Celebrating Culinary Creativity and Historic Triumph in Southeast Asia's Premier Cooking Competition

Archipelago International, Southeast Asia's leading hotel management company, recently hosted the 3rd Black Box Battle, a prestigious culinary competition that left food enthusiasts across the East Java region spellbound. The event, which took place on August 15, 2023, at the favehotel Sidoarjo, showcased the incredible talents of 16 top F&B leaders and 17 Executive Chefs from East Java.

The competition's unique twist involved participants creating extraordinary dishes within a limited time frame, utilizing secret food ingredients and spices stored in enigmatic black boxes. The Black Box Battle promised a thrilling culinary experience, allowing chefs from East Java to transform these mysterious ingredients into a wide array of dishes, spanning traditional to international cuisines.

In the Food Battle category, the coveted Charles Brookfield Trophy was secured by Chef Gelar Adhi Wibowo from ASTON Mojokerto Hotel & Conference Center, who emerged as the winner. Chef Subadri from ASTON Madiun Hotel & Conference Center clinched second place, receiving the John Flood Trophy, while Chef Denny Yosseano from Quest Hotel Darmo Surabaya took third place, earning the Favorite Winner Trophy.

The Beverage Battle category was equally riveting, with Agustina Sabrina from ASTON Mojokerto Hotel & Conference Center claiming the 1st place spot and the Charles Brookfield Trophy. Diah Novita from favehotel Malang secured 2nd place, walking away with the John Flood Trophy, while Tresnaji from ASTON Madiun Hotel & Conference Center emerged as the 3rd place winner, earning the Favorite Winner title. Notably, this year's Black Box Battle marked the first-ever victory by a female participant in 2023.

The crowning achievement of this year's Black Box Battle was the historic win by a female participant, breaking new ground in the culinary world and inspiring future generations of chefs.

Chef Gelar Adhi Wibowo from ASTON Mojokerto Hotel & Conference Center, the winner of the Food Battle category, shared his inspiration behind his award-winning dish. He explained that he crafted a unique Ayam Kecombrang Curry, drawing inspiration from his deep-rooted love for betutu dishes. Infusing the dish with curry seasoning and an assortment of betutu and kecombrang spices resulted in a distinctive flavor profile. Chef Gelar Adhi Wibowo expressed his gratitude for the recognition of his culinary creativity, which had earned him a prestigious gold medal.

Winston Hanes, Vice President of Operations at Archipelago International, expressed the company's enthusiasm in hosting the 3rd Black Box Battle. He emphasized that the event aimed to uncover and celebrate the creativity and dedication of their culinary experts, particularly those in the East Java region. Hanes also highlighted the competition's role in promoting the unique culinary specialties of East Java to a wider audience.

Denny Frederik, Corporate Chef East Area for Archipelago International, shared his hopes for the competition. He expressed the aspiration for the Black Box Battle to continue serving as a platform for F&B professionals to showcase their skills and make lasting contributions to the development of the F&B industry in Indonesia.

Congratulations to the winners of Black Box Battle 2023. For more information about this exciting event and to stay updated on Archipelago International's culinary endeavors, visit their official website or follow @archipelagointernational on Instagram. The 4th Black Box Battle promises even more culinary surprises and talents to discover in the future.

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