Hotel Asia Culinary Challenge 2016 winners to dazzle at HOFEX 2017
Winners of last year’s Maldives Hotel Asia Culinary Challenge are to visit Hong Kong to showcase their talents at HOFEX 2017, Asia’s leading food and hospitality trade show.
The winners of last year’s event are Chef Ahmed Fathheen from Bandos Island Resort, Chef Indra Kumar Limbu and Chef Ismail Naseer from Hulhule Island Hotel.
The chefs’ participation at HOFEX 2017 is jointly supported by the Maldives Exhibition and Conference Service (MECS) and Bestbuy Maldives (BBM). BBM is a leading food and beverage supplier in the country and the main sponsor of Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge. HOFEX is slated to happen from May 8 to 11 at the Hong Kong Convention Centre in Hong Kong.
“As the Organizers of Maldives Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge we are happy and proud to support the three chefs’ participation at HOFEX 2017,” Alan Palmer, Project Director for the Culinary Challenge said. “Our goal is to develop chefs working in the Maldives by participating in such prestigious events which will provide them the huge opportunity to improve their skills and also the chance to meet other culinarians from the world over.”
Mohamed Mazloom, CEO of BBM said that the company is delighted to work to further the capacity of the local hospitality industry. “The HOFEX tradeshow will be an ideal platform for our candidates to display their talent and put the country on the culinary map,” he added. “It is a world class tradeshow, with star judges similar to the Judges at Hotel Asia, who can fine-tune the skills of the participants. It will provide our participants with much needed global exposure, and they will bring back the knowledge when they return to enrich our food and beverage sector. MECS and BBM have hosted chefs from the Maldives to compete at FHA Culinary Challenge in Singapore in 2010 and HOFEX in Hong Kong in 2013. We have plans to sponsor participants every year as it will further enhance the skill set of the best who work in the hospitality sector in the Maldives. We are not only limiting to sponsor winners of Hotel Asia to Singapore and Hong Kong, but looking also at Dubai Gulf Food, FHS Seoul and Culinary Olympics as well.”
HOFEX has been taking the industry on numerous extraordinary culinary journeys, delivering gastronomic experiences from the world over in the past 30 years. It brings the most comprehensive selection of food and beverage, hospitality equipment and supplies products to Asia. The event is organized by the Hong Kong Exhibition Services Ltd and co-organised by Allworld Exhibitions, The Hong Kong Chefs Association and International Culinary Institute -ICI (a member of VTC Group).
The event – with the objective to provide channels promoting culinary experience, the skills and abilities of Chefs, Cooks, Pastry Chefs, and Apprentices – is endorsed by the World Association of Chefs Societies. Hong Kong Chinese Chefs Association and Hong Kong Bakery and Confectionery Association Limited are the supporting associations for the event.
In preparation for Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge 2017, MECS and BBM came together in February to host a Special Masterclass in Pastry with award-winning Chef Edwin Leow. The 13th edition of the exhibition held this year will be held from September 17 to 20 at the Dharubaaruge Exhibition Hall.
