Klong Phai Farm, the highly-regarded supplier of free-range chicken, eggs, duck and dairy products in Thailand, recently held its first “Klong Phai Farm School Culinary Contest” with the event happening at The Food School Bangkok, on June 10, 2023. Five budding chefs, from three top cooking institutes, competed for victory in front of a panel of lauded jurors.
An enthusiastic crowd gathered for a day of amazing food, exciting competition, and great company, eager to catch all of the action unfolding before them, alongside His Excellency Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to Thailand, and his wife, Mrs. Cécile Mathou.
The contest showcased Klong Phai Farm’s premium range of products, giving the culinary students the chance to demonstrate their skills, creativity and resilience, while promoting culinary education in Thailand, as well as the growth and innovation of the food industry.
A Thrilling Competition Where Culinary Passion Met Creativity
Competitions such as Klong Phai Farm’s play a vital role in culinary arts as they continually elevate the standards of culinary brilliance. There is no better way for a culinarian to hone their craft than by putting their skills and talents to the test in a competitive environment.
The contest began at 8:30am, with sponsors ascending the stage to inaugurate the event. In addition to sharing their excitement and enthusiasm, they also detailed the rules for the competition, and offered guidance on making use of the equipment and the workspaces, ensuring that everything was in place for the day to run smoothly for anyone competing.
Once that finished, the five skilled chefs, each paired with a mentor chef, gathered for the cook-off ready to craft two distinctive recipes. The first course aimed to test technical skill levels, work quality, and ability to steadily follow Chef Arnaud Dunand Sauthier’s recipe.
While the recipe formed the foundation of their dishes, the garnish offered an opportunity for culinary artistry. Participants could conjure up their garnishes from a superb choice of vegetables sourced from Uraiwan Organic Farm, and display their garnishing innovation.
In recognition of creativity, a special award was set aside for the contestant with the most inventive garnish. The next challenge required the use of a key ingredient, eggs, sourced from Klong Phai Farm: whether chicken, duck, or quail eggs, competitors had freedom to unleash their gastronomic imaginations, coming up with either sweet or savoury dishes.
There was also the option to present multiple recipes, all centered upon the humble egg. This challenge aimed to evaluate their creative prowess and cultural interpretation of the theme, and for the top rendition the French Ambassador would bestow the grand prize.
Emerging Talents Battled To Put Themselves in the Spotlight
Contestants were allotted two-hour timeframes, from 9am to 11am, to attentively construct their dishes. After, these creations were presented to the jury, for their discerning palates to adjudge: each team were given a 10-minute window to give details about their dishes.
The tasting jury was comprised of eight celebrated chefs, each having their own claims to fame. It included Chef Arnaud Dunand Sauthier, a Michelin-starred chef and the owner of Maison Dunand, Chef Dominique Bugnand, Executive Chef at the Mandarin Oriental, and Chef Julien Le Breton, who holds the position of the Executive Chef at Klong Phai Farm.
On the technical jury, the competition was honoured to include two distinguished figures from the culinary world: Chef Kent Vatcharavee Visetpohchanatip, President of Disciples d’Escoffier, and Chef Olivier Castella of Bocuse d’Or Thailand, and an Escoffier disciple.
A number of renowned companies generously sponsored the contest. Among them were Maison Dunand, Vittel, Nordways, Sunny Days Organic, Siam Blades, M Wrap, Han & Co., and The Food School Bangkok, each helping to make the occasion greatly entertaining.
With the event being graced by the presence of the Ambassador of France to Thailand, it served to affirm its importance and the strong ties between the participating entities. The attendees were extremely impressed by the high levels of culinary expertise on display.
Following deliberations, Chotika Charoensook and Mentor Chef Sarakorn Pattanananchai from Rattanakosin International College of Creative Entrepreneurs (RICE) were named as the winner! Chotika won a month’s training with Chef Arnaud Dunand Sauthier, two Siam Blades knives, a pair of Nordways working shoes, and 10,000 Baht cash from M Wrap.
Chef Phum Poowow from Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School, mentored by David Gee, landed the competition’s second place, while Chef Likhid Saenboonkiong from The Food School Bangkok, mentored by Piyapanee Chomnga, secured third place. Like the winner, the runners-up picked up various prizes, provided by a number of the event’s sponsors.
The Intercultural Prize went to Chef Pannawit Lamart, mentored by Siwakorn Kuekulpitak, who will train for a month at the French Embassy residence. Chef Arch Wangkanjanamas and Mentor Sarakorn Pattanananchai landed the Clean and Waste Management award.
Klong Phai Farm’s School Culinary Contest was a celebration of the culinary arts, packed full of unforgettable moments, showcasing the immense skill and determination of all of the students involved. Visit: www.klongphaifarm.com for further details on the event.
