Patterned after Iron Chef and started 10 years ago, the Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge (ICDC) is now a nationwide event anticipated by participating (and competitive) schools and audiences. This year, 10 schools out of nearly a hundred who submitted entries, vie to win for their school a baking showcase worth a quarter of a million pesos, while the winning team takes home P20,000 in Goldilocks gift certificates. Since the 10th year of the ICDC concides with Goldilocks’ 50th anniversary, this year’s contest is dubbed as the “ICDC Xtreme”.
New “features” of the contest include mentorship of the finalists from noted pastry chefs and a two year contract to work with Goldilocks offered to the winning team. ICDC Xtreme, a whole day event, happens on February 25, 2016 at SM North EDSA.
See our coverage story on ICDC Xtreme 2016 here.
Last year’s ICDC champion: Western Institute of Technology Iloilo.
Technique under Time Pressure
The format of the ICDC is marked by creativity under time pressure, fast-thinking (as mistakes eat up time and will waste supplies), coordinated efforts (again, time is short), and an awareness that a live audience (and competitors) can see one’s work as it unfolds. On contest day, ten teams decorate their cakes within a time frame, based on themes revealed only beofre the contest starts, and all this is done in front of a live audience and a panel of judges composed of leading authorities in the culinary arts.
See our coverage of ICDC 2015 here, with Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo as one of the judges.
The Ten Finalists
Ten finalists made it through the comprehensive round of judging: Calayan Educational Foundation, Colegio de San Lorenzo, DMCI College Foundation Dipolog, Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna, Lyceum Subic Bay, Pangasinan State University, Saint Anne College of Lucena, Trinity University of Asia, and the Western Institute of Technology Iloilo.
Something more demanding is in the works
Because ICDC 2016 coincides with Goldilocks’ 50th anniversary, the cake decorating challege this year will be known as ICDC Xtreme. While some details will not be revealed (as yet), Goldilocks has enlisted the help of 10 of the country’s top pastry chefs to guide the teams in the lead () up to the competition day.
High Caliber Mentors
Chefs Jackie Ang Po (Calayan Educational Foundation), James Antolin (Saint Anne College of Lucena), Joan Dela Crus (Pangasinan State University), Bryan Dimayuga (Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna), Tristan Encarnacion (Trinity University of Asia), Jackie Laudico (Western Institute of Technology Iloilo), Rizalino Manas (DMCI College Foundation Dipolog), Armador Mendoza (Lyceum Subic Bay), Pixie Sevilla (Far Eastern University), and Buddy Trinidad (Colegio de San Lorenzo) have been tapped to provide high-level hands-on mentorship to the participating students.
A Taste of the Competition
Goldilocks invited select media members to take part in a cake deco contest just for them, to let them experience cake decorating under time pressure, with shared supplies, and with a guied theme – Valentine’s Day. Some were humbled, some rose to the challenge, and some simply excelled. For the experience, Agents International, Goldilocks Philippines PR partner, deserves some kudos.
ICDC Xtreme will also feature the Junior Cake Decorators finalists
The search is on for the Goldilocks Junior Cake Decorators, and submissions are only unil February 15. Parents and guardians can email their kids’ Decorate Your Cake (DYC) creations at promo@goldilocks.com.ph for a chance to compete center stage at the 10th ICDC on February 25. 10 kids will be chosen among the entries, and they will undergo a cake decorating workshop at the ICDC event. After the workshop, the kids will pit their best DYC cake designs in the Junior Cake Decorators contest. Goldilocks GCs in the amount of P5000, P3000, and P2000 will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winner, respectively.
The 10th Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge happens on February 25, 2016 at SM North EDSA’s The Block Activity Center. Various activities and side attractions start at 10am. For details, log on to www.goldilocks.com.ph or follow Goldilocks on Facebook and Twitter.
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