City of Dreams Manila has been named the Overall Champion in the Professional Division of the 2026 Philippine Culinary Cup (PCC), emerging on top among 52 teams representing hotels, restaurants, and catering services.
The achievement adds another milestone to the luxury integrated resort’s award-winning culinary record at the prestigious competition, where it has consistently earned recognition since 2016. The 16th edition of the Philippine Culinary Cup was held over four days alongside the World Food Expo (WOFEX) at the SMX Convention Center.
“This distinction is a proud recognition of our chefs’ creativity, discipline and commitment to their craft,” said Property President Geoff Andres. He added that the team’s continued success reflects the depth of culinary talent nurtured across the resort and the high standards carried into its kitchens every day.
A Winning Culinary Team
Representing restaurants, pastry, and banquet kitchens across the resort, City of Dreams Manila sent a 17-chef delegation that competed in 13 categories. The team secured an impressive 15 medals, including one Highest Gold, one Gold, nine Silver, and four Bronze medals.
Among the top performers was Sous Chef Lee Chia Lok, who earned Highest Gold in the Asian Gourmet Challenge and Bronze in the Art of Dim Sum. From Crystal Dragon, Dim Sum Chef de Cuisine Ngooi She Chong won Bronze in Art of Dim Sum, while Sous Chef Zhang He took Silver in the Asian Gourmet Challenge.
Banquet Chef de Partie Rier Maverick Franco also delivered a strong showing, earning Gold in U.S. Beef and four Silver medals across the Creative Breakfast Challenge, U.S. Lamb, U.S. Pork, and Pasta categories.
The resort’s pastry team added to the medal tally, with Pastry Chef de Cuisine Julius Javin earning Silver in Dress the Cake and a special “Best Creation 2026” recognition from Whippit by Bakersfield. Pastry Commis Chef Enrique Ferrer also secured Silver in the French Touch Challenge-Pastry competition.
Meanwhile, chefs from The Café and Haliya modern Filipino restaurant contributed additional medals, including Silver finishes in the Filipino Cuisine Challenge and Dream Team Challenge.
Raising the Bar for Beverage Craft
City of Dreams Manila also earned recognition at WOFEX through CenterPlay bartender Justin Dela Cruz, who won Silver in the DaVinci Gourmet Coffee Cocktail Showdown.
The award highlights the resort’s commitment to beverage innovation alongside its culinary achievements.
Celebrating Filipino Culinary Talent
Approved by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WORLDCHEFS), the Philippine Culinary Cup provides an internationally recognized platform for professional and aspiring chefs to develop their skills, benchmark their work against global standards, and showcase Filipino culinary talent.
This year’s competition brought together more than 1,000 chefs from hotels, restaurants, and hospitality and culinary schools. Participants competed across various culinary disciplines before a panel of 60 local and international chef-judges.
City of Dreams Manila’s Overall Championship further highlights the resort’s continued commitment to culinary excellence, innovation, and the development of world-class talent in the Philippine hospitality industry.
