Singapore National Restaurant Skills Competition 2013 – Congratulations to the Winners!
The third series of the Singapore National Restaurant Skills Competition (SNRSC) 2013 has come to a close after an exciting grand finale held on 30 April.
Credit: Food and Beverage Managers’ Association
We caught the exciting competition live on the day itself. Pressure was on for the nine finalist teams who were representing some of the most eminent hotels in Singapore. Read more about the exhilarating action at the Singapore National Restaurant Skills Competition 2013.
The winners have been unveiled, and the team from Conrad Centennial Singapore has emerged as champions in the national competition.
The winning team was completely astounded when their name was announced that night, but they knew there and then that their hard work and efforts had paid off. They received their prize of S$3,000 and trophy from Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Hong Kuan, Chief Executive of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA).
Credit: Food and Beverage Managers’ Association
The champion team credited their success tremendously to the hotel they represent and culinary schools they attended, as well as the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) training that they have received. They highlighted that their management had constantly encouraged them to challenge themselves and do better, and granted them this great opportunity to participate in SNRSC 2013.
The hotel is their backbone and pillar of support, providing them with the necessary space and equipment for their intensive practice. Their training started immediately after they registered for the competition, preparing first for the qualifying rounds, and subsequently for the finals. The biggest challenge for the team was to juggle between work and training.
Credit: Food and Beverage Managers’ Association
To ensure an unforgettable dining experience for the dine-in guests at the finals, as well as to meet the stringent taste buds of the tasting judges, the team had to come up with innovative ideas for the items on the menu, and think of how to creatively present them. It’s akin to “putting a jigsaw puzzle together”, they said.
All three team members of the winning team have gone through WSQ training with the young chef having achieved the WSQ Diploma in Culinary Arts at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy. With a proficient WSQ background, they had the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to build on and expand their creativity.
The team shared that WSQ training has helped to give them a clear idea of the workflow in the food and beverage industry, offering them practical scenario experience to prepare them for the real working environment. In the WSQ Follow Food & Beverage Safety and Hygiene Policies and Procedures (in short, WSQ Food Hygiene) course, they also learnt the basic essence and alignment of table setting, including what should and should not belong on a dining table. “The safety of the guests always come first”, the team emphasised.
Ongoing training and practice has given them more confidence and better consistency. Throughout this whole competition, they have learnt to work as a team and foster team unity.
Finally, the team shared their key success factor with us – “it’s not about winning; it is the participation and learning experience that matters the most.”
The second and third winning teams are from Swissotel The Stamford (Team 8) and Pan Pacific Orchard respectively.
Credit: Food and Beverage Managers’ Association
Credit: Food and Beverage Managers’ Association
Apart from the top three places, ‘best personality’ and ‘best mocktail’ titles were also awarded to Beh Boon Choon from Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium and Rohan Shetty from Swissotel the Stamford (Team 8) respectively.
Beh Boon Choon from Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, awarded the ‘best personality award’
Rohan Shetty from Swissotel The Stamford receiving the ‘best mocktail’ award
Lastly, we would like to congratulate all teams for making it this far, as their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Even if they didn’t clinch a prize, all teams are already winners in their own ways. Catch our interview with some of the finalists to learn more about their journey through the competition!
