Passionate Chefs always blaze with passion to cook and venture on fresh menu. In order to come up with a masterpiece, one must endeavor to sharpen his culinary skills and ready himself for whatever battle he has to face in the culinary world.

The Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Entrepreneurship(ICHEF) and the Joji Ilagan International School of Hotel and Tourism Management - General Santos City, owned and managed by the Joji Ilagan Career Center Foundation, Inc. participated in the country’s most prestigious culinary competition – the Philippine Culinary Cup 2018.

In its 9th year, the Philippine Culinary Cup takes on its role in providing Filipino culinarians with a world-class dais to showcase and hone their culinary skills. The Les Toques Blanches (LTB) Chefs Association Philippines, Pastry Alliance of the Philippines, and the PEPTarsus Corp., collaborated and have established the new standard for culinary competitions.

The Philippine Culinary Cup is also the only competition endorsed by the World Association of Chefs Society(WACS) which adds to the competition’s prestige. This year, the Philippine Culinary Cup 2018 World Food Expo Philippines opened at SMX Convention Center-Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Manila last August 1, 2018. The four-day competition was participated by competitors from culinary institutions and industry professional chefs inside and outside the country.

The Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Entrepreneurship competed in Young Chefs Team Challenge. The Joji Ilagan International School of Hotel and Tourism Management - General Santos City competed in the following categories: Filipino Cuisine Challenge, Young Chefs Team Challenge, and Pasta.

The competitors from ICHEF were Myka Requilman and Gladys Mae Compracion for Young Chefs Team Challenge. The Joji Ilagan International School for Hotel and Tourism Management-General Santos City competitors were Arvin Macaya and Kristel Dagol for Young Chefs Team Challenge; Angel Onday, Jerson Depositario and Hermie Walang for Filipino Cuisine; and Charline Sorsano for Pasta.

All efforts and hard work paid off as the winners were announced. Myka Requilman and Gladys Mae Compracion from the Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Entrepreneurship bags 2Bronze Medals for Young Chefs Team Challenge; and Arvin Macaya and Kristel Dagol of the Joji Ilagan International School for Hotel and Tourism Management-General Santos City bags 2 2Bronze Medals for Young Chefs Team Challenge.

The competitors from JIB International Schools armored themselves with the necessary culinary skills they have mastered from the institution. With confidence, they all fired up for their categories. The competitors mount to the challenge of competing with both local and international culinarians with the support and guidance of their Master Chef trainers: Chef Clinton Gregorio (ASEAN Master Chef Trainer in Food Production), Chef Stephen Pollard, Chef Christian Cruz, and Ms. Mary Arlene Ozoa, ICHEF Lead Teacher.

Joining a prestigious culinary competition and competing with both local and international culinarians enriched the student chefs’ experience. It is also the institution’s pride to have student competitors rise to the challenge of showcasing their culinary skills in a world-class competition with local and international culinarians and culinary professionals.