ORANJESTAD – On Thursday, October 8th, the much-anticipated and sold out event, Iron Chef Aruba (produced by Island Temptations magazine as the finale for the Aruba Tourism Authority’s Eat Local Restaurant Week), will take place with three of Aruba’s top chefs vying for the title. Executive Chef Stephen Toevs from The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, Executive Chef Teddy Bouroncle from the Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, and Executive Chef Ever de Pena from Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa will compete in a three-course format with a mystery basket challenge for each course. The chefs will each have two apprentices on stage to help them meet the challenge of preparing their courses within a specified time limit. With an initiative to include the island’s future generation of chefs in the event, the final year students in EPB’s culinary program competed in their own mystery basket challenge, preparing two courses and presenting them to the Iron Chef competitors in hopes of being chosen as an apprentice. Standing in for Executive Chef Teddy, who was off the island, was Marriott’s Executive Sous Chef Miguel Garcia, and joining the panel as a guest judge was Executive Sous Chef Darwin Torres from Divi Resorts.
Looking sharp and professional in their new chef jackets—generously donated by ASD, a co-sponsor for Iron Chef Aruba and the island’s premier hotel and kitchen equipment and supply company—the students prepared their dishes under the watchful eye of the judges and EPB instructors Bas Willemsen and Orlin Geerman. Each student presented their final plates using ingredients from two separate mystery baskets: the first contained veal chops, flour tortillas, figs, and enoki mushrooms, while the second challenged the students with snapper, cous cous, rainbow carrots, and miso.
Scored on presentation, creativity, and taste, the judges chose six students. The chefs then selected their two apprentices by blind draw. Congratulations to Jeaneida Ignacio and Reginald Williams, who will join Executive Chef Stephen Toevs onstage; Danvid Webb and Brian Martinez will be working with Executive Chef Teddy Bouroncle, and Zahira Erasmus and Johres Geerman will team up with Executive Chef Ever de Pena. Over the course of the next two weeks, the students will have the wonderful opportunity to train with the chefs in preparation for the big night on October 8th.
Island Temptations’ Iron Chef Aruba, being held at the Alhambra Ballroom, is co-sponsored by the Aruba Tourism Authority, Divi Resorts, Alhambra Casino & Shops, ASD Aruba Hotel & Restaurant, Equipment Supplies, Romar Trading, Arion Wine Company, Pepia Est, U.S. Meat Export Federation, DJ Vibe, Ling & Sons, and Caribbean Overseas.

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