Hilton Worldwide launches First Ever Middle East & Africa Culinary Challenge

Hilton Worldwide first ever Middle East & Africa Culinary Challenge will reach an exciting climax next month when chefs representing hotels from across the company’s MEA region will cook up a storm at the competition’s grand final to be staged at Conrad Cairo, Egypt. 

Three shortlisted finalists, Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, Jeddah Hilton in Saudi Arabia and Conrad Cairo will now go head to head having already given judges a flavour of their culinary skills with a range of inventive and original submissions.

The final will see the three shortlisted kitchen teams competing to deliver two separate appetiser and main course dishes for an esteemed panel of judges led by Hilton Worldwide, MEA area executive chef Knud Bundgaard. 

The first dish will be a re-creation of their original submission while the second is designed to get the creative juices flowing as the teams dip into a ‘black box’ of surprise ingredients and serve up their most  imaginative offering.     

Winners for the dessert and cocktail categories have already been announced.  Grant Parry from Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa was voted best dessert with his Perl Dan Sesel (meaning Pearl of the Seychelles) featuring mango parfait and jelly, coconut mousse, vanilla sable, star fruit flowers and soursop pearl.  Giovanni Bavajee from Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa won the top prize for his RAK Passion cocktail which featured a sprinkling of local ingredients including camel milk chocolate and Ras Al Khaimah grown dates. Both winners will produce their winning submissions at the event finals.

Simon Lazarus, area director of food & beverage, Hilton Worldwide MEA said: “We were overwhelmed by the quality and standard of submissions we received and delighted with the positive feedback from our teams. We have some of the best chefs working in our hotels and the eight-strong judging panel had a tough time making those all important shortlist decisions. Everyone is now looking forward to a thrilling final on 11 October.”