Timeless Designs 12th Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge

Its that time of the year again when the most creative cake decorateurs from all over the Philippines face off for the most prestigious and perhaps sweetest competition of the year--The Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge (ICDC).

From almost a hundred schools, only six made it to the live kitchen stage finale held at the SM Mega Fashion Hall last weekend. They include University of Batangas, Pangasinan State University, Holy Cross of Davao College, and the Western Institute of Technology Iloilo, and defending champions Saint Anne College of Lucena.

“For 2018, Goldilocks has gone back to the very heart and essence of the competition, which is the cake itself and what it represents,” explained Goldilocks Marketing Director Cherry Caluya. “Cakes are meant to celebrate sweet moments and special memories, which all become timeless. We have therefore made this the theme for this year, asking our competing students to interpret timeless aspects through their designs,” she emphasized.

Another big change this year for the ICDC was that the teams first needed to shop for some items and the theme of the contest was announced during the finale as well.

The competition was fierce, and as the clock wound down with around five minutes left, the audience roared with applause, cheering on the teams to add the finishing touches to their cakes.

I was really hoping Saint Anne College of Lucena would be successful in defending their title but after the last piece of topping was placed and the final bell sounded-- everyone knew it was going to be a tough decision for the judges.

Emerging victorious from this dazzling display of creativity and teamwork was the Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna; which previously took the category prize for the “Tribute to the Present” and “Tribute to the Future” themed cakes, before being awarded as the overall champion. With this feat, the talented students not only won considerable prizes for their school, but earned the right to take the travelling trophy back with them to the proud province Southeast of Manila. 

This is the 12th time that the ICDC has been held, and every year the stakes are raised higher. The skill-level of the participants has consistently increased, thus elevating the contest into one of the most anticipated events for culinary arts programs.

As always, the teams this year vied for more than the just prestige, but specifically a baking lab worth Php 250,000 for their school and Php 20,000 worth of Goldilocks gift certificates. After a pre-selection round wherein almost 100 schools submitted entries, the other schools that qualified for the live kitchen-stage were the University of Batangas, Saint Anne College of Lucena, Pangasinan State University, Holy Cross of Davao College, and the Western Institute of Technology Iloilo, which won the category prize for the “Tribute to the Past” theme. 

Being the country’s number one bakeshop for over five decades, Goldilocks is certainly the most qualified to stage an ICDC-style competition, providing the materials and ingredients along with co-sponsor Avoset Whip N’ Cream. Renowned chef and ICDC judge Jackie Ang Po noted that “for the past 12 years, Goldilocks and Avoset continue to reinvent this competition and make it fresh. They have really created something that Culinary Arts students aspire for, and competing on the kitchen stage at this level teaches the students so many lessons that go beyond classroom work.” Also serving as judges were exemplary pastry chef Penk Ching, Patrick Tong of Avoset, and Mille Dizon from the SM Group.

While the ICDC was the culminating activity of the day, loads of fun and educational activities were staged throughout the venue. There were numerous hands-on demonstrations and workshops by professional pastry-chefs, a Goldilocks decorate-your-cake (DYC) corner, amazing cake displays, and a chance to see Goldilocks endorser Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, who graced the activity as the special guest.

A Timeless Cake Challenge

Reach for your frosting spatulas and hold on to your piping tubes, because in a few weeks’ time, the Goldilocks’s Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge (ICDC) is once again whipping up a storm. In a field of the culinary arts that requires creativity, imagination, and a steady, delicate touch, which of our country’s future pastry masters has the ability to — as they say —take the cake?

On March 3 at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall, the best culinary students from all over the country will be going head to head in a live cake decorating competition held by Goldilocks, the country’s number one bakeshop. This is the 12th ICDC since 2006, and this year Goldilocks has gone back to the very heart and essence of the competition: the cake itself, and what it represents. 

“Cakes are meant to celebrate sweet moments and special memories, which all become timeless,” noted Goldilocks Marketing Director Cherry Caluya. “On the 12th year of the ICDC, we are returning to the spirit behind celebration cakes, and encouraging our competing students to design their memories and color their dreams. We want them to create something timeless,” she emphasized.

Caluya further explained that that this timeless theme can travel in either direction. “We are looking forward to seeing cake designs that will evoke memories of the past, and some that will gaze into the future. It’s an inspiring theme that will surely be interpreted in many amazing ways,” she added.
 
Almost one hundred photo entries were sent by aspiring schools from all over the country, which were narrowed down to 10 teams. These ten teams then competed in a closed-door qualifying round, until only six teams remained. On competition day, Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna, University of Batangas, Saint Anne College of Lucena, Pangasinan State University, Western Institute of Technology Iloilo, and the Holy Cross of Davao College will all vie to be named the overall champion of the Goldilocks ICDC 2018.

The team whose cake designs can truly be considered timeless will take home a Baking Showcase for their school, Goldilocks gift certificates for each member, and the honor of being among the best amateur cake decorators in the country. “Apart from a strong sense of school pride, winning the ICDC is a testament to hard work and diligence. In a manner of speaking, the trophy is simply the icing on top of the cake,” Caluya concluded.

To witness this timeless event, head to SM Megamall Fashion Hall on March 3, or log on to www.goldilocks.com.ph, or find @GoldilocksPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

Its a Goldi-Good Time at Kidzania

Goldilocks is no stranger when it comes to bringing magic, joy, and wonder to people’s hearts. Indeed, after 50 Golden Years of being the country’s number one bakeshop, it has become almost second nature to associate this well-loved brand with special occasions, celebrations, and fond memories.

Needless to say, sweet and delightful moments become more meaningful when they are shared. Accordingly, Goldilocks (through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm Goldilocks Foundation) organized a spectacular and fun-filled event for approximately 100 children from Baseco, Tondo, and allowed them to enjoy a day like no other.

In collaboration with Caritas Manila, the Goldilocks Foundation recently took over Kidzania Manila in Fort Bonifacio, for kids aged 5-6 and their guardians. “It’s always a bit challenging when you mobilize this many children and you bring them to a different location,” explained Goldilocks Marketing Director Cherry Caluya. “but seeing the pure joy and excitement of the kids – not to mention the beaming smiles on their faces – made it a thousand times worth the effort. This is what Goldilocks is about,” she added. 

It was truly a fun and educational experience for all the participants. Once inside Kidzania Manila, everyone was welcomed with a dance number performed by the Kidzania mascot, joined by a few Goldilocks pastry chefs. After a short message delivered by Caluya, the kids had a once in a lifetime experience to explore and try out different professions at the different “learning stations” at Kidzania. The children had a blast pretending to be farmers, ice cream makers, doctors, cake decorators, and many more.

Thanks to Goldilocks, everyone had a wonderful and unforgettable experience. To learn more about Goldilocks and the Goldilocks Foundation,

Visit www.Goldilocks.com.ph or like their Facebook or Twitter page @GoldilocksPH 

         

Xtreme cake deco on the spot at the 10th Goldilocks ICDC 2016

Just when you thought, its easy to decorate a cake, wait till you see the ICDC participants building a three layer cake from scratch. It takes a lot of discipline, patience and expertise to decorate a cake at least for me. Hats off to the students who spinned their cake "on the spot". How I wish I have the talent to be creative, to whip those buttercreams, and to flat top those icings, now I would be contented seeing those participants made their way to the cakes.

Since 2006, Goldilocks has been drawing out the most creative cake decorating talents among the youth through their annual Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge (ICDC). Indeed, the competition has transcended school pride, and has become a venue where would-be pastry chefs and bakeshop masters are discovered.

This year’s ICDC drew a particularly large crowd of spectators at The Block at SM North EDSA. Finalists from ten schools were given base cakes that they could stack in layers, gallons and gallons of ultra-premium whipped cream (supplied by co-sponsor Avoset Pour N’ Whip), and a seemingly endless array of edible hues, different shapes and colors of jelly, chocolates, decorative flowers and other ingredients for edible art works. This year, however, provided a truly “Xtreme” twist: teams were made to decorate five cakes in the span of only five hours, based on themes that they only learned about on contest day.

Each team had five participants, representing the best of their culinary arts or hotel and restaurant management courses. In the lead up to the competition, each team was mentored by a top professional chef, in order to prepare them for this one-of-a-kind challenge. Consequently, students from Calayan Educational Foundation, Sain Anne College of Lucena, Pangasinan State University, Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna, Trinity University of Asia, Western Institute of Technology Iloilo, DMCI College Foundation Dipolog, Lyceum Subic Bay, Far Eastern University, and Colegio de San Lorenzo were all on hand to show the audience a delightful display of skill and creativity.

As expected from their young, artistic, and spirited imaginations, all the competing teams came up with five masterpieces that bordered on sculpted cakes to intricate icing art pieces. Submissions for the 50th birthday cake, 50th wedding anniversary cake, “Year 2050” cake, the gold-themed cake, and the number-themed cake showcased intricate, colorful, and even gravity-defying designs.

Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna took the top prize in the 50th birthday cake category, while St. Anne College of Lucena won the 50th wedding anniversary cake category. Western Institute of Technology Iloilo was judged to have the best Year 2050 cake, and Pangasinan State University and St. Anne College Lucena won the gold-themed cake and number-themed cake categories, respectively.

After tallying the cumulative scores, judges Penk Ching, Heny Sison, Millie Dizon, Carol San Pedro, and Cara Wu declared the overall winner and 2016 ICDC champion to be St. Anne College Lucena. The announcement was met with jubilation and wild cheers, particularly from team mentor Chef James Antolin.

“Some of these designs were really impressive – even at par with commercially available cakes. It’s amazing that these were made on-the-spot by students,” noted Goldilocks Marketing Director Cherry Caluya. “The level of talent possessed by the Filipino youth is truly overwhelming,” she concluded.

Top Pastry Chefs mentor the 10th Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge

 There are so many occasions that call for celebrations, so many rites of passage that require “something special” like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, engagements, weddings, showers, new jobs, retirements, and more.  A homemade, home-baked, and handcrafted cake somehow makes these events feel even more joyful, but since most of us moms  dont have time to bake them cakes, and in my case I dont have the knowledge to bake one or even decorate with icings and all the trimmings, I might leave that to the professional or to the hobby baker- a person who bakes for the love of baking as a hobby.

Last Feb 4, I, together with selected blogger friends had our fair share of decorating a cake at Goldilocks Shaw Blvd branch.  It requires a lot of techniques, creative ideas, a fork, spoon, pastry bag, and colorful flavored frostings to make up a delicious looking edible cake. Cake toppings are a simple way to add texture and polish to cover up a less-than-perfect frosting job, that I learned during the cake decorating session.

If you are passionate about baking and decorating your cake,  then its time to witness the 10th Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge at SM North Edsa’s The Block Activity Center.

My cake from scratch

Exactly ten years ago, when Goldilocks was celebrating its 40th anniversary, the country’s number one bakeshop decided to launch a truly innovative competition to highlight the artistry involved in cake decorating. Dubbed as the “Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge (ICDC),” it has since grown to become a nationwide activity that is highly anticipated by both participating schools and audiences  alike

The format of the ICDC is unlike most baking events: it isn’t a staid demonstration, a submit-display and-judge setup, or anything of the sort. it is an exciting extemporaneous competition that requires not only familiarity with techniques; but a definite originality and creativity to set the winning team apart. On contest day, ten teams share one stage and one central supply bin. They decorate their cakes within a given time frame, based on themes that are revealed to them at that very moment. This is all done in front of a live audience and a panel of judges composed of the leading authorities in the culinary arts industry.

This year, almost one hundred schools from far and wide submitted their entries in hopes of being chosen as one of the ten finalists. Aside from the obvious distinction and the opportunity to pit themselves against the best and brightest of their peers, the winning school will receive a baking showcase worth a quarter of a million pesos, while the team itself will receive P20,000 in Goldilocks gift certificates.

After a comprehensive round of judging, the ten qualifiers are 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 lloilo.

Given that 2016 marks a milestone for the ICDC, however, the country’s number bakeshop has something considerably more demanding in store for the talented participants. “This is the 10th year of the ICDC, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Goldilocks,” explained Goldilocks Marketing Director Cherry Caluya. “Because of this, we’ve decided to add some major twists. In fact, we’re calling this year’s competition ‘ICDC Xtreme’,” she noted.

While these new elements (understandably) cannot be revealed, they are obviously challenging enough to warrant expert supervision. As such, Goldilocks has enlisted the help of ten of the country’s top pastry chefs to guide a randomly chosen team in the lead up to competition day.



Chefs Jackie Ang Po (Calayan Educational Foundation), James Antolin (Saint Anne College of Lucena). Joan Dela Cruz (Pangaslnan State University), Bryan Dimayuga (Lyceum of the Philippine Laguna), Tristan Encamadon (Trinity University of Asia} Jackie Laudico (Western Institute of Technology lloilo), Rizalino Manas (DMCI College Foundation Dipolog). Amador Mendoza (Lyceum Subic Bay). Pixie Seville (Far Easlem University), and Buddy Trinidad (Colegio de San Lorenzo) have been tapped to provide high-level, hands-on mentorship to the participating students.

“Having these renowned chefs on board early on will allow the students to learn from the best and most experienced professionals in the industry"  Caluya pointed out. “it‘s also worthwhile to note that every region is represented -— North and South Luzon, the NCR, Visayas, and Mindanao,” she concluded.

The 10th Goldilocks Intercollegiate Cake Decorating Challenge will be held on February 25, 2016 at SM North Edsa’s The Block Activity Center. Numerous activities and side attractions will on hand beginning at 10am. For more information, log on to wwwgoldilockscomph, or follow GoldilocksPH on Facebook and Twitter