Filipino chefs make it to finals of global gourmet awards

SINGAPORE — Two Filipino chefs and one foreign chef working in the Philippines made it as finalists in the 21st World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence held in Singapore last week.

Celebrity Chef Gene Gonzalez of Café Ysabel in Manila and Chef Antonio “Tony Boy” Escalante of Antonio’s in Tagaytay were both nominated as finalists for the award Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year (Regional).

Escalante was also a finalist for the Restaurateur of the Year award for his namesake restaurant, Antonio’s. Lurent Merdy of Raffles and Fairmont in Makati City was also a finalist as Pastry Chef of the Year.

In an interview with Philstar.com, Gonzalez said that though he was nominated twice in previous years, this year, it was his first time to become a finalist.

“I wish we could have taken something home to the Philippines, but, well, there’s always another year, another day,” said Gonzalez, who lost the award to Chef Tam Ki Wng of Shang Palace in Kuala Lumpur.

But even to become a finalist among hundreds of chefs all over the world is already a great honor, he said.

“Being a finalist in only five chosen people to be with these heavyweights, like this guy from Bo Innovation (Chef Alvin Leung of Hong Kong) who comes out on TV, I really feel blessed…Philippine cuisine should be recognized, but the fact that we’ve become finalists, I think they’ve (the world) began to realize that.”