Sous Chef Michael Rahardjo wins gold at FHA 2025 Culinary Challenge
In his very first culinary competition in Singapore, Sous Chef Michael Yonathan Rahardjo didn’t expect to walk away with a gold medal.
In April 2025, Michael proudly represented SATS at the Food & Hotel Asia (FHA) Culinary Challenge. FHA is Asia’s top international food and beverage trade show, drawing around 48,000 attendees, 1,600 exhibitors, and 443 competition participants from around the world.
“I never imagined I’d win gold,” Michael shares. “I was honestly surprised, although I knew I was well-prepared, thanks to the strong teamwork and commitment to excellence I learnt at SATS."
Michael Yonathan Rahardjo, Sous Chef, Cold Kitchen, SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1
A dish that tells Michael’s story
Michael chose to compete in the Practical Hot Cooking – Main Course (Meat/Poultry/Game) category, one of many under FHA’s Culinary Challenge. Given just 45 minutes, he had to prepare three identical main course plates to be judged by a panel of internationally acclaimed experts using WorldChefs-endorsed criteria.
Michael’s entry is an herb-crusted beef tenderloin served with savoy-wrapped mushroom ragout, confit vine tomato, balsamic-glazed banana shallot, potato and root vegetable purée, and andaliman pepper jus.
.jpg?sfvrsn=d07b01bf_0 "FHA-2025-SATS-Chef-Michael-Winning-Dish")
Michael’s winning dish at FHA2025 features his roots, experiences, and daily craft
“This dish is me,” he says. “As someone born in Indonesia, I added andaliman pepper, a rare spice from North Sumatra. I included coriander and fennel, spices common in Indonesian cooking, and a hint of Japanese curry to reflect my experience with Japanese cuisine. And of course, I couldn’t leave out the pickled elements, inspired by my job at the cold kitchen.”
Michael’s dish brings together where he’s from, what he has learnt through time, and what he does every day. It’s both technically complex and emotionally rich, earning him a well-deserved gold.
Behind a great dish is a great team
Michael shares the credit for his achievement, acknowledging the many people who supported him along the way.
“This win includes so many others: Chef Ivan, who mentored me; Chef Hooi Yuen, my supervisor; Chef Christophe, who encouraged me to join; Chef Anderson, Chef Matthew, my colleagues, and everyone who helped me prepare or came to cheer me on.”
Still, we couldn’t deny that Michael’s dedication played a huge role. As early as January, he began brainstorming the dish with Chef Ivan Yeo, Executive Sous Chef at the Premium Kitchen. By February, he was practising twice a week, on top of his regular shifts and part-time diploma studies.
“I would come in the morning to practise, work my shift from 1 pm to 9 pm, and once a week, I’d go to school at night,” he shares. “I just completed my diploma recently.”
From cold kitchen to hot cooking
Michael turned SATS kitchens into his training venues as he prepared for FHA2025
Michael works in SATS’ Cold Kitchen, where he oversees the team responsible for preparing sandwiches, fruit platters, salads, and sauces served aboard Singapore Airlines flights—in other words, dishes that don’t require fire or hot cooking equipment. So, entering a hot cooking category meant stepping into unfamiliar territory.
“Some of my colleagues were surprised I joined hot cooking,” he laughs. “But I wanted to challenge myself. That made the win sweeter.”
To train, he had to borrow cooking tools and use other kitchens. But he believes the high-volume, structured environment at SATS equipped him well for the competition.
“We have one of the biggest kitchens in Singapore,” Michael explains. “I’ve learnt so much about delivering safe, delicious meals on time, while keeping everything clean and efficient. That discipline gave me an edge at FHA.”
Onward to more wins
Michael was SATS’ lone representative this year, but he may have paved the way for more.
Some of his colleagues have already expressed interest in joining next year’s competition. “That makes me happy,” he says. “It means more of us will be out there, showing what SATS chefs can do.”
To Michael, his gold medal isn’t just a personal milestone. It’s also a celebration of SATS’ culinary talent and a reflection of our People Values, specifically excellence and teamwork.
“Excellence means never settling,” he reflects. “Even though I work as a sous chef, I still study, ask questions, and learn from others. I want to be better every day.”
Michael hopes this recognition leads to more opportunities to grow and inspire. And he's already looking forward to competing again. “This has become a benchmark for me—to test my skills, prove myself, and keep learning.”
Big congratulations to Michael and his win, which shines a light on SATS’ teamwork and drive for excellence!