Hot! Food & Beverage Professionals Lauded at The GastroMonth Circle of Excellence Awards

Ballroom Shot Main

Food and beverage professionals from six restaurants and eateries were recognised at the GastroMonth Circle of Excellence Awards held last Saturday, among a total of 35 finalists. A total of seven awards were given out at a gala dinner-cum-ceremony that was attended by about 300 guests at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.

In its first year, the GastroMonth Circle of Excellence Awards is organised by Robert Parker Wine Advocate (RPWA), the world’s most influential guide to fine wines. The awards recognises and celebrates the contributions of outstanding individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their respective fields in the F&B industry.

Five finalists were named for each award category after public nominations.The endeavours of these award-winning chefs, sommeliers, restaurant managers and bartenders have spurred the continuity and growth of the local F&B landscape.

Innovative and Bold Restaurateur Award Winner - Beppe de Vito

Snagging the ‘Innovative and Bold Restauranteur’ award is Beppe De Vito, founder of the ilLido Group of restaurants and bars. The Group has seven establishments including the progressive Italian restaurant Braci, which received a Michelin star this year and the 200-seat Aura Restaurant & Bar in National Gallery Singapore.

Bagging the ‘Innovative and Bold Chef’ award is Pepe Moncayo, executive chef of BAM! In Tras Street, which pairs Spanish-influenced cuisine with sake.

Innovative and Bold Chef Award Winner - Pepe Moncayo

These two winners were selected by a judging panel that comprises veteran chefs Christophe Megel, Edmund Toh, Otto Weibel and Peter Tsang. Through a two week-long selection process, the judges dined in restaurants to look out for restauranteurs who pioneers interesting food concepts that have injected buzz into the local dining scene, and chefs who have showcased culinary excellence through creative cooking techniques and daring flavours.

Diners also had a say in the winners in the ‘Favourite’ segment of the awards.

Favourite Restaurant Team Award Winner

Emerging a big winner in two award categories is one Michelin-starred American steakhouse CUT by Wolfgang Puck in Marina Bay Sands, which took home two awards – the Favourite Restaurant Team and the Favourite Restaurant Manager received by Mr Paul Joseph.

Popular hawker stall A Noodle Story in Amoy Street Food Centre, which was awarded Bib Gourmand status for the second year in a row, won Favourite Street Food Vendor. Mr Boo Jing Heng of Tess Bar & Kitchen in Seah Street was honoured as Favourite Bartender, and Mr Daisuke Kawai of La Terre was voted as Favourite Sommelier.

Favourite Street Food Vendor Award Winner - A Noodle Story

The ‘Favourite’ award winners were selected by the public. About 6,000 votes were casted online on GastroMonth’s website over a span of about two months that ended in October 15.

Alongside the award ceremony was an epicurean seven-course wine-pairing dinner whipped up by chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants in Singapore and overseas. Chefs Liu Guo Zhu of two Michelin-starred Golden Flower in Wynn Macau and Vicky Cheng of one Michelin-starred VEA Restaurant in Hong Kong presented their culinary creations, together with the freshly-minted ‘Innovative and Bold Chef’ award-winner Pepe Moncayo of BAM!, who presented an amuse bouche.

Guest Chefs On Stage

Other participating chefs in the gala dinner included chef Min Kim of Mizumi, Wynn Palace Cotai, Macau, Rishi Naleendra of one Michelin-starred restaurant, Cheek by Jowl in Boon Tat Street, Sun Kim of one Michelin-starred Meta Restaurant in Keong Saik Road, and Mok Kit Keung of Shang Palace, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.

GastroMonth is a month-long series of dining events and workshops in November 2017. For more information, please visit: www.gastromonth.com .

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