Team Scalinis take top honours

By Deidre Fanene 30 October 2016, 12:00AM

Chefs from all over Samoa sure cooked up a storm at Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel fale yesterday.

The event was the much-anticipated Samoa Culinary Association’s inaugural Oceania Gas Salon Culinaire.

From junior chefs showing off their skills preparing a fruit display or cooking the perfect omelette through to experienced senior chefs showing their well-honed skills in making a complicated dessert in just one hour, the competition was hot.

But at the end of a long day of trying to impress the Judges, the team from Scalinis walked away with the top honours. 

Elijah Tavita won the junior division while Alosio Brown won the senior’s division.

Mr. Tavita, of Vaivase, who has only worked for Scalini’s for seven months told the Sunday Samoan he was proud of what he had done yesterday.

“My motto is practice makes perfect and that everything is possible with God,” he said.

“I am so happy. It is a good experience to participate in this competition especially because this is the first time I have joined a competition such as this.”

“The competition was tough because there were a lot of good chefs here but I did my best and I was confident enough.”

With ten years experienced under his belt, Mr. Brown said cooking is his passion.

“I spent ten years working in the kitchen and four and half years of being a chef,” he told the Sunday Samoan.

“I love food and I love to be creative so this competition has helped me a lot but that don’t mean there are no challenges.”

“In preparing for this competition me and my uso here had to make sure that we do our best, but we were nervous because we knew that we were going to go up against some really good chefs as well.

“We had one week to prepare for this competition and it was tough but I thank God that we made it so it was all worth it.”

Over 30 contestants entered the competition.

The Team Challenge required a Junior and a Senior Chef to work together to produce a two course meal in 80 minutes.  

The international Judges were Lou Abbott ( Head Judge ), Rob Smillie and Sarah Kymbrekos. 

For the President of the Samoa Culinary Association and owner of Scalinis Restaurant, Chef Joe Lam he said the competition Samoa is serious about the quality of the food and that the culinary industry is maturing.

By Deidre Fanene 30 October 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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