It was a double triumph for KDU College as its Culinary Arts students were crowned overall champion and awarded the Silverspoon Award Champion Trophy in the International MIHAS Apprentice Chefs’ Competition (MACC) 2009, and KDU chef lecturer, Kenneth Kam, brought home a Bronze medal in the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2009.
MACC, which was held in Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre from 8th May to 10th May, saw participants from various colleges taking part to boost their culinary expertise.
The competition was a mean for these young aspiring chefs to put their skills to test. As the culinary arts is very much a practical-based industry, it is imperative for the participants to ensure high levels of proficiency and creativity were displayed in order to remain competent in the culinary world.
KDU College’s Team Independent, comprising of students Leng Yik Siang, Eugene See and Tristan Lim, was awarded a whopping number of 4 gold and 3 silver for their efforts. The gold medals awarded were for the categories of Western: Pasta, Asian: Noodles, Asian: Fish & Seafood and Asian: Meat/Poultry/Game, while they bagged the silver medals in Western: Fish & Seafood, Patisserie: Plated Western Desserts and Patisserie: Contemporary Asian Desserts.
For sweeping the number of medals in the competition, Team Independent was also declared as the overall champion for the 3-day competition, bringing home the champion trophy, a cheque for USD5,000 and big happy smiles on their faces.
It was gruelling, intense and tiring as the team had competed in most of the categories available, but seeing how their efforts paid off, the team said all those sleepless nights were all worth it.
Another team from KDU, Team Rainbow, also managed to snag a Bronze medal for one of the patisserie categories, making it a total of 4 gold, 3 silver and one bronze for the college.
Team Independent’s mentor and culinary competitions advisor, Chef Lecturer Kenneth Kam, was away in Hong Kong that same weekend, competing in the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2009 with over 500 chefs from around the region. Chef Kenneth, a culinary competitions veteran, certainly didn’t disappoint, bringing home a bronze medal for his efforts.
Prior to this event, Kenneth was awarded Gold in the 2008 Food & Hotel Asia (FHA) Culinary Challenge and Bronze in the 12th Penang International Salon Gastronomique 2009.
KDU College always believe that challenges facilitate a student’s learning experience and with that in mind, continually encourage students to reach for greater heights.
KDU College’s School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts, in partnership with the IMI University Centre, offers the Diploma in Professional Chef Training and the Diploma in Culinary Arts under the Culinary Arts Department.
The college also has two others schools; the School of Arts & Social Sciences and the School of Engineering, Science & Technology.
The largest group of students in the college are pursuing a wide range of diploma programmes that are available, such as Accountancy, Business Administration, Mass Communication, Computer Studies, Business Computing, Internet Technology, Telecommunication & Computer Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Hotel & Tourism Management, Professional Chef Training and Culinary Arts, all of which are suitable for SPM leavers. KDU also offers degree programmes with top international universities from UK, Australia and Switzerland
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