The University’s College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTH) proudly brought home a series of victories from the 17th National Food Showdown - Cebu Goes Culinary 2025 held on September 26 to 27 at SM Seaside Cebu City.
Gold medals were awarded to Arjohn Pacatang, Myles Hadriel Orbegoso, and John Benedict Grajo, who displayed elegance and precision in the Table Setting with Centerpiece category under the mentorship of Ostein Earn Gemotea, PhD.
Adding to the gold medal tally, Ian Canlas impressed the judges in Mocktail Mixing with his Bisaya Regional Fresh Mango drink, guided by his coach, Mr. John Yousef Seyadi.
Silver finishes followed the outstanding performance of Miles Benedict Vargas, Rey Sueta Jr., and Keith Asher Mallo in Klasika-Moderna Kulinarya (Sutukil), mentored by Mr. Dale Christian Reynaldo.
Jason Santos also stood out in Flairtending, earning a silver medal, the Highest Award in their Category, with the support of Mr. Kent Kevin Novillas.
Meanwhile, Allyssa Johnes Salhay showcased her mixology skills in Cocktail Mixing using Bisaya Regional Spirits and Liquor, earning silver under the mentorship of Mr. Novillas.
With the guidance of Mr. Jairus John Cambelisa, Ralph Benedick Alunan and Trishia Mae Serudo excelled in Regional Pica-Pica (Pungko-Pungko), won bronze, the Highest Award in the Category.
Under the same mentorship, Angelo Ilano and Ysellah Amor Seballos impressed with their Fruit and Vegetable Kinilaw which earned them bronze at The Pantry Chef competition.
The success continued in the special competition as Miguel Andre Del Mar and Joshua Anderson Olayra emerged as the sole winners of the Potatoes USA Challenge, once again under the mentorship of Mr. Cambelisa.
Cebu Goes Culinary is a two-day showcase of culinary excellence, featuring over 740 participants from both professional and student categories competing in 17 events.
According to the Cebu Online News Press Corps, the competitions highlighted “Filipino heritage cuisine, local ingredients, and the drive to elevate everyday dishes to world-class standards.”
With the theme “Balik Isla: Foraging in the Philippine Countryside,” the competition showcased Filipino ingenuity and talent, and the CTH contestants and coaches rose to the occasion with strong performances across multiple categories.
The triumph of the College of Tourism and Hospitality stands as a proud reminder of their commitment to advancing service excellence and continues to inspire the Lasallian community to strive with grit, passion, and Animo spirit.