CULINARY WARS HAS BECOME A PRESTIGIOUS EVENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Winners of the Culinary Wars celebrate with guest judges, proudly holding their trophies and certificates.

On Wednesday, February 5, 2025, The Sages International held the grand final of Culinary Wars. This grand final event was the last stage of the Culinary Wars competition series. Participated by 8 teams from various cities across Indonesia, the competition featured Nusantara cuisine. Such as sayur lodeh led the team from UPH College to win first place in the prestigious Culinary Wars competition. Albert and Jason, representatives from UPH College in Tangerang, managed to outperform 40 teams from various cities across Indonesia. Despite having limited experience in the culinary field, they boldly participated in the competition. In the grand final, they presented sayur lodeh with shrimp gimbal protein and sambal bajak as a complement.

Chef Audrey attentively observes the innovative techniques of Culinary Wars participants in the bustling kitchen.

"I’m very happy to be the winner today. Winning was not my main goal, but thanks to the support from my closest people, I was motivated to join this competition," said Albert.

As public interest in high-quality and innovative food continues to grow, the culinary industry is rapidly evolving. Traditional dishes are also experiencing various innovations to remain relevant to modern tastes. The Culinary Wars competition serves as a platform for young people aged 16-18 to showcase their creativity in crafting delicious and aesthetically pleasing traditional dishes.

Another innovative dish presented in this competition was ayam nusarasa, mengibung kacang, and ketan wangi, created by Sydney and Jennifer. "We wanted to explore the richness of Indonesian spices to create an irresistible taste," said Sydney during an interview at Sages International campus. In addition to being a competition, Culinary Wars also aims to introduce and preserve regional culinary heritage while increasing appreciation for traditional Indonesian cuisine.

Chefs celebrate with joy and camaraderie during the intense grand final of the culinary wars, showcasing their passion and creativity in the kitchen.

This competition was organized by The Sages International Culinary Business School and was participated in by teams from various high schools (SMA) and vocational schools (SMK) across Indonesia. During the closing session, Chef Audrey, one of the judges in the competition, advised all participants to keep honing their mental resilience, endurance, and to focus on mastering the basics and fundamentals of cooking. "Understanding the fundamentals of culinary arts is essential as a foundation for stepping into the professional culinary world, whether as a chef or a culinary business entrepreneur," said Audrey, who was the runner-up of MasterChef Season 7.