SKILLED HANDS: A judge in the midst of assessing one of the participants' pasta skills

CHEFS IN ACTION: Participants concentrating on completing their pasta within the given time frame.

KUCHING: UCSI University successfully held the three-day Culinary Arts Appreciation Weekend at the Spring Shopping Mall last weekend.

Through a series of competitions, the University hoped to foster closer relationships with the community in Kuching and to further hone the participants' skills in culinary arts.

Themed "The Black Box Pasta Cooking Competition", the competition took the spotlight, and did not only receive positive responses from secondary school students –  12 student groupsfrom various schools in Kuching – but also witnessed active participation from 12 members of the public who were armed with confidence and professional skills. All participants were challenged to use the given ingredients – covered under a black cloth – to make the best pasta dishes in just one hour, using only the basic utensils and cooking apparatus provided.

Most of the judges for this contest were prominent leaders in the culinary industry, namely Puan Zaiton, the President of Persatuan Masakan Kuih-Muih Melayu; Mr. Adrian Jackson, Director of Culinary from Grand Margherita Hotel; Mr. Dorge Rajah, Head of Operation from Borneo Post; Encik Azhari Aziz, the Executive Sous Chef from Grand Margherita Hotel; and Mdm. Gracie Geikie, the Managing Director of UCSI Communications.

The prizes for the competitions were provided by numerous sponsors, including Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Riverside Majestic Hotel, Grand Margherita Hotel, Okimas Sdn Bhd, Chin Yie Hing, Wilson Cake House, Khin Kueh Kiang, Uchimono and Co., Syarikat Jasa Aman, Octagon, Multiware Kitchen, Ting & Ting Supermarket and Fonterra.

Other activities during the event included a Cupcake Decoration session for kids and a Culinary Arts Demo by students of the University.

For more information on the programmes offered by UCSI University, please call 082-455 255.