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The winner will receive a 9-day educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam
Back by popular demand, The Okura Prestige Bangkok is pleased to announce its 4th cooking competition with an educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam up for grabs.
The Okura Prestige Bangkok organised its first cooking competition in 2017 with the main objective of sharing hotel industry knowledge with students studying in the hospitality, kitchen and tourism industries. The previous three installments of the competition attracted numerous talented students who are committed to a professional career in the kitchen. In the case of Wissarut Aroonsri, who won the 2018 competition, his performance also earned him a position on the culinary team at Elements, The Okura Prestige Bangkok’s Michelin-starred restaurant.
Once again, this year the hotel invites students studying in the hospitality, kitchen and tourism industries to take part in its 4th cooking competition by sending in their application, accompanied by a short cooking video, to the organising committee. Applicants must be Thai nationals aged 18 - 25 years old. Only 5 qualified applicants will be selected for training with Master Chef Shigeru Hagiwara at the hotel’s signature Japanese restaurant, Yamazato. At the end of the training course, applicants will prepare signature dishes for an invited committee and distinguished guests at the Judges’ Panel Night, following which the chosen winner will receive a 9-day educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam. The prize includes round trip air tickets to Amsterdam, 8 nights’ accommodation at Hotel Okura Amsterdam, a luncheon and dinner at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurants Yamazato and Ciel Bleu, a day trip in Amsterdam, plus visa arrangements, travel insurance, pocket money and training sessions with two-star Michelin Chef Onno Kokmeijer. Chef Onno has been awarded the title SVH Meesterchef (master chef) by the Dutch hospitality organisation Stichting Vakbekwaamheid Horeca. SVH strives to retain and expand professional knowledge in the hospitality industry and awards ‘master’ titles in five categories including chef, host and sommelier. The SVH ‘master’ title is the highest honour awarded by the Dutch hospitality industry. The 9-day educational trip is valued at more than Baht 100,000.
“We are very pleased to be hosting our cooking competition once again.” said Mr. Niek Hammers, General Manager of The Okura Prestige Bangkok. “We have been very impressed with the standards set during our previous competitions and expect this year will be no different. For all the participants this is an opportunity to experience working in a professional kitchen with some of the best chefs in the world. Those who take part will benefit enormously in terms of elevating their culinary skills and for the winner the competition represents not only a stepping stone to experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe and the culinary operations at our renowned sister property, Hotel Okura Amsterdam, but also a platform for a nascent career in fine dining. We look forward to receiving candidate applications and to seeing what the passionate young chefs who are selected for the competition are capable of.”
Interested applicants should submit their application with relevant documents to the Human Resources Department at The Okura Prestige Bangkok before 31 March 2020 and post their cooking video by 3 April 2020. Full details of the criteria for candidates and a scheduled timeline of the cooking competition can be found below.
Criteria for candidates
The Okura Prestige Bangkok organised its first cooking competition in 2017 with the main objective of sharing hotel industry knowledge with students studying in the hospitality, kitchen and tourism industries. The previous three installments of the competition attracted numerous talented students who are committed to a professional career in the kitchen. In the case of Wissarut Aroonsri, who won the 2018 competition, his performance also earned him a position on the culinary team at Elements, The Okura Prestige Bangkok’s Michelin-starred restaurant.
Once again, this year the hotel invites students studying in the hospitality, kitchen and tourism industries to take part in its 4th cooking competition by sending in their application, accompanied by a short cooking video, to the organising committee. Applicants must be Thai nationals aged 18 - 25 years old. Only 5 qualified applicants will be selected for training with Master Chef Shigeru Hagiwara at the hotel’s signature Japanese restaurant, Yamazato. At the end of the training course, applicants will prepare signature dishes for an invited committee and distinguished guests at the Judges’ Panel Night, following which the chosen winner will receive a 9-day educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam. The prize includes round trip air tickets to Amsterdam, 8 nights’ accommodation at Hotel Okura Amsterdam, a luncheon and dinner at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurants Yamazato and Ciel Bleu, a day trip in Amsterdam, plus visa arrangements, travel insurance, pocket money and training sessions with two-star Michelin Chef Onno Kokmeijer. Chef Onno has been awarded the title SVH Meesterchef (master chef) by the Dutch hospitality organisation Stichting Vakbekwaamheid Horeca. SVH strives to retain and expand professional knowledge in the hospitality industry and awards ‘master’ titles in five categories including chef, host and sommelier. The SVH ‘master’ title is the highest honour awarded by the Dutch hospitality industry. The 9-day educational trip is valued at more than Baht 100,000.
“We are very pleased to be hosting our cooking competition once again.” said Mr. Niek Hammers, General Manager of The Okura Prestige Bangkok. “We have been very impressed with the standards set during our previous competitions and expect this year will be no different. For all the participants this is an opportunity to experience working in a professional kitchen with some of the best chefs in the world. Those who take part will benefit enormously in terms of elevating their culinary skills and for the winner the competition represents not only a stepping stone to experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe and the culinary operations at our renowned sister property, Hotel Okura Amsterdam, but also a platform for a nascent career in fine dining. We look forward to receiving candidate applications and to seeing what the passionate young chefs who are selected for the competition are capable of.”
Interested applicants should submit their application with relevant documents to the Human Resources Department at The Okura Prestige Bangkok before 31 March 2020 and post their cooking video by 3 April 2020. Full details of the criteria for candidates and a scheduled timeline of the cooking competition can be found below.
Criteria for candidates
- Male or female, Thai nationality, aged between 18-25 years old
- 3rd or 4th year student of the faculty of tourism, hospitality, cooking school at an accredited university, or 2nd year student of a higher vocational cooking school
- Minimum GPA 2.75
- Good command of English
- Able to travel abroad with written permission from a parent or a letter from his/her educational institution
- Able to supply all relevant documentation for travel visa application
- Holds a Thai passport with at least 2 years of validity remaining
- No contagious or other diseases. Medical certificate required
- No criminal record
- Confident to be alone while abroad
Programme/schedule
17 February - 31 March 2020
All candidates are requested to submit their application with supporting documents to the HR office (Monday – Friday, 10:00 - 15:00)
Supporting documents required;
17 February – 3 April 2020
All applicants are requested to produce a 3-5 mins cooking video. It is mandatory for all application to say the following sentence at the beginning of the video.
“My name is……………..I’m a year ….student at the faculty of…………...at…………University. I wish to apply to be a candidate to win an educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam, which is organised by The Okura Prestige Bangkok 2020”
Candidates are requested to post their video on their Facebook page, set as public and #TheOkuraPrestigeBangkok #scholarship #HotelOkuraAmsterdam #cookingcompetition with a Tag @TheOkuraPrestigeBangkok @HotelOkuraAmsterdam.
Candidates are also requested to notify the committee by email ([email protected]) after posting their video.
10 April 2020
Announcement of those passing the first round of selection and proceeding to an English interview with Chef Alvaro and Chef Hagiwara. This will include 10 – 15 persons
20 - 28 April 2020
Window for making appointments for interview with Chef Alvaro and Chef Hagiwara.
30 April 2020
Announcement of the 5 candidates who will proceed to the final round, which will encompass training in Yamazato’s kitchen for 3 weeks.
29 May 2020
Orientation with HR Department from 9:30 – 12:00
1 – 19 June 2020
Intensive culinary training programme in Yamazato’s kitchen for 3 weeks.
19 June 2020
Judges’ Panel Night - Each candidate will cook their dishes for the judges. Judges announce the lucky winner.
The winner will need to prepare documents for visa application within the timeline. If not, he/she will be considered disqualified.
Date to be confirmed between
July – August 2020
The lucky winner will spend 9 days on an educational trip at Hotel Okura Amsterdam.
For further information, please contact the Marketing Communications Department at [email protected] or call 02 687 9000.
17 February - 31 March 2020
All candidates are requested to submit their application with supporting documents to the HR office (Monday – Friday, 10:00 - 15:00)
Supporting documents required;
- Copy of ID card and house registration
- Copy of certificate of personal name change (if any)
- Transcript
- 1 – 2 inch picture (picture taken within last 6 months)
- Copy of passport
- Medical certificate
- Certificate/statement from the Royal Thai Police Bureau demonstrating no criminal record
17 February – 3 April 2020
All applicants are requested to produce a 3-5 mins cooking video. It is mandatory for all application to say the following sentence at the beginning of the video.
“My name is……………..I’m a year ….student at the faculty of…………...at…………University. I wish to apply to be a candidate to win an educational trip to Hotel Okura Amsterdam, which is organised by The Okura Prestige Bangkok 2020”
Candidates are requested to post their video on their Facebook page, set as public and #TheOkuraPrestigeBangkok #scholarship #HotelOkuraAmsterdam #cookingcompetition with a Tag @TheOkuraPrestigeBangkok @HotelOkuraAmsterdam.
Candidates are also requested to notify the committee by email ([email protected]) after posting their video.
10 April 2020
Announcement of those passing the first round of selection and proceeding to an English interview with Chef Alvaro and Chef Hagiwara. This will include 10 – 15 persons
20 - 28 April 2020
Window for making appointments for interview with Chef Alvaro and Chef Hagiwara.
30 April 2020
Announcement of the 5 candidates who will proceed to the final round, which will encompass training in Yamazato’s kitchen for 3 weeks.
29 May 2020
Orientation with HR Department from 9:30 – 12:00
1 – 19 June 2020
Intensive culinary training programme in Yamazato’s kitchen for 3 weeks.
19 June 2020
Judges’ Panel Night - Each candidate will cook their dishes for the judges. Judges announce the lucky winner.
The winner will need to prepare documents for visa application within the timeline. If not, he/she will be considered disqualified.
Date to be confirmed between
July – August 2020
The lucky winner will spend 9 days on an educational trip at Hotel Okura Amsterdam.
For further information, please contact the Marketing Communications Department at [email protected] or call 02 687 9000.
