Knipp Holdings Ptd Ltd and Mr Adel Aramouni, the General Manager of Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong and Holiday Inn Express Singapore Katong. All the support they have provided has allowed me to explore this opportunity, which has been an eye-opening experience for me.
 
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Alvin Gho

Unique Food And Wine Sommelier of the Year
Designation
Partner/Sommelier
Company
WineRVLT
Category
Sommelier of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Penedes, Priorat, Conca de Barbera, Montsant (Barcelona, Spain)
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Javed Ahamad

Kühlbarra Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year
Designation
Executive Chef
Company
Punjab Grill Singapore
Category
Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Ze Kitchen Galerie (Paris, France)
Location

Travel Takeaway

I had a very diversified culinary experience during my stay in Paris. Chef William has many interesting twists in his cuisine such as using Asian spices to influence contemporary French cuisines. I picked up 2 unique recipes and food techniques that I look forward to trying in my kitchen!

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Ng Say Hoe

Luzerne F&B Manager of the Year
Designation
Assistant Director
Company
Raffles Hotel Singapore
Category
F&B Manager of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
The Peninsular (Hong Kong)
Location

Travel Takeaway

This visit has given me a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience how the team incorporate modern technology, hygiene requirement, and social responsibility without losing their classic ‘Grand Dame’ touch within the local community. This has inspired me to be able to make good suggestions for the Hospitality industry in Singapore to promote social responsibility for the environment.

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Petrina Loh

MKN Chef of the Year
Designation
Chef/Owner
Company
Morsels
Category
Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Yedongddle, Gyeonggi Food & Research Institution, Restaurant Choi (Korea)
Location

Travel Takeaway

This trip provided me a platform to share many great experiences and ideas. I also met various chefs who shared their great philosophies with me which I will hold dearly. I have learned so much about the Korean culture – the people, the food and of course, Kimchi.

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Bobby Krishnan

Halton Group Executive Chef of the Year
Designation
Executive Chef
Company
Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa
Category
Executive Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Hana Kyoto Kitcho (Tokyo, Japan)
Location

Travel Takeaway

The Japanese culture itself was an eye-opener for me where everyone cohesively worked together within the restaurant. When it was the peak hours, there was no divisional line between the kitchen and service staff, everyone helped one another to provide the best service for the customers.

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Kenneth Oh

MLA Rising Chef of the Year
Designation
Chef de Cuisine
Category
Rising Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Dolce Stil Novo (Turin, Italy)
Location

Travel Takeaway

I managed to experience Italian culture which was very eye-opening. I believe Chefs play a vital role in educating consumers on the other varieties of ingredients that can be used to replace certain ingredients. Therefore, in my kitchen, I will try my best to source and use only sustainable produce as it will be less harmful to the Earth in the long run.

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Cheryl Koh

Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia Pastry Chef of the Year
Designation
Pastry Chef
Company
Tarte
Category
Pastry Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Pierre Hermé (Paris, France)
Location

Travel Takeaway

The trip to Paris has awarded me the opportunity to dine, meet the chefs and visit the kitchens of Restaurant Guy Savoy, Pierre Gagnaire, and the many pastry shops around Paris. It was a fruitful and an eye opening trip, I was able to gather many new ideas and experiences to bring back to Tarte and Les Amis Restaurant.

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Sally Chan

Meiko Restaurant Manager of the Year
Designation
Restaurant Manager
Company
Yan Ting, The St. Regis Singapore
Category
Restaurant Manager of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Lee Kum Kee Production Base (Hong Kong)
Location

Travel Takeaway

I witnessed a very fast-paced F&B environment similar to the one in Singapore where Hong Kong-ers expect as well as demand the same level of efficiency and quality service.  Visiting Lee Kum Kee’s production base was enlightening as I got to understand the workings behind Lee Kum Kee’s renowned sauces.

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Amos Lim

Luzerne Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Designation
F&B Manager
Company
One Farrer Hotel & Spa
Category
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Location

Travel Takeaway

Every service associate demonstrated exceptional passion and commitment to ensure service excellence. Each service is personalised and the Chefs take pride in ensuring that everything is presented and served to perfection. I am most intrigued with the implementation of the Gueridon service which helped to promote communication between guests and associates thus creating a positive impact on the overall dining experience. All in all, my learning experience is very enriching as I saw how creativity is infused in tradition with style.

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Daniele Sperindio

Meat & Livestock Australia Rising Chef of the Year
Designation
Head Chef
Company
Open Farm Community
Restaurant Type
International
Category
Rising Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Chicago, U.S.A
Location
Alinea by Grant Achatz
Location

Travel Takeaway

My time in Alinea was definitely worthwhile as I witnessed one of the most surgical techniques used in the kitchen - the making of the sugar balloon. It is a ground breaking achievement which will be remembered in the culinary industry until the end of time. At Alinea, you can also find various kind of modern equipment, which allows you to achieve textures and results otherwise impossible.

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Gerald Lu

Unique Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year
Designation
Partner
Company
Praelum Wine Bistro
Category
Sommelier of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
France
Location
  1. Chateau Pontet-Canet
  2. Chateau Pichon Longueville Lalande
  3. GH Martell Group
  4. Louis Roederer
  5. Bruno Paillard
  6. Krug
  7. Pol Roger
  8. Joseph Perrier
  9. Ruinart
  10. Pierre Peters
  11. Bollinger
  12. Moet
  13. Philipponnat
  14. Joseph Drouhin
  15. Rossignol Trapet
  16. Guy Amiot
  17. Vincent Girardin
  18. Thibault Liger Belaira
  19. Faiveley
Location

Travel Takeaway

The biggest takeaways for me was to see the power of branding and marketing collectively launch themselves from the brink of extinction after World War II, to one of the most successful regions and products that is spoken on the lips of every wine lover all over the world.

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Kenny Kong

Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia Pastry Chef of the Year
Designation
Executive Pastry Chef
Company
Resorts World Sentosa
Category
Pastry Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
France
Location
Hugo & Victor
Location

Travel Takeaway

Chef Hugo practised excellent quality and food control where he removed all food colouring and replaced with natural colourings from dehydrated fruits and vegetables. There is a high level of productivity in Hugo & Victor as the chefs are trained to use hi-tech machines which highly supports the production. I would highly recommend our young pastry chefs to be attached to the lab kitchen if the opportunity presents.

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Kori Millar

Meiko Restaurant Manager of the Year
Designation
Restaurant Manager
Company
Bar-Roque Grill
Restaurant Type
European
Category
Restaurant Manager of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Shanghai, China
Location
Ultra Violet
Location

Travel Takeaway

When I was greeted by Chef Paul Pairet and Executive Chef Greg Robinson, I was a little star struck. I felt so honoured to be in the presence of someone so passionate and dedicated, a humble man with such a precise vision.

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Eric Neo

Halton Executive Chef of the Year
Designation
Executive Chef
Company
InterContinental Hotel
Category
Executive Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Bangkok, Thailand
Location
  1. Eat Me Restaurant
  2. Issaya Siamese Club
  3. Nahm
Location

Travel Takeaway

I felt that the focus was on taking traditional Thai cuisine and presenting it in a more visual and appealing manner. Furthermore, there needs to be ample training for service staff in order to increase their product knowledge. These are my most valuable takeaways which I would be sure to implement in my restaurant in the future.

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Leong Chee Yeng

Majestic Restaurant Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year
Designation
Chinese Chef
Company
Jade, Fullerton Hotel
Restaurant Type
Chinese
Category
Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
China
Location
Wei Fusion by Qian Yibin
Location

Travel Takeaway

I learned substantial knowledge from the various Chefs in the Shanghai Culinary scene. I am very grateful that the Chefs were willing to teach me very important techniques to prepare certain techniques that can help me achieve the right consistency and flavours especially for Chinese cuisines.

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Yew Eng Tong

KitchenAid Chef of the Year
Designation
Chef de Cuisine
Company
Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora
Restaurant Type
International
Category
Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Holland
Location
  1. Restaurant Pure C
  2. The Jane
Location

Travel Takeaway

Knowing Sergio's kitchen is the toughest in Europe didn't stop me from going there. Honestly, I really did enjoy the challenge of enduring all the pain from every part of my body – from backaches, strained calves, heel pains, stick shoulders & neck, to burned fingers! The saying goes, "No pain, no gain" right? The Jane is rated as one of Europe's toughest kitchen, "Are you in for the challenge? ".

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Brandon Foo

KitchenAid Chef of the Year
Designation
Chef de Cuisine
Company
Le Bistrot du Sommelier
Restaurant Type
French
Category
Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
France
Location
Hôtel et Restaurant Régis & Jacques Marcon
Location

Travel Takeaway

Working with Chef Régis and Jacques Marcon at Saint Bonnet Le Froid is the best possible training for anyone wanting to enter the industry could get. Chef Régis and Jacques treat every employee as an individual, making sure that every member of staff moves in the right direction and gets a chance to prove themselves.

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Kong Kok Kiang

Halton Executive Chef of the Year
Designation
Executive Chef
Company
One Farrer Hotel & Spa
Category
Executive Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Hong Kong
Location
Peninsula Hong Kong
Location

Travel Takeaway

My take-away from it all is the positive attitude and ethics held by the chefs when in the kitchen, which translates into exquisite dishes being served to diners. I can also learn from them how Peninsula Hong Kong manages to retain their staff as they have one of the lowest turnover rates in any hotel in Hong Kong.

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Bryan Chia

Meat & Livestock Australia Rising Chef of the Year
Designation
Chef Co-Owner
Company
Morsels
Restaurant Type
Fusion
Category
Rising Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Nashville, U.S.A.
Location
Husk by Sean Brock
Location

Travel Takeaway

After this experience at Husk Restaurant, I’ve been able to train my cooks on different butchery techniques as every country has their own cuts and I’m better able to tell our suppliers what exactly we are looking for. We are currently in the process of building a pit smoker, and we are trying to import our own produce so we can control the final plated dish, from start to finish.

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Janice Wong

Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia Pastry Chef of the Year
Designation
Owner and Founder
Company
2am Dessert Bar
Restaurant Type
Dessert
Category
Pastry Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Girona, Spain
Location
El Cellar de Can Roca
Location

Travel Takeaway

The passion and zealousness of the chefs and interns in the kitchen have given me great courage and inspiration in our line of work. The key to their success was the continuous work put in to creating new dishes, thinking of new approaches and facing new challenges, together as a team, for the betterment of the restaurant.

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Javed Ahamad

Vismark Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year
Designation
Executive Chef
Company
Punjab Grill Singapore
Restaurant Type
Indian
Category
Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Paris, France
Location
Zaaffran by Vikrant Kapoor
Location

Travel Takeaway

My experience of Sydney’s culinary scene is that of a cosmopolitan nature, with Australian cuisine that’s peppered with global influences. There’s evidence of British traditions persisting to some degree within domestic cooking and the take-away food sector, as popular dishes like Australian meat pie and fish n’ chips are still a staple.

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Gabbriel James

At-Sunrice Restaurant Manager of the Year
Designation
Director F&B
Company
Stellar @ 1-Altitude
Restaurant Type
International
Category
Restaurant Manager of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
London
Location
Wild Honey
Location

Travel Takeaway

The overall experience was really meaningful and engaging, spurring me to have a word with my superiors so that I can suggest to them some of the implementations that we might be able to apply to our own establishment.

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Ravi Mutthiah

Sia Huat F&B Manager of the Year
Designation
F&B Manager
Company
Resorts World Sentosa
Category
F&B Manager of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Tokyo, Japan
Location

Travel Takeaway

As I embarked on this trip, I had no initial concerns, rather I was more excited to have this observation visit. My intentions were to look at best practises and productivity initiatives in an integrated resort like ours; celebrity chef restaurants, meeting and convention spaces, hotel rooms, retail spaces, theatre and casino. It was great to have the opportunity to work with Mickael Friberg( Director Catering), Oliver Von Brunn(GM, Restaurants) and Matthew Christie(GM, Casino Table Games), all of whom are experienced and knowledgeable with both the front and back of the hotel.

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Mohamad Fazil

Wines of Portugal Sommelier of the Year
Designation
Group Sommelier
Company
Salt Grill & Sky Bar By Luke Mangan
Category
Sommelier of the Year
Hosting Establishment(s)
Italy
Location
  1. Sartori di Verona (Veneto, Italy)
  2. Medici Ermete (Emilia Romagna, Italy)
  3. Ascheri (Piemonte, Italy)
  4. Lvnae Bosoni (Liguria, Italy)
  5. ColleMassari (Toscana, Italy)
  6. Baglio di Pianetto (Sicilia, Italy)
Location

Travel Takeaway

After this educational trip, I am now more familiar with the names and styles of each Italian grape varietal and what they are used for. Some of the wine legislations were explained clearer when I met the wine makers in person, widening my knowledge of Italian wines and helping me provide better recommendations to the restaurant diners as well as improve my performance and duty as a sommelier.

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