And a little role for ...... yours truly!

There was even a little cameo role for yours truly in the whole affair. And that's what hanging around an event as a photographer can sometimes lead to.
With one member of the judging panel absent on the second day, for the main course, I was roped in on the panel. So it was a quick taste and appreciation of the dish, some markings and notes, then out to shoot the dish, and back again at the judges' table - four times, so it began to look like a game of musical chairs! 
That's me below (right) pecking at the foie gras next to the fish; on my right is fellow Judge Steven Benson Flower, the Executive Chef of the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah resort.

Sadly no such services were required on the day of the Desserts, and I could only eat with my eyes, full of remorse. (But I've already made a booking at Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove!)

The ingredients of a successful Culinary event

Just as in a winning well-executed dish, it takes good ingredients to make a successful Culinary competition - a well-run institution such as the Seychelles Tourism Academy, good people and team work, good companies to help drive and support, and last but not least, good media support.
This event had all the right ingredients in all the right dozes. Flavien Joubert, the STA's Director and his team as well as a bevy of students were all hands on deck on a tightly-run ship; the media were faithfully present every day recording the tremendous work in the kitchen and the results, and the sponsors like ISPC and Oceana Fisheries who not only provided the ingredients and trimming, but plentiful snacks and refreshments for everyone who cared to attend and support, as well as members of senior management of hotels who came to give moral support.


Here's a few shots to recognise these faithful people:
Alfred Fourcroy (right) of ISPC (thanks also for the flow of Prosecco!) and Joe Tirant of Oceana Fisheries >

Members of the Judging panel >

Flavien Joubert with team members and guests >

GM Olivier Francais (left) and Chef Ulric Denis of Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove proudly flanking their hotel's Dessert category winner Verma Agricole >

and of course members of the Media diligently taking notes >

Sweet sweet somethings.......and the capricious ice-cream

There's nothing like a competition with a little drama, especially if the main star behaves somewhat erratically and throws up tantrums.
Enter Miss Movenpick, but the Ice-Cream (!) - imported and represented by ISPC, which was the main ingredient of the Dessert category, the final leg of the Seychelles Tourism Academy 2009 Culinary Competition. 
By the time the dishes went to the photographers and the judging panel, some parts of the dishes were beginning to have a mind of their own - offloading a strawberry here, making an unintended creamy pool there.
But luckily the sun was not beating down as hard as in the past two days, and things held up pretty well.
The elaborate creation of Verma Agricole from Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove (below) seduced the eyes and palates of the jury the most and earned her first prize and a trip to Singapore.

Second was Eric Bacco, from Round Island Praslin. 

Yane Ladouceur from Hilton Seychelles 

took third place,

                                                            

leaving Marcus Freminot, from

the Seychelles Tourism Academy

in fourth place,

                                

and Cindy Lepathy from 

Four Seasons Resort in fifth.         

                                

Prizing a great fish - the Job Jaune

The Job Jaune (Zob Zonn) is prized by Seychellois for its delicate flesh that lends itself to frying in batter and dishes in which light cooking brings out the best of its tender flesh. (Not to be confused with Job Gris (Zob Gri) which has a firmer flesh and is best appreciated poached and served with a home-made mayonnaise). 
So when it was presented as the principal ingredient in the main course category of STA's national culinary competition this week, the judges were particularly looking for the best rendering of this fish, the treatment that most did it justice.
Surprisingly in most dishes it came out rolled up here and encrusted there, leaving the simplest albeit sparsely garnished dish of Lemuria Resort's Daniel Agathine to run away with the first prize and a trip to Singapore.

The other finalists were Giovanni Rose (Beau Vallon Bay Hotel), 

Bradley Larue of Four Seasons Resort 

and Steven Gendron (Hilton Seychelles).

And the 4 other finalists' dishes were............

Celebrating the best Seychellois culinary talents 2009

With the stunning backdrop of  the bay of Grand'Anse Mahe sizzling in the October sunshine, the Seychelles Tourism Academy, supported by partners in the Seychelles food business, today launched an event that over the next 3 days will showcase some of the best talent in the kitchen of Seychelles' hotels.


For your visual pleasure and to wet your appetite for the gala dinner later this month when the winning dishes will be served, here's the winning dish from proud young Christelle of the Four Seasons Resort at Petite Anse, Mahe, accompanied by a photo of the
winner with her dish.

Today was the Hors d'Oeuvres day, with the principal ingredient being Prawns, and the participants could choose from dozens of other ingredients and trimming from ISPC - the principal importer of fine foods for local hotels.


Tomorrow is Main course day, with the main ingredient being Zob Zonn (Job Jaune), sponsored by Oceana Fisheries, whilst Wednesday wraps up the contest with Desserts, using Ice Cream from Swiss company Movenpick, which is imported by ISPC.

So do come back here for more mouth-watering creations and get to know the young Seychellois talents.

Tomorrow I shall be posting the other four finalists' dishes.


A delighted Flavien Joubert, director of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, told me: "This is typical of the kind of excellent collaboration that the STA enjoys with the private sector of the tourism industry". 

Other sponsors of the event were Air Seychelles and Hilton Seychelles - Northolme Resort and Spa.

Flavien is pictured here, with the guest room wing of the STA in the background.

A little grilled Makonde for Dinner

Fresh grouper (Vyey Makonde - Vielle Maconde) seasoned with salt & pepper, ginger, garlic, a touch of turmeric and some crushed bilimbis, grilled in the wok. Finger-licking.