Indonesian Spices is my X Factor……..
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Seeing the large number of participants who took part in the race of Salon Culinaire cooking competition at Food Hotel Indonesia, did not dampen my ambition to keep participating in the competition that I have prepared for a month. I certainly feel tired in the last month, but for the time and energy that I spent on this competition as if it was for every moment that I live in a very pleasant cooking. I never imagined that I would face Chefs who attended the international scale to enliven the event as a competitor and as a judge in the judging in twenty-seven of different cooking classes.Excited, fear and anxiety mixed into one feeling, the day before the competition begins. I only slept for two hours for four consecutive days, with the first day I have to do the preparation for the Pasta Class which took place on the second day and the third day I had to do the preparation for the Fusion Sushi Platter Class which takes place on the fourth day. Pressure and heat that I feel was very different from when I practiced cook in the kitchen and cooking at the time of the competition. My hands could not stop shaking during the cooking contest begins. All the judges looking into the food that I made to their values. Assessment that they made was very tight, from mise en place, hygiene, until the taste of foods that have the greatest weight, scored 50%. On the second day I came earlier to re-register and observe the competition area of Pasta Class which will be the place I live cooking in front of people. A sense of excited that I feel can not be lost, the atmosphere at the JI Expo Kemayoran that I feel so tense when I saw all the participants are highly concentrated in the processing of their mainstay dishes. By the time my turn to cook, the fire on the stove was not working well, the fire on stove is very weak so I had to wait quite long enough to boil water and heat the oil for pasta and fish in the processing of pasta Fettuccine. I cook with herbs typical yellow Manado , Naniura. I’m a little panicked, but I tried to remain calm whatever the outcome later. In the last ten minutes, my hands trembled so badly that made my arm hit the oven. I stumbled and nearly dropped all my pasta was already ready to be served to the judges, fortunately with alacrity I can stand back and manage the three pasta to serve to the jury. Once finished setting the pasta that has been cooked with about three minutes of overtime, the time for me and because nine other participants received feedback from the judges regarding the pasta that each of our cook. Jury delighted with pasta that I cook, they like the taste of typical Indonesian, kecombrang and Andaliman rich in unique spices. I am still not satisfied because my heart still many shortcomings aware of my pasta, in terms of taste and proportion of power between carbohydrate and protein foods that have not been proportionate amount. Finally, after I waited until late noon, the results were announced. Thank God I got a Diploma for my very first cooking competition.On the last day, I was late present due to misunderstanding me in reading the rule book so that the mise en place point decrease in the assessment of the jury. Throughout the race of Fusion Sushi Platter, my lack of focus in preparing sushi should I order to be assessed by the jury. Thirty minutes which I think is enough to make sushi, it was very fast and I was not able to finish the race well. Sushi I’ve made have not had time finishing with glazing of gel fix and I also do not have time to prepare condiment to the plating. A lot of feedback that the judges gave after the race is finished. In class this time, I did not expect much to get a medal because of a lack of confidence and preparedness me in the race. Tired that I feel greatly affect the way I work, so when it was announced the results of the race, I got a Diploma for Fushion Sushi Class. I am very thankful for the two Diplomas that I get because of outside expectations, I was given the opportunity to get a win even though the result was very less than the maximum. Much of the learning that I got through the race this time, either in the way of cooking correctly and also how I have to discipline myself to stay focused on what I achieved. Thank God I pray for the opportunity that has been given by God, where a lot of support from friends and also Binus University lecturer , especially Ms. Dianka and Chef Nurul are always updating my preparation from before my race until the time I race. Also I would not be able to until now without the help of Chef Stefu, Pak Putu, Clara, Hans, Ikke, Trixie, Nia, Demas, Kak Dave, Kak Radi, Kak Kuncoro and many more are always praying for me and supporting me.