Four Seasons Resort’s first SuperChef competition |28 August 2014

Jeffrey Antat and Diane Dine grand winners

Jeffrey Antat and Diane Dine are the grand winners of the first SuperChef competition organised by the Four Seasons Resort (Seychelles).

Jeffrey won in the hot and cold kitchen category while Diane excelled in the pastry section of the competition.

The event, which took place at the resort at Anse Soleil, was attended by the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange, chief executive of the Seychelles Toursim Board Sherin Naiken and other representatives and sponsors of the event, namely Etihad Airways, ISPC, Archipelago Wines and Spirits and Four Seasons Resort Seychelles itself.

Both winners won a trip to the Maldives in September to take part in Hotel Asia international culinary challenge with flight sponsored by Etihad Airways.
They also won an Apple iPad from SAFCO, Dubai.

Bertrand Payet and Fyza Bacco won second prizes in the hot and cold kitchen and pastry categories respectively.

They both also won a trip to the Maldives in September to take part in Hotel Asia international culinary challenge with flight sponsored by Etihad Airways and one night stay for two persons, including food and beverage, at the Four Seasons Resort (Seychelles).

In a short speech to congratulate the winners and participants, the hotel’s general manager, Alex Porteous, told the participants their dishes were absolutely fabulous and thanked them for their involvement. Words of thanks also went to sponsors of the event.

This was Four Seasons Resort (Seychelles) first SuperChef competition for chefs working at the hotel. There were two separate contests within the competition where eleven contestants took part – one for the kitchen chefs which attracted seven participants and one for the pastry chef which brought together four competitors.

The chefs received a black box containing four main ingredients that had to be used as per instruction. They needed to cook a starter and a main course from these ingredients in the space of three and a half hours.

They had to produce four plates per course – two for blind judging; one for show and one for judging chef’s tasting. The same rules applied for pastry also except that the contestants had to prepare a dessert and bread.

Each contestant had to place four plates per dish – two for the blind jury; one for the show table and one for the kitchen jury. Blind judging for both pastry and kitchen were based on the taste, texture and presentation of each dish. For each category the rating forms were handed out separately and calculated on number of points. There were points for starter, main course, starter and main course technical skills and hygiene for the hot and cold kitchen while the pastry kitchen points were calculated on dessert, bread, pastry and bread technical skills and hygiene.

What the winners said:

Jeffrey Antat: “I took part in the competition for the experience since it was my first competition. And also to have fun. It was a new challenge for me to test my skills and creativity.”

Diane Dine: “I wanted to try out, have fun and gain more confidence in myself. It was a challenge and has helped prepare myself for the next level. I also gained inspiration with the pastry team.”

Bertrand Payet: “As it was Four Season’s first such competition I decided to try out my skills. I also wanted to achieve my dream which is to win a competition.”

Fyza Bacco: “I wanted to compete with my co-workers and have fun but I wish the competition would be held more often. I was inspired by my co-workers .”