Australia, Tasmania - InterContinental Beijing Beichen’s western kitchen team was awarded with the Best Soup in the prestigious MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge 5th Global Final. The MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge is a team-based chef competition organized by Meat & Lifestock Australia, showcasing high quality Australian prime meat products creative chefs around the world. The 5th Global Final this year in Hobart involved champion teams from 15 countries in 2009 – 2012 mainly international luxury five-star hotels and clubs.

The winning team was lead by Benson Sun, the Executive Chef of InterContinental Beijing Beichen. The team is given a mystery “Black Box” filled with ingredients including prime Australian beef & lamb along with herbs, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and stocks. Then Chef Benson and team were given one hour to devise a four-course menu using at least 90% of the sponsored ingredients. The teams then took the ingredients to prepare their menu. The meal is served the following day to key trade members, foodservice buyers and media at a gala dinner.

A panel of international chefs judges the menus prior to the dinner. Points are awarded for taste, skill, creativity and artistic merit. InterContinental Beijing Beichen was awarded as the Best Soup with“Stone Cooked Tasmania Lamb Soup Served with Lamb Parcel”.

“I like to thank MLA for creating this wonderful opportunity where young chef talents can demonstrate and sharpen their skills in a competition where all senses are important and of course we are very delighted and proud to work with a winning culinary team at InterContinental Beijing Beichen, which represents China to the world.” comments Daniel Arbenz, General Manager at InterContinental Beijing Beichen.

The first event was held in 1996 in Bali and paved the way for many more challenges throughout Asia. 16 years later, this extraordinary young chef challenge has been completed in 22 countries and motivated over 3,600 chefs around the globe to be the best they can be and forging the foodservice industry ahead. Aimed to encourage emerging young culinary professionals, the MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge has grown from its original humble beginning to being conducted in all major Asian cities, to what it is now, a globally recognized chef competition.