Unleashing Creative Culinary Talents and Surprising Flavors in an Epic Showdown

Archipelago International, the largest hotel management company in Southeast Asia, proudly held the "Black Box Battle" event, which was Archipelago International's flagship Food & Beverage (F&B) Program.

The program invited F&B leaders, executive chefs, and head chefs to participate and showcase their culinary skills in serving food and drinks with surprising ingredients. Archipelago Black Box Battle featured a series of competitions held in various regions, including JABODETABEK, JOGLO SEMAR, West Java, East Java, and Bali.

On Thursday, 15 June 2023, The Alana Hotel & Convention Center in Solo hosted the Black Box Battle event. Participants in the Black Box Battle consisted of 16 F&B leaders and 14 Executive Chefs from the JOGLO SEMAR area. F&B leaders and Executive Chefs were enthusiastically invited to showcase their talents and join this exciting culinary event.

Through this program, Archipelago International aimed to introduce and appreciate the talents of F&B professionals, so that they could hone their creativity and skills in processing food and beverage products. This competition was expected to show potential and also help create high-quality food and beverage products, which, in turn, offered a potential menu that could be displayed in hotels under the auspices of Archipelago International.

The competition tested contestants to present their specialties using secret ingredients hidden in mysterious black boxes. This exciting twist tested their creativity, adaptability, and mastery of taste.

Participants had the opportunity to showcase their culinary skills and create innovative dishes and drinks that highlighted the essence of Indonesian cuisine.

Black Box Battle promised to inspire an experience for both participants and spectators. Culinary aficionados could look forward to witnessing the extraordinary talents of F&B leaders, executive chefs, and head chefs as they unveiled their gastronomic creations in this one-of-a-kind event.

"We are very pleased to introduce the Black Box Battle program as part of Archipelago International's commitment to showcasing culinary excellence. This unique competition not only highlighted the talent of F&B leaders and chefs but also promoted Indonesia's rich culinary heritage. We looked forward to witnessing creativity and innovation, which revealed as the contestants showed off their skills with mysterious materials," said John Flood, CEO & President of Archipelago International.

In the Food Battle category, Chef Agus Supriyanto from ASTON Solo won first place, taking home the Charles Brookfield Trophy. Chef Muhammad Arif Ismaib from Quest Hotel Simpang Lima Semarang secured second place and received the John Flood Trophy, and Chef Firmansyah from Royal Malioboro by ASTON emerged as the favorite winner, securing the third position.

In the Beverage Battle category, Irawan Wisnu Broto from Royal Malioboro by ASTON was awarded first place, winning the Charles Brookfield Trophy. Joko Susilo from favehotel Rembang achieved second place and received the John Flood Trophy, while Oni Almuchlisun Putra from ASTON Inn Pandanaran Semarang was recognized as the favorite winner, securing the third position.

Reflecting on his victory, Chef Agus Supriyanto from ASTON Solo, the winner of the Food Battle Category, expressed his delight, stating, "This competition was truly memorable for me. The secret ingredients in the Black Box demanded that I employ my creativity and skills. Today, I prepared 'Besengek Ayam Jantung Pisang,' inspired by the village atmosphere as I come from one of the villages in Wonogiri, where this dish holds special significance. However, I elevated its value to offer a more exclusive and authentic taste."

Similarly, Irawan Wisnu Broto from Royal Malioboro by ASTON, the winner of the Beverage Battle Category, shared his experience, "Today's competition was extraordinary. We were challenged to create unique and interesting drinks using unknown ingredients. The black box contained corn, coconut milk, and ginger. I created a drink called 'Secret Island' with corn as the main ingredient. I was inspired by the local people in Indonesia, as corn and ginger are often their preferred choices for food and beverage. That's why I called it Secret Island."