Chefs of Coral International Hotels win Junior Chef competition in Dubai

The culinary contest was sponsored and organized by the Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG). It turned the spotlight on chefs with the maximum creativity, skill and potential, rewarding them with medals and spurring them on to greater success.

This prestigious competition, which ran from June 26th to July 2nd, 2008, was held under the aegis of the Dubai Summer Surprises. The event has been held for the past 12 years and has gained additional momentum and scope with each passing year.

Open to every hotel and restaurant in Dubai, it pits the finest culinary talents and provides the opportunity to budding chefs to showcase their creative skills and win recognition from renowned master chefs.

This year the competition featured 22 categories and each group of six chefs, competing in that particular category, was allotted the time of one to one-and-a-half hours to create the specified culinary delicacies. A panel of six distinguished international chefs then had to choose the winners.

The judgment was made on the basis of 'taste', which of course, was the main criterion, 'innovation' and 'practicality', with extra points given for 'cleanliness'. In certain categories like 'Practical Cake Decoration' extra marks were accorded for display.

The following chefs from Coral International were triumphant winners of gold, silver and bronze medals in various categories.

- GOLD MEDAL - Chef Tuan Irfan (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Local Fish.
- SILVER MEDAL - Chef Tuan Irfan (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Australian Beef/Lamb.
- SILVER MEDAL - Chef Tuan Irfan (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Five Course Gourmet Dinner Menu.
- SILVER MEDAL - Chef Afif Ben Ali Ajnef (Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Australian Beef/Lamb.
- SILVER MEDAL - Chef Thilina Kasun (Commis Chef, Coral Beach Resort, Sharjah) - Bread Loaf Carving.
- SILVER MEDAL - Chef Abdul Rask (Demi Chef, Coral Boutique Villas, Al Barsha - Dubai) - Practical Cookery Australian Beef/Lamb.
- BRONZE MEDAL - Chef Afif Ben Ali Ajnef (Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Local Fish.
- BRONZE MEDAL - Chef Lakmal Manura (Garde Manger Chef, Coral Beach Resort, Sharjah) - Vegetable Carving.
- SILVER MEDAL - Chef Haney El Sayed Mohamed Abou El Mahasen (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Australian Beef/Lamb.
- MERIT AWARD - Chef Haney El Sayed Mohamed Abou El Mahasen (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Local Fish.
- MERIT AWARD - Chef Philip Rego (Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Practical Cookery Local Fish.
- MERIT AWARD - Chef Ranjith Kumar Randombage (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Four Plated Dessert.
- MERIT AWARD - Chef Ranjith Kumar Randombage (Demi Chef de Partie, Coral Deira, Dubai) - Fruits/or Vegetable Carving (Showpiece).
- MERIT AWARD - Chef Rizwan Mohammed (Demi Chef, Coral Beach Resort, Sharjah) - Vegetable Carving.

Chef Tuan Irfan, who won the gold medal in the Practical Cookery Local Fish category, presented 'Red mullet with citrus fruits vinaigrette and ratatouille compote' as a starter, followed by 'Crousillant of sea bass fillet with caramelized mango julienne and mushrooms served with a creamy saffron sauce' as a main course.