Bartenders’ and chefs’ competitions coming up at ‘Taste of the Marianas’

The Marianas Visitors Authority’s monthlong Taste of the Marianas Food Festival & Beer Garden heats up over the next two weekends, with the Bartender Cocktail Competition slated for this Saturday, May 23, and the Chefs’ Competition on close-out night, May 30.

The Bartender Cocktail Competition will judge competitors based on showmanship, taste, originality, audience impact, and neatness. Participants will have five minutes to prepare four drinks, one for display and three for tasting. All recipes will include Burnett’s Vodka, and all entry cocktails must include Coco-Cola products only.

This Saturday’s competition will start at 7pm. Winners will take home cash prizes, trophies, and other gifts. Bartender competitors will be Ramil Eustaquio of Wonderful Bar, Rio Therese and Ju Hyun Kang of Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Emil Gammad and Jovei San Juan of Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, Glen Aquino and Jaymar Torres of Aqua Resort Club, Wilfredo Garon and Rommel Usi of Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, Jojo Solmarin of Moby Dick Restaurant, Kenneth Crusat of Country House Restaurant, Michael Lim of Country Bar, Jay Santos of The Flair, Marlon Pineda of Saipan World Resort, Amapola Castro of Hyatt Regency Saipan, and Bernardine Aquino of Hyatt Regency Saipan.

The “Beef and Reef”-themed Chefs’ Competition will be the highlight of the final Taste of the Marianas next Saturday, May 30. Participants will show off their skill and ingenuity in culinary creations using Certified Angus Beef® Flank Steak and Marianas Sweet Shrimp. Entries will be judged on appearance of the dishes; tenderness, texture, and taste; and presentation of the theme.

Earlier this month MVA, Triple J Five Star Wholesale and MARPAC awarded winners of the Beach Road Burger Cookoff based on four criteria: originality and recipe and ingredients, apparent ease of preparation, taste appeal and presentation. Roderick Lopez zipped to first place with combined total points of 77.60, while Arvin Ian Sales garnered second place with 72.60 points. Third place went to Doris Saures. The judges for the burger cookoff were F&B director Ranjeet Rajebhosale of Hyatt Regency Saipan; Pacific Islands Club Saipan executive chef Darren Ferrall; and general manager Kim Forrester of Triple J Five Star Wholesale. [B][I](MVA)[/I][/B]