KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya University College (Berjaya UC) recently celebrated its exceptional achievements at Culinaire Malaysia, one of the most coveted culinary competitions in Southeast Asia, which attracted over 1,200 talented individuals and involved 100 professional judges worldwide.
Its students also demonstrated their outstanding skills and unwavering dedication at Housekeeping Malaysia, the country’s first-ever housekeeping competition. With participants showcasing their prowess in seven categories that included bed-making, towel artistry and vacuuming skills, the event set a new standard for excellence in housekeeping services.
Both of the events were organised by Food and Hotel Malaysia and took place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Sept 19 to 22.
The awards, presented over four days, highlighted the dedication, innovation and commitment of Berjaya UC culinary and hospitality talents, with its participants achieving a remarkable win of four gold, five silver, 10 bronze and a diploma award.
In the Mocktail category, Angeline Toh Poh Lin in the Bachelor of Hospitality Management won gold and Nicole Sai in the Master of Business Administration won silver. For the Meat and Poultry Main Course (Western Style) section, Umar Aziz in the Diploma in Culinary Arts picked up a bronze medal.
Chang Lay Seong in the Bachelor of Hospitality Management course won gold in the Malaysian Local Fruit Flambe and Fine Dining Table Setting category.
For the Team Challenge in the Hi Tea Asian Tapas category, the team comprising Chang Zhihins from the Diploma in Hotel Management, Tong Zi Zhun in the Diploma in Culinary Arts, Eric Chong in the Diploma in Culinary Arts and Daneesha Choong from the Diploma in Patisserie won silver.
The awards ceremony culminated in a grand award gala dinner, at which two Berjaya UC students claimed top honours. Chang was declared the Best F&B Personnel, and the Best Mixologist honour went to Toh, who earlier won gold in the Mocktail category.
Chang, who also secured three gold medals, said: “My experience at Culinaire Malaysia was truly eye-opening, unlike my previous involvement in competitions at which I served as a volunteer or worked as a part-timer. Actively participating as a competitor provided a completely distinct perspective.”
Toh, who achieved one gold and silver, reflected on her journey, saying: “Culinaire Malaysia was a challenging experience for me. I had just returned from a three-month internship in Slovenia under the Erasmus Exchange programme and with less than two months training, I had the wonderful opportunity to create recipes that not only highlighted my skills but also celebrated the vibrant and diverse flavours of Malaysian culture. Every drink I crafted was inspired by our culture.”
Berjaya UC offers a diverse range of programmes in business, culinary arts, hospitality and tourism education, as well as liberal arts, catering to students from foundation to postgraduate levels.
For more information, please visit www.berjaya.edu.my.
