Collaboration with Indonesia's Renowned Culinary School 'Sages'
Competition under the Theme of 'K-Food Using Korean Ingredients'
CJ CheilJedang announced on August 5 that it held the 'Bibigo X Sages Young Chef Cooking Competition 2025.' This competition marks the first overseas cooking contest solely sponsored by CJ CheilJedang's K-Food young chef development platform, Cuisine K. It was organized in collaboration with Akademi Sages, a renowned culinary school in Indonesia, to discover global Korean cuisine chefs.
Young local chefs who participated in the "Bibigo X Seajis Young Chef Cooking Competition 2025" held recently in Surabaya, Indonesia, are taking a group photo. Photo by CJ CheilJedang
Approximately 110 young chefs from Indonesia participated in the online preliminary rounds, which took place over two months starting in May. They submitted unique menus developed under the theme of 'Indonesian X Korean main dishes using Korean ingredients.' Among them, 36 finalists advanced to the semifinals and finals, which were held over two days starting July 30 at Sages Culinary School in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The judging panel, composed of famous local Korean cuisine chefs in Indonesia, also attracted attention. Judges included Kang Seokmin, chef from CJ CheilJedang's Indonesia Business Team, Jang Jinbeom, chef at Jinjoo, a Korean dining restaurant in Jakarta, and Jung Chan-hyuk, chef at Jung Chan Dining, a Korean restaurant in Bandung. Indonesian government officials and local media also visited the competition venue, reaffirming the growing interest in and status of K-Food in Indonesia.
Participants showcased a variety of dishes using popular K-Food products in Indonesia, such as Bibigo dumplings, gim (seaweed), gochujang, and doenjang. The judging panel commented, "Many creative menus maintained the unique characteristics of Korean cuisine while also appealing to Indonesian consumers' tastes, which was impressive."
Menu of Chef Michael Khen Samuel, the winner of the 'Bibigo X Sageus Young Chef Cooking Contest 2025'. [Photo by CJ CheilJedang]
Michael Khen Samuel, a chef from Sages Culinary School, claimed the championship. He received high praise from the judges for enhancing the deep umami of doenjang in Bibigo dumplings, delivering a dish that captured the essence of Korean cuisine while also meeting the standards of Indonesian cuisine.
Lauw Louise Garcia J, a chef from Sahid Tourism Institute who took second place, was recognized for elevating the level of the finals by harmoniously combining ssamjang and dumplings with local ingredients to create an original flavor.
The champion and runner-up will receive prize money, trophies, and an opportunity to visit Korea to experience various aspects of Korean culture. CJ CheilJedang plans to continue organizing cooking competitions featuring Korean ingredients in countries around the world through the Cuisine K project.
Kim Sangmyung, project manager of the Hansik245 Team at CJ CheilJedang, said, "This was an opportunity to inspire interest in Korean cuisine in Indonesia, where K-Food is extremely popular, and to pass on the DNA of Korean cuisine to the next generation of local chefs. We will continue to provide diverse opportunities to discover and nurture global Korean cuisine professionals."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
