A perfectly prepped baked or poached fish elegantly draped in the classic Mornay sauce, it's a traditional dish reflecting the fundamentals of French cuisine. It's also the dish that may launch a stellar career for one of six finalists...
Widely regarded as a pioneer in fine dining, luxury hospitality and elevating French haute cuisine to an elegant and memorable experience, the culinary legacy of Auguste Escoffier lives on with the annual Young Talents Escoffier competition of Disciples Escoffier International Asia. The prestigious competition, now on its ninth year in the Philippines, aims to transfer knowledge to aspiring young local chefs. This is at the very core of the vision and mission of Disciples Escoffier worldwide, maintaining the high standards set by Auguste Escoffier with the next generation of culinary talents. This year, six young candidates have been selected but only one winner has the rare privilege of representing the country and showcase his (or her) talents on the global stage...
The transmission of knowledge and evolution of cuisine, the preservation and practice of French culinary traditions and paving the way for the next generation of chefs to honor the memory of Auguste Escoffier are what drives each chapter of Disciples of Escoffier around the world. In the Philippines, the spirit of Escoffier is alive and well with Disciples of Escoffier International Asia's Young Talent Escoffier competition (for more on Disciples of Escoffier in the Philippines, see my earlier posts, The Spirit of Escoffier: The Disciples of Escoffier Gala Dinner at Sage Bespoke Grill and An Inside Look: Chef Philip Golding at Red Panda on my very first exposure to Disciples of Escoffier five years back). There's just no better way to honor the man whose passion transformed the world's culinary arts and profession.
The annual competition is open to young chefs and students aged 18 to 24 with less than five years kitchen experience. The competition can be intense, but the experience and lessons learned can be that defining edge that sets you apart from the rest. And I've seen emerging young talents shine, mentored and delicately honed like diamonds in the rough (more on the intensive preparations for the Young Talents Escoffier competitions on my previous posts, Deconstructing Filipino Flavors with Junior Master Chef Louise Mabulo and Good Food and Good Company with Disciples of Escoffier at Smith Butcher and Grill Room for the 2015 Young Talent Escoffier competition in Hong Kong for the Asia Finals). It's an exacting maturing process that not only sharpens skills but develops both creativity and passion for that transformation like a finely cut diamond, just the way Auguste Escoffier would have it.
Judging this year's Young Talents Escoffier competition are some of the respected names in the local food and beverage industry industry including La Penica Corporation's Director Javier Gamboa, Le Cordon Bleu-Ateneo de Manila's Technical Director Thierry Le Baut, Disciples of Escoffier Founding Chairman Philip Golding, Bistro Group of Companies CorporateChefJosh Boutwood, Chef Ninyo Laus of Alamat and Chef Ninyo Fusion Cuisine and Wine Bar, industry icon Chef Jean Pierre Migne, award-winning book author and gourmand Edith Singian, Lactalis International Country Manager Edouard De Saizieu and Chef Bruce Lim of Mise en Plus Foods. More judges arrived later that morning to complete the cast.
This year's batch of young finalists are Malayan Colleges Laguna graduate Russel Dane Pio, CCA Manila's Liz Soriano, Joel Hernandez of CCA Manila's Institut Culinaire Disciples Escoffier (ICDE), Jodana Ha Yun, Don Patrick Baldosano and Ria Garcia of Enderun Colleges. The future of the continuing evolution of the culinary movement in the Philippines looks bright.
"A menu is, first and foremost, a poem..."
From his innovative "brigade" system in large kitchens with several stations to institutionalizing the traditional white toques and uniforms reflecting the highest hygiene standards, Auguste Escoffier was an industry visionary. From the luxurious Savoy to the iconic Ritz-Carlton, Auguste Escoffier is also credited for transforming a la carte dining built around his efficient system and traditional fundamentals in French cuisine. All these were compiled in his book, Le Guide Culinaire, considered by many as the bible for French cooking. For August Escoffier, a menu has to be more than just a rundown of what's available in the kitchen. Each dish has to be part of a seamless, tightly woven tapestry reflecting a passion for perfection. It's what defines any establishment. Freshness, precision and a mastery of fundamentals all come into play with the Young Talent Escoffier finals at the competition venue partner, Enderun Colleges.
"Any sauce whatsoever should be smooth, light without being liquid, glossy to the eye, and decided in taste. When these conditions are fulfilled, it is always easy to digest, even for tired stomachs."
For the competition, each contestant will prepare a classic French seafood dish of Sole Mornay covered in creamy Mornay sauce and served with Anna Potatoes from the recipes of Auguste Escoffier. Tradition, the freshness of ingredients, and the fundamentals of classic french cuisine form the basis for the dish. Contestants are required to prepare three plates and one French-style platter of the dish with all the traditional components. And they all have to start from scratch, from cleaning and filleting the fish to preparing the sauce, potatoes and garnishes. In two hours. And the young chefs are up to the task.
A random drawing of cooking stations kick-off the competitions early in the morning at Enderun Colleges led by current Disciples of Escoffier International Asia President Sau del Rosario (L) and Founding Chairman Philip Golding (R), and the stage is set... 
A few minutes before the competition, the finalists prepared their respective stations...
...followed by one final check by the judges. Behind the spacious kitchen's glass windows, friends and classmates of the contestants eagerly awaited the start of an epic kitchen battle. The timer is set and the culinary journey of the young chefs begin with the shortest two hours of their of their young careers...
...at the impressive kitchens of Enderun Colleges. Disciples of Escoffier's Eiffelene Salvador-Howard, Chef Jose Gabriel Prats (L) and Founding Chairman Philip Golding (R) preside over the busy kitchen, ensuring each step in the process follows the high standards set by Auguste Escoffier.
The kitchen becomes a blur of frenzied activity as the young chefs prepare their own interpretation of the classic French dish. Each carefully thought out movement is both fluid and decisive, with each step carefully planned out by the finalists way before the competition. There may be well over a hundred, even a thousand little details running through their minds early that morning, but this year's batch of young talents showed composure despite the presence of esteemed chef judges hovering over their shoulders.
"What feats of ingenuity have we not been forced to perform, at times, in order to meet our customers' wishes? Those only who have had charge of a large, modern kitchen can tell the tale."
It gets a whole lot more challenging when you have noted chefs and culinary educators, some of the country's finest, scrutinizing your every move. The competition becomes a snapshot of a real, working kitchen filled with the sounds and aromas of a lavish feast. It's the spirit of Escoffier, right here in the kitchen.
Each component of the dish is made from scratch with absolutely no shortcuts. The competition format highlights the mastery of fundamentals, and each finalist reflects this with each ingredient. Sometimes you forget these are students and not seasoned chefs, a sign of the high level of culinary education in the country. 
As the heat of the competition rises a notch higher, Disciples of Escoffier President Sau del Rosario caught up with old friends from the industry like book author Edith Singian, his long-time collaborator I first met back in 2014 (more on Edith Singian on my posts, A Taste of the Philippines: F1 Hotel Manila LuzViMinda 2 Buffet and From Page to Plate: Chef Sau del Rosario's 20 Years of Love + Cooking).
Sau del Rosario engaged with trade various partners including Bea Trinidad of CCA Manila, La Penica Corporation's Javier Gamboa (L), importer of fine Spanish gourmet products such as Hida...
...known for their wide range of premium Spanish sauces...
...and Lactalis International's Country Manager Edouard De Saizieu (R) whose French products were used for this year's edition of the competition...
...including President French Butter...
...President Creme Superieure and Lactel Milk, each one an essential component in recreating the French classic, Sole Mornay with its rich bechamel sauce for the 2019 Young Talents Escoffier competition. And it's just not French enough without the butter. Or the cream. 
"Novelty is the universal cry--novelty by hook or by crook! It is an exceedingly common mania among people of inordinate wealth to exact incessantly new or so-called new dishes."
At Disciples of Escoffier, fundamentals are the priority and creativity follows. Chef Bruce Lim, who I first met back in 2014 (more on Chef Bruce Lim on my earlier posts, Rustic Comfort Food at Chef Bruce Lim's Rustique Kitchen and Food News: Diamond Hotel's Corniche Features Cocina Filipina with Chef Bruce Lim), keeps a close eye on the fish prep skills of the finalists...
...while Chef Ninyo Laus observes another finalist at the other end of the kitchen (more on Chef Ninyo Laus on my previous posts, #HamaruLetsGo: Night Out at Hamaru Yakitori & Sushi and #ChangeYourCravings at The Food Hive Food Park). Basic knife skills, fish prep, keeping wastage to a minimum and proper food handling are some of the minute details the judges are looking for at the competition.
Bistro Group of Companies Corporate Chef Josh Boutwood makes his rounds in the kitchen, stopping at each station (for more on Chef Josh Boutwood, see my posts, Henry the Duck And Other New Holiday Dishes at Village Tavern and Scratch Kitchen. Craft Bar. Village Tavern Marks 5th Year with New Dishes...). It can be daunting, even unnerving, having some of the country's very best chefs observing your every move. For the finalists, this is where all the hard work, training and fundamentals kicks in...
Meanwhile, Disciples of Escoffier Founding Chairman Philip Golding and Le Cordon Bleu-Ateneo de Manila Technical Director Thierry La Baut run through their notes...
...as Disciples of Escoffier President Sau del Rosario checks on the progress of each finalist. With the time running down, the pressure mounts as the intensity builds up.
Throughout the kitchen, the chef judges make their observations. Spotting even the minutest details, the kitchen becomes a literal microscope where every slice, cut and chop are seen with trained eyes honed by years of experience in professional kitchens. The standards are high, this competition is, after all, named after August Escoffier. 
The judges compare their notes...
...with one more quick glance at the kitchen...
...and another run-through of the strict criteria...
...and just like that, the clock hits the two-hour mark.
For the students, long hours of training in perfecting the dish culminates with one shot at the kitchen. For the judges, it's just the first part of the competiton...
...and now the judges prepare for the crucial tasting.
"The painter, sculptor, writer and musician are protected by law. So are inventors. But the chef has absolutely no redress for plagiarism on his work, on the contrary, the more the latter is liked and appreciated, the more will people clamor for his recipes." Do these dishes make the cut? 
Will people clamor for these recipes? Like they say, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Yet it's amazing to see how each of the finalists prepared different executions of the classic French dish, plated with their own unique styles. The competition format requires a French-style platter with three individual plates... 
...and each of the finalists come through with all the requirements. Each component of the dish are meticulously prepared and delicately plated. Images of the final dish may have been played back countless times in each of the contestants' minds like a recurring dream leading to this very moment. 
At the Judges' table, the dishes were served...
...and the second part of the competition began, this time with an equally intense and focused vibe.
Sau del Rosario then presided over the long judges' table...
...as the initial thoughts and reactions on dishes were shared. The lengthy discussion focused on both technique and flavor as well as creative intent, rounded out by basic fundamentals.
Celebrity restaurateur Marvin Agustin takes one more bite for his score sheet...
...and acclaimed host Issa Litton tallies her scores.
The judges then meet the six finalists...
...offering their critique as well as advise in the mentoring style of August Escoffier.
Each judge shared their own experiences...
...adding to the continuous learning process of each of the finalists.
It is, after all, an experience that adds to the students' wealth of knowledge. The judges exuded their passion for the craft, a passion that's picked up by the finalists.
You can say the torch has been passed to a new generation of passionate chefs in the spirit of Escoffier...
...and after an intense morning in the kitchen, all six finalists have earned my respect and praise. Bravo, these young chefs are all winners in my book.
But there can only be one, and the scores are tabulated. Placed in a sealed envelope, the verdict will soon be announced at a special dinner (stay tuned for my next post).
For now, it was time for the finalists, judges and guests to come together and break bread with a sumptuous feast at Enderun Colleges'Restaurant 101...
...starting with the Crustacean Flan with market vegetables, marinated quail egg and calamansi dressing with its rich briny notes and textural contrasts...
...followed by the Chicken Arancini with native chicken bouillon and crispy vegetables...
...and for the main course, the Poached Pompano with braised gabi leaves, seaweed and smoked coconut vinegar reflecting Restaurant 101's culinary style of contemporary European cuisine infused with local flavors. The other main course option during the special lunch at Restaurant 101 was the Pork and Chicken Presse with Sauteed Kalian and Turmeric Jus.
For dessert, Restaurant 101 served a lavish array of tempting treats including Banana Mousse, Caramel Feuilletine, Almonds and Milk Chocolate for that perfect sweet ending.
That Monday, Enderun Colleges was not only a venue for a gathering of the country's finest, but a celebration of winners in the local food and beverage industry. The transfer of knowledge, the evolution of cuisine, and passing the torch to a new generation...it's the spirit of Escoffier. And it's alive and well with this year's edition of Young Talents Escoffier.
For more on the 2019 Young Talents Escoffier competition, visit their FB Pages at https://www.facebook.com/youngtalentescoffier/ and https://www.facebook.com/pg/EscoffierPH.
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