Armed with pots and pans, Team COTHM Pakistan took home 1 silver and 7 bronze medals in the Emirates Salon Culinaire.

Held from 4^th to 6^th April, the event saw the participation of more than 150 Professional 00chefs from more than 10 nations. Notably, students from COTHM Karachi had the privilege to compete with international industry experts during the event.

Team captain Azhar Jamil said he and his team mates combined modern cooking techniques with traditional flavors to create innovative recipes.

“It was a huge privilege for us to represent our country. But, at the same time, we felt a bit pressured. Despite the nervousness, we just did our best for our country Pakistan, the team and our families.”

Syed Kashan Hussain, one of the winners, called the win an once-in-a-lifetime experience. “I am so thankful to all of the teachers at COTHM for all of the support and knowledge that without a doubt helped lead us to a victory,” he said. “I would especially like to thank Mr Usaid Ahmed, manager operations COTHM Karachi and Mr Ahamd Shafiq, founder and CEO COTHM Pakistan and Dubai for providing the opportunity to compete and showcase our skills, as well as supporting us in numerous aspects throughout our practice sessions and even everyday life. Without them I would have never been given the opportunity to represent Pakistan and on a global scale.”

Fatima Wasique also won a bronze medal for the competition and said, “It’s just awesome to showcase the skills that our culinary school and culinary instructors are giving to the next generation of chefs.”

The Emirates Salon Culinaire (ESC) is a series of practical and display-based culinary competitions; entry to which is open to professional chefs, pastry chefs, cooks and bakers. This year the competitions are designed for entry by a single competitor. Each competition is called a class.

The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG) is the UAE’s association of professional chefs. It is a non-profit-making organization dedicated solely to the advancement of the culinary art of the UAE. The World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) is a 102nation fellowship comprising the world’s various professional chefs’ organizations.