ITE student’s winning mocktail is what holiday dreams are made of
The yearning for a holiday during the pandemic inspired ITE College West student Suwimon Lee to rustle up a mocktail that won the first prize in a contest last Friday.
Called Summer Vacation, the winning drink is made mostly with pineapple juice, topped with Japanese yuzu citrus, ginger and lime juices.
It is garnished with raspberry, mint leaves and a ribbon of cucumber.
It helped Ms Lee, 18, a student at the college's School of Hospitality, emerge tops in the competition with 10 other students.
Drinks made by the students were judged on taste, colour, creativity, and how they looked. Preparation techniques and presentation skills were also taken into account.
Ms Lee said she came up with the drink after dreaming of a long-awaited beach vacation because she misses travelling, her favourite hobby.
Leisure travel has come to a standstill for about two years now, after the pandemic struck early last year.
On her win, Ms Lee said: "I was shocked... I did not expect to win. Everybody did so well and it was really competitive."
She received $500 in cash for winning the top prize. The second prize was won by Mr Ruben Lim Jia De, 17, and the third prize went to Mr Yamada Keiji, 21.
A popular choice award based on audience votes went to Ms Britney Ong Xin Hui, 19.
All the students' winning recipes will be included in the F&N 2021 recipe catalogue.
This year, the panel of judges was made up of industry experts such as Ms Celine Tan, who is the marketing director for beverages at F&N Global Marketing.
Other judges on the panel were Ms Denise Tan, director of the ITE College West School of Hospitality, and Maison Ikkoku Group chief executive Ethan Leslie Leong.
The annual F&N Greatest Mix Drinks Creation Challenge, held at ITE College West campus in Choa Chu Kang, is a showcase for students' mixology and bartending skills, and helps groom talent for the food and beverage industry. - THE STRAITS TIMES
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