Hilton Brisbane is celebrating an array of achievements as three of its best and brightest team members were recognised at the annual Hilton Food and Beverage (F&B) Masters in Sydney held from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 January.
Thirty-nine finalists from 14 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji battled it out in back-to-back rounds to be crowned cup champions across four disciplines; bar, culinary, barista and wine. Hilton Brisbane team members won three of the four cups – culinary, bar and wine – cementing their reputation as leaders in developing evolutionary foods and as beverage experts.
Judges for the Culinary Cup panel included renowned chef Peter Cassidy from Glass Brasserie, international restaurant owner and chef Sean Connolly and Executive Chef, Michael Zorzo. Iain Riggs from Brokenwood, Dan Buckle from Chandon, Neil Flannery from Jameson and Emily Andrew from Chivas Regal judged the Wine and Bar Cups.
Hilton Brisbane’s Chef de Partie, Chaoyi “Charlie” Song, was the Culinary Cup winner, creating an impressive three-course meal which wowed judges during the mystery box challenge. With over eight years’ experience working in numerous restaurants, Charlie was thrilled. “This event was a great opportunity for contestants to challenge their creativity, showcase their skills and learn from some of the best in the business,” he said. “The awards are a fantastic reminder of the high caliber of staff working in our industry.”
Andrew Purse, who has been a practicing bartender for 14 years, took out the top place in the Bar Cup finals with his intriguing twist on a gin martini, which used native Australian ingredients. The Bar Cup challenged contestant across different disciplines from blind tasting and a theory test, to speed of service round and signature cocktails. Wine Cup winner, Chris Barker, impressed judges with his exquisite sense of smell and taste.
General Manager of Hilton Brisbane Chris Partridge said, “the Australasian Food and Beverage Masters allows us to discover and reward exceptional talent and enables our team members to develop their skills which creates exceptional experiences for guests.”
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