TP's culinary Dream Team comes out tops!

World-class cuisine with world-class service – this deeply-cherished cornerstone of Temasek Culinary Academy (TCA) has earned the academy industry-wide recognition after it won top honours in the Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) 2008 Culinary Challenge.

TP’s TCA team, comprising students and trainers from TP’s Culinary & Catering Management (CCM) and Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTM) diploma courses, clinched the only Gold medal in the Dream Team Challenge, the coveted “Overall Best Dream Team” prize and a bronze medal in the “Two to Tango” challenge.

Held during the biennial FHA 2008 (the biggest international food and hospitality trade event in Asia) from April 22 to 25, the Culinary Challenge is one of Asia’s most recognised culinary competitions where hundreds of practitioners in the food and beverage trade compete with their peers.

Mr Jeremy Sim, CCM lecturer and team manager and trainer of TP’s Dream Team, was over the moon when asked about his students’ achievement, “I have to keep repeating to myself in disbelief – our student team beat top rated hotels including 6-star hotel! That is simply mind-blowing.”

To prepare for the competition, Mr Sim reveals, the team started extensive training from December last year – going through countless rehearsals and simulations where they were “grilled relentlessly on even the most basic things like posture, femininity, verbiage and product knowledge.” The team also dined at fine-dining establishments like Les Amis to experience fine service first-hand.

In the Dream Team Challenge, each team comprising a waiter, bartender and chef were tasked to prepare an “All-Day Dining/Trendy Food & Beverage” experience within two hours for three diners in a café setting. There were a total of 16 teams from hotels, restaurants, culinary institutions, airlines and catering companies originating from places like Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Dubai. The teams were scored in categories such as preparation, hygiene, organisation, table setting, service and quality of F&B, flair, creativity and other factors which impact dining experience.

TP’s bronze medal win in the Two to Tango category is also an achievement to savour as our students had to fend off students and apprentices from recognised hotels, restaurants, airlines and training institutes from countries like Malaysia, Mexico and the USA. Each team had to prepare, within an hour, one cold appetizer and one hot main course for four persons each.

Sim Siling, a final year HTM student and one-half of the Two to Tango team was glad to have been given the chance to do her best, “Joining this competition was a true challenge for me. But thankfully, the chefs and teachers gave me continuous guiding and support with plenty of patience. Winning this competition definitely boosted my self confidence.”

Grape Learning

How does one study wines? By attending lectures, tutorials, reading up from textbooks or watching a video presentation, most probably. But how about being physically present in an actual vineyard, getting your hands dirty by harvesting grapes, tasting for optimal ripeness and acidity levels and being part of a winemaking team in an actual winery? Sounds impossible?

This year, two junior year students from the Diploma in Culinary and Catering Management did just that. Alicia Soo and Lee Wing Yin were chosen from seven applicants based on 'passion and aptitude' as judged through a thousand-word report on Western Australian wines and an interview with the school's lecturers and Hai Choo Wines and Spirits, a 21-yearold family operated wine distributor for Moss Wood wines in Singapore.

The bulk of the sponsorship involved a working attachment at the Moss Wood vineyards and winery for a period of ten days. The Moss Wood Wine brand is also a prestigious one from the Margaret River region in Western Australia; owned and managed by winemaker Mr Keith Mugford and his wife Clare, both in their 40s.

The students stayed at the Moss Wood residence, did not have to pay anything or sign a bond. Instead they were treated like a winemaking staff member, starting the day as early as six in the morning, involved with picking grapes, assisting in lab readings, hand-plunging and being part of the current vintage 2008 which is turning out to be another excellent year for their flagship varietal, the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon (retails in bottle shops for approximately AUS$120 per bottle).

In addition to working in the vineyards and winery, both students also had the opportunity to visit five other well-known vineyards in the Margaret River region - Pierro Vineyards, Cullen Wines, Vasse Felix, Xanadu and Leeuwin Estate. The visit enabled the students have an overview of the different wine business models happening within the region.

This tie-up between Temasek Polytechnic and Moss Wood winery was initiated by Hai Choo Wines and Spirits and Jeremy Sim, lecturer for the Diploma in Culinary and Catering Management. The agreement will continue for another 2 more runs.