It's much easier today for kitchen amateurs to thrive as a chef.
While yesteryear's emerging professionals had to endure decades of hardship in front of the stove before becoming a star even in their own little kitchen, food-loving millennials are blessed with more favourable, most of them sweat-free, platforms that allow their flair to instantly shine.
Particularly over the past few years, a number of cooking contests, organised by well-respected establishments, have helped youngsters across the globe to fulfil their culinary dream.
Opened to young contenders in Thailand during the recent months were high-minded events including ENZ Young Genius Chef competition, Okura Prestige Bangkok's culinary apprenticeship and "S Pellegrino Young Chef South East Asia" competition.
I had a chance to witness the three events first-hand.
The ENZ Young Genius Chef is a non-profit collaboration between Education New Zealand, a division of the New Zealand embassy, and Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmitr Demonstration School in Bangkok. The project aims to help Thai youth to connect with their future career path via a short cooking course at some of New Zealand's prestigious culinary schools.
The inaugural Bangkok-based competition was a platform for more than 50 high school students ages 13-18 nationwide. The casual cook-off, enlivened by a sound of pestle pounding and fragrance of freshly made chilli paste, saw an array of easy, homespun dishes, such as mussels in sizzling sweet curry, pan-fried salmon with spicy herbal dressing and shellfish gratin -- each single-handedly prepared by kids in school uniform.
Below Pitchakorn Ramabut, a graduate from Dusit Thani College, during her short training at two Michelin-star Ciel Bleu restaurant, the Netherlands. photo: photographer
The event awarded teenagers Boonyawee Pakvisal, 16, and Parima Na Pompetch, 17, prize packages that included a one-week study-visit to Otago Polytechnic's culinary programme in New Zealand.
Parima, a Year 12 student, said she didn't expect to win and the victory will make her more seriously consider a career as professional chef. While Boonyawee, a high school junior, said the overseas experience helped strengthened her goal in a food-related career in the future.
Another benevolent supporter of local young talent was the Okura Prestige Bangkok.
As part of the hotel's fifth anniversary celebration, the Okura granted five winning students a three-week apprenticeship at its Japanese restaurant under a Japanese master chef.
But that's not all.
One finalist, who had the highest score accumulated from the first day of training until the food presentation night before the judges' panel, was selected for a nine-day educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam in the Netherlands to be trained under Chef Onno Kokmeijer at the hotel's two Michelin-star Ciel Bleu restaurant.
Winner Pitchakorn Ramabut, a fresh graduate from Dusit Thani College, said she could hardly believe that any institution would be so kind to offer an amateur such a monumental opportunity.
Recently back from the Amsterdam training, Pitchakorn said: "Being exposed to a world-class cooking sphere like the kitchen of a Michelin-rated restaurant has very much helped widen my culinary world and shaped my ways of cooking.
"Yet, I was so amazed to see very few applicants, instead of hundreds, join the event. I know many of them were too intimidated by -- or perhaps lazy to follow -- the strings of requirements. For me, I would do whatever it takes to be a part of such a rare experience and challenge."
The Okura Prestige Bangkok will begin to take applications for the second edition of the event next month. Contact the hotel for more details.
Wrapping up recently was the S Pellegrino Young Chef South East Asia competition.
The regional contest is part of S Pellegrino's worldwide annual programme launched in 2015. Each year, the global event is participated by more than 3,000 young chefs from more than 240 countries.
Though aiming also at young talent, the campaign is not targeting novices but new waves in the professional field.
Candidates must not be older than 30 and have at least a year of work experience.
Twenty regional winners are to be selected to enter the grand final. Accompanying each contestant is a mentoring senior chef, most of them world-acclaimed. The mentors are to assist the young chefs in improving the dish but without being allowed to physically cook with them.
The SEA edition that took place at the Asian Culinary Institute in Singapore saw two young contestants from Thailand compete with eight other contestants from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives and Singapore.
Representing the Land of Smiles were Bangkok's Ployumporn Ar-Yucharoen, chef de Partie at La Scala Italian restaurant of the Sukhothai Hotel Bangkok, and Jim Ophorst, chef at Trisara Phuket's Pru restaurant.
Their culinary creations, respectively dubbed "Beauty And The Beast" and "Cauliflower", were presented before a distinguished jury of chefs. The jury panel included Richard Ekkebus of Hong Kong's two Michelin-starred Amber restaurant; Tetsuya Wakuda of Singapore's two Michelin-starred Waku Ghin; Mingoo Kang of Seoul's one-starred Mingles; Chele Gonzalez of Manila's Gallery VASK; and Vicky Lau of Hong Kong's one-starred Tate Dining Room & Bar. The dishes were based on five components -- ingredients, skill, genius, beauty and message.
Announced as the winner of the Southeast Asia Final was Singapore's wunderkind Jake Kellie. The talented sous chef of Burnt Ends restaurant will advance to the global final round, which will take place from May 11-13 in Milan, Italy.
For more information on the events, contact S Pellegrino at contact@sanpellegrinoyoungchef.com; the Okura Prestige Bangkok at 02-687-9000; and Education New Zealand at southeastasia@enz.govt.nz.
ENZ's winning creation. photo: photographer
The ENZ Young Genius Chef winners Boonyawee Pakvisal and Parima Na Pompetch during their one-week study visit to Otago Polytechnic's culinary school in New Zealand.
The ENZ Young Genius Chef cook-off featured more than 50 high school students aged 13-18 nationwide.
Through a series of culinary challenges, the Okura Prestige Bangkok granted five students a three-week training under its Japanese master chef before one finalist was selected for a short apprenticeship trip in the Netherlands.
A dish to represent Thailand at the S Pellegrino Young Chef competition.
The winning creation at the competition to celebrate the Okura Prestige's fifth anniversary. photo: photographer
