Northwesternians fared well in the HRAB’s HRT Week and Food Showdown
Northwestern University (NWU) was one of the participating institutions in the 16th Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism (HRT) Week and the 14th National Food Showdown (Regional) centered with a theme, “Malakas at Maganda” – The Surge of Philippine Cuisine at Baguio Country Club, SM City Baguio, and Camp John Hay on September 21-23, 2023.
Orchestrated by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB), there are over 25 colleges and universities from both the private and public sectors that actively participated in the event.
Luckily, NWU achieved the Silver award in the Best Regional Ingredients Category, namely for their outstanding performance in Bagoong, Bellman’s Hour, and Napkin Folding. NWU also bagged Bronze in several areas, including Events Planning, Traditional Pinakbet Cuisine, Cocktail Mixing, Travel and Tours, and Pica-pica. A Diploma award in Modern Pinakbet, Quiz Bee, Baby Cake, and Pantry Chef.
The preparation for the challenging task at hand left Dr. Reymar Tao-ing, Dean of the College of International Hospitality and Tourism Management, feeling overwhelmed. The participants were given a limited timeframe of just two days to adequately prepare themselves and their students for the upcoming competition, during which they were required to engage in practice sessions and develop their concepts in several categories.
According to Dr. Tao-ing, the drive of their students to achieve optimal outcomes was not impeded. He also said that although it is uncertain if they will secure the gold medal, a closer look at the rankings reveals that some individuals among them have achieved the top position. However, it should be noted that the outcomes are determined based on the average scores within the bracket. The participants take pride in the fact that all categories involved in their preparation received a prize within the given period.
Only a limited number of categories in the competition were accessible for participation by individuals affiliated with Northwestern University, out of a total of 35 implemented categories.
The dean conveyed his appreciation to the very helpful teaching members, coaches, and staff for their exceptional level of assistance. He also said that the attainment of any of the prizes may be unattainable in the absence of assistance from these individuals. They are also responsible for evaluating the students’ abilities to compete in several categories of the aforementioned competition.
Dr. Tao-ing also mentioned that the key lies in providing students with sufficient time to achieve success in their future endeavors.
“To all the students under International Hospitality and Tourism Management regardless of what will happen, do not be intimidated by the challenge of time. Do not be dismayed with any obstacles and problems that come along your way. It is just a matter of molding yourselves to be bolder and braver and showcase the best version of yourselves. Always treat your problems as a weapon to be the best version of your future,” the dean expressed.
