Corporate Executive Chef Bob Rosar, of Gate Gourmet Division Americas, created the winning dish in the first International Inflight Food Service Association (IFSA) “Latin American & The Caribbean Chef Competition.“Chef Bob competed against two other culinary experts.

The three chefs were selected as finalists from the airline, supplier and catering fields to participate in the competition, which was held in conjunction with IFSA’s global leadership conference in Panama City, Panama, on Dec. 6.

Each chef was tasked with designing and preparing one main course entrée using Latin/Caribbean ingredients. In addition to this requirement, judging was based on cooking techniques, plate presentation, and the flavor of the dish itself.

The recipe had to be airline affordable for business class, and the preparation process had to be consistent with industry practice, with no special equipment required to serve the dish onboard an aircraft.

Chef Bob’s first place entrée consisted of a Sugarcane Spiked Chicken with Guava Marmalade Glaze and Mango Salsa, accompanied by Lime Braised Yuca, Wilted Spinach and Fried Plantain.

“I drew from memories of my hometown Miami and my love of island flavors to develop the perfect dish,” said Chef Bob.

Besides impressing the judges with his original recipes, he uniquely set the stage by creating a full Caribbean experience, complete with reggae music and Piña Coladas, to accompany the tasting.

“The Chef Competition, which was the first for IFSA, was a major success and generated a high level of interest,” said IFSA President Sandra Pineau.

“Chef Bob Rosar’s Sugarcane Spiked Chicken was a big hit with the esteemed panel of judges, who focused on originality, flavor, cost and presentation at 30,000 feet. Bob continues to display his culinary talents with both enthusiasm and creativity, enhancing the entire dining experience.”

Chef Bob is currently in talks with airlines about adding his original recipe to Business Class and First Class menus.
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