DO YOU love chocolates? Have you dreamt of having your favorite food and chocolate in one dish? KESSLER’S, the new premium brand of raw ingredients in the Philippines, has launched the first-ever cocoa cooking competition KESSLER’S Pamana: Turning Stories and Recipes to Life-long Legacies.
More than the promotions of KESSLER’S Alkalized Cocoa Powder, the competition’s aim is to give aspiring non-professional bakers and cooks the chance to make their recipes and stories into legacies. KESSLER’S Pamana was co-presented by HAMBURG Trading Corporation, KESSLER’S Kitchen, Tecnogas Philippines, and Besterm International Corporation. The event was also sponsored by All About Baking, KitchenAid Philippines and WhenInManila.com.
The competition has kicked off last Sept. 2 through the KESSLER’S official Facebook page and stretched up to an eliminations round on Nov. 18 and the final cook-off on Nov. 23 at the KESSLER’S Kitchen in Sta. Rosa Laguna. At the final cook-off, the Top Three finalists, namely face cooked and presented their signature cocoa dishes – John Pineda’s Pan de San Antonio, Ralph Steven Sarmiento’s Chocolate Kalihim and Charlene Pacis’ Ultimate Chocolate Cake.
The final cook-off started at nine in the morning, ended at 12 noon, and followed by the contestants’ presentation to the judges: KESSLER’S in-house consultant Chef Chris Paredes; HAMBURG Trading Corporation R&D specialist Ms. Cara Pauline Dino; HAMBURG Trading Corporation president Ms. Lenie Bermudez; and HAMBURG Trading Corp chairman and founder of and the man behind KESSLER’S Mr. Horst Kessler von Sprengeisen. The final cook-off was hosted by Gianna Kessler von Sprengeisen, vice president for Marketing and Public Relations of HAMBURG Trading Corporation and daughter of the chairman and founder.
Before the announcement of winners in the afternoon, the finalists attended The Kitchen Sessions by KESSLER’S Kitchen for passionate bakers/cooks and entrepreneurs. Topics tackled were Product Costing by Santiago Andaya, Branding and Marketing by Apple Allison, Product Development by Cara Pauline Dino and Mindset Setting by Chef Chris Paredes.
When the time came for the announcement of the winners, everyone’s heart was pounding hard. Finally, lights and music danced with the people’s cheers as Ms. Gianna Kessler announced the very first KESSLER’S Pamana Grand Champion – Ralph Steven Sarmiento and his Chocolate Kalihim Recipe! John Pineda got the First Runner Up while Ms. Charlene Pacis took the Second Place.
Ralph Steven Sarmiento took home a Tecnogas Gas Range with built-in oven, a 9-Speed KitchenAid Hand Mixer, P3,000 worth of various baking equipment from All About Baking, P8,000 cash and a one-year supply of KESSLER’S products.
The community’s passion for the food industry is what keeps the KESSLER’S brand committed to its promises to provide high-quality products while helping the home bakers/cooks and micro to small entrepreneurs improve their businesses. And as it promotes this legacy to the people, the brand aims to bring out passionate home bakers’ and cooks’ best recipes and the stories behind them to become their life-long legacies.
Stay tuned for next year’s bigger and grander KESSLER’S Pamana!/PN
