My name is Raymond Deniro. I am a student In BINUS’s Business Hotel Management in Bekasi. I am from batch 2022 and this was my second time participating in a cooking competition. Together with my senior from Hotel Management BINUS, Hana Dessy Natalina, we competed in the 3rd “La Cuisine 2019” during the SIAL InterFOOD Expo in JIEXPO, Kemayoran.

La Cuisine is a cooking competition supported by Association of Culinary Professionals and World Chefs.  The class that we entered was Class 12 which is the Indonesian Gastronomy Set Menu. Where we were challenged to create a set menu of 4 courses Appetizer, Soup, Main Course, and lastly Dessert. I had to be Indonesian Cuisine and we were obligated to use some ingredients from the sponsors, such as SASA Coconut Milk and SASA Beef Powder in the menu. The duration of this competition was 2 hours.

I had just done my very first competition which is the Agnesi Pasta Challenge – Junior Chefs in the 12th Salon Culinaire and I was excited to compete again in this competition. The decision to partner me with my senior was Chef Nurul, my lecturer in Business Hotel Management. I had worked with Kak Hana previously during events and trial classes, but this was the first time we really had to work together and give our best. We constructed the menu as soon as we can and decided on Prawns with  Sambal Bajak, Kemangi Chimichurri, and Fried Cauliflower as the Appetizer, Soto Mie Bogor with Homemade Egg Noodles, Fried Lumpia, Beef Medalion, Tomato Cherry Confit and Fine Julienned Green Onion as the Soup, Snapper with Asam Padeh Sauce, Herb Rice, Oyster Mushroom and Pickled Spinach as the Main Course, and Bubur Sumsum with Kinca Sauce, Ketan Hitam Microsponge Biji Salak, Angkak Tapioca Pearls and Coconut Pandan Foam as our Dessert. The components of the dish changed a few times during practice.

Raymond and Hana during the competition
Hana platting the appetizer

 

With the support of Chef Nurul, Ci Mey and everyone else who helped us during practice or at the event. We were able to achieve a silver medal. For me personally, I was very happy. As someone who had only been in a competition once it was really a memorable moment. The Journey was tough, there were times that I was tired, but we did it. I would not have been able to achieve that silver medal if it was not for my partner Kak Hana who taught me a lot of things and was very patient with me and Chef Nurul who supported us in everything we did.

 

Silver Medal for Indonesian Gastronomy Set Menu

 

 

What I got from participating in this competition is a lesson that “We cannot work alone, we need people to help and guide us” and that “communication is key in teamwork”. I will continue to strive for to become the best that I can be, and I hope there will be a future for me in the Culinary Industry.

Thank You

-Raymond Deniro-