The Singapore expo experience
Rey Ponsaran with the bronze winner of the
Asian Pastry Cup
Rey Ponsaran, Food and Beverage manager of The Days Hotel and Miner del Mundo, food consultant extraordinaire, experienced Asia's largest international food and hospital trade event in Singapore last April 22 to 25. This is the FHA 2008, regarded by industry professionals as Asia's unrivalled flatform for connecting buyers and sellers. FHA is one's direct access to the best products, equipment, supplies, services and technologies in the food and hospitality.
Ponsaran and Del Mundo were treated to a spectacular view and taste of the exhibition that expands to seven halls, bringing the total exhibition space to a whopping 70,000 square meters! More than 3,300 international exhibiting companies showcased their product innovations and cutting-edge technologies under specialized events namely Food Asia, Wine & Spirits Asia, Hotel Asia, Bakery & Pastry, Hospitality Style Asia and Hospitality Technology. A unity of international fare was also unveiled by 40 Group Pavillions with Argentina, Brunei, Ireland, Panama and Wales as first-time participants.
There were 'live' competitions such as the FHA Culinary Challenge, FHA Imperial Challenge, Asian Pastry Cup and for the first time at FHA, the Asia Barista Championsip. The Wine & Spirits Asia Challenge, one of Asia's prestigious wine competitions, had participating world-class wines assessed by experienced panel of international wine experts through a series of rigorous blind tastings.
Miner checks out the gastronomic goods
There were active discussions as 'movers and shakers' from the food and hospitality industry shared their expertise and vision in a series of conferences and forums.
"My favorite was the exhibition on pastries and cakes," said Ponsaran. "I was so amazed with the sugar sculptures there."
Bursting with inspiration from that trip, Ponsaran, upon arriving in Iloilo, couldn't wait to apply the different technologies and styles he has learned on The Promenade.