Gourmet Black Box Challenge 2023 was an event organised by Brand 21 in collaboration with BERJAYA University College (BUC) as the Official Venue Partner and Samonyu as Official Hosting Partner. In conjunction with VIP Fine Dining in the evening, the event kicked off with an inter-cooking competition in the afternoon. Ten teams from BUC which comprised of two Culinary Arts students per team have showcased their signature dishes. Six prominent judges were invited to taste the dishes by determining the finest and winning creations. The invited judges were Puan Sri Nisa Bakri from Nisa Bakri Gourmet, Chef Fadzly Che Omar from Gastronomy Association of Malaysia, Puan Zaidah from Tsuka Dining, Chef Gunawan Wu a renowned celebrity chef, Ms Elva Koh from Samonyu and Dr Moses Wong from World Consumers’ Protection Chamber of Commerce. The participating teams applied innovation and creativity into their signature dishes featuring a Starter and a Main Course using a base item namely fresh salmon which was fully sponsored by Samonyu.
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Group Photo of the Gourmet Black Box Challenge 2023
Gourmet Black Box VIP Fine Dining was held in the late evening at BUC’s fine dining restaurant, Samplings on the Fourteenth which was located on the 14th floor of Berjaya Times Square Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The elegant decor with red-and-black themed table settings at Samplings on the Fourteenth were beautifully done by staff and students from the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism (FHT) alongside a full course menu fully prepared by the chefs and students from the Faculty of Culinary Arts (FCA). The VIP dinner was graced by two Guests of Honour, namely YBhg. Datin Rafidah Idris from Tourism Malaysia and Puan Norlela Binti Baharudin from Berjaya Corporation Berhad who also presided over the certificate presentation ceremony. The dishes were judged based on creativity, plating and flavour. The winners were Alliza Hanim and Claudia Quah with the starter “Salmon & prawn tartare with salmon jerky & spicy mango along with pickled radish & cucumber” and the main course “Pan fried salmon topped with garlic breadcrumbs served with pomme puree along with avocado sauce & sautéed vegetables”.
Gourmet Black Box Challenge 2023 proved to be a resounding success, captivating guests and organisers alike with a day brimming with excitement, culinary marvels and unforgettable moments. A special thank you goes out to the main hosting partner, Samonyu for hosting the Gourmet Black Box VIP Fine Dining as well as sponsoring the gourmet ingredients. The founder of Samonyu, Ms. Elva Koh delivered the keynote address and helmed the stage for launching the new Halal product better known as Salmon Jerky. All guests had exceptional dinner reception full of joy and happiness by witnessing the remarkable ceremony with young culinary talents showcased by the participating teams in this extraordinary occasion. All VIP guests were given a precious door gift which they could savour the signature Salmon Jerky with family members and love ones. The huge success of the Gourmet Black Box Challenge 2023 will definitely leads to upcoming campaigns between Brand 21 and Berjaya University College (BUC) towards showcasing young talented culinary skills as well as promoting Malaysia’s diverse gourmet experiences. Meanwhile, Cision – PR Newswire is Gourmet Black Box Challenge 2023’s official news distribution partner.