Behind Team SATS’ two gold and three silver medals at the 2025 Food Hospitality China (FHC) competition are long nights, countless tries, and the pressure of getting it right.
[L to R] Lucas Ding Huo Sheng, Johnson Goh, Anderson Ho, Lim Choon Sing, Siow Hui Sze with their medals from FHC Shanghai 2025
Held from 12-14 November 2025, the FHC Shanghai International Culinary Arts Competition is one of Asia’s most recognised culinary stages, drawing chefs from across the region to test their skills and creativity. It’s where Chinese and Western cuisines meet, sparking new ideas, encouraging collaboration, and developing the next generation of chefs.
The event covers a wide range of categories, including culinary arts display, Western and Chinese hot cooking, as well as pastry and bakery competitions. Each entry is judged under strict World Chefs Federation rules, which means chefs are assessed not just on taste, but also on technique, organisation, hygiene, creativity, and presentation.
Team SATS at FHC Shanghai 2025
Anderson Ho, Executive Sous Chef, Catering Training, pulled together chefs with complementary strengths, competition experience, and the grit to push through the intense preparation:
Lim Choon Sing, Sous Chef, Pastry Kitchen 2
Gold - Theme Afternoon Tea Display
Siow Hui Sze, Chef De Partie, Pastry Kitchen 2
Assistant to SC Choon Sing
Johnson Goh, Executive Sous Chef, Culinary Design & Development
Silver - Western Hot Cooking (Salmon)
Gold - Culinary Arts Display (Western Three-Course Menu)
Lucas Ding Huo Sheng, Senior Sous Chef, Integrated Regional Support Group
Silver - Western Hot Cooking (Lamb)
Silver - Culinary Arts Display (Western Three-Course Menu)
Darren Chin Siong Wei, Executive Sous Chef, Integrated Regional Support Group
Assistant to ESC Johnson and SSC Lucas
A Culinary Arts (Cold) Display entry by Team SATS
One of the most misunderstood categories in culinary competitions is the cold display (culinary arts display). Contrary to popular belief, this is far from “easy.”
In this category, dishes are fully cooked and prepared in advance, then displayed cold for judging. The focus is on knife work, structure, symmetry, hygiene, creativity, and overall execution. Visual perfection is the most crucial thing.
"Cold display is like building edible architecture,” Darren, who has joined the same competitions before, explains.
Read also: Team SATS wins gold at the 14th Salon Culinaire
“It’s overnight work,” Johnson shares. Gelatin had to be cooked, set, layered, and assembled with absolute precision. "Every component needs time and focus.”
Strict temperature control is critical, and so is craftsmanship. Unlike hot cooking, there’s no 60-minute clock but a quiet intensity that starts well before the competition day until every chef has completed a three-course cold menu (appetiser, main dish, dessert).
“We’re grateful for the SATS network,” Johnson adds. “Our colleagues at SATS China opened their kitchen doors so we could do our preparations.”
Backed by teamwork and the wider SATS community, the team clinched both gold and silver in the culinary arts display competition, with Johnson and Lucas at the helm and Darren supporting the effort.
A Western Hot Cooking (Lamb) entry by Team SATS
If cold display is about patience, hot cooking is about speed and control. Johnson and Lucas also competed in individual Western hot cooking categories, salmon trout and lamb, respectively. Each was given 60 minutes to prepare a main course using the protein given, producing two identical plates for judging.
Everything had to be done on the spot. Timing, organisation, flavour balance, and cleanliness were all under scrutiny.
Both chefs walked away with silver medals, despite having to work with unfamiliar products. “Products in Chinese supermarkets, like the vegetables, are different from what we’re used to in Singapore,” Lucas explains. “We had to adjust our recipes quickly without compromising standards.”
Team SATS’ award-winning entry for the Theme Afternoon Tea Display
Choon Sing has competed before for SATS. Daily, he helps oversee the production of thousands of pastries for airline passengers.
At FHC Shanghai, he, assisted by Hui Sze, competed in the Theme Afternoon Tea Display category. Their task: to create six different dessert types, with seven identical pieces per dessert, presented in a full buffet-style display, all within 60 minutes and under constant observation.
“Judges and spectators are right there watching you,” Choon Sing says. “You have to stay calm and focused.”
In the end, Choon Sing clinched a gold medal, with 95 points out of 100 – the highest score awarded across all categories in the competition.
Read also: Chef Choon Sing shares the easiest way to make gula melaka steamed cake
Preparation began months before the competition, with all chefs juggling demanding work schedules and training sessions. There were failed attempts, reworked recipes, and countless refinements.
“We kept refining the dishes and presenting them to our Executive Chef, Kim Wah,” Hui Sze shares. “We failed many times, but each time we learnt.”
The chefs had to stay back after work and train for their respective competition categories
Lucas and Johnson trained weekly, too, with Lucas and Darren often travelling across Singapore after work just to practise. At the competition itself, Johnson was running on zero sleep for 63 hours. He laughs about it now, “I never knew I could still do that at my age.”
Chefs Lucas and Darren are trying a recipe for the cold display competition
FHC Shanghai was Lucas's first-ever culinary competition. It was his first time representing SATS on a global stage.
“Honestly, I wasn’t interested at first,” he admits. “But Darren encouraged me, and eventually I wanted to give it a try.”
How was the experience? “Tiring,” he says with a smile. “It reminded me of my restaurant days. But I learnt a lot. It’s a great experience overall.”
Guided by fellow chefs Darren, Johnson, and Anderson, Lucas walked away with two silver medals in his very first competition.
Team SATS had a fun time in Shanghai after the competition
The team’s achievements at FHC Shanghai reflect the depth of SATS’ culinary capability and the values our people bring into the kitchens every day – creativity, competence, consistency, and uncompromising standards in food safety and hygiene.
For Choon Sing, winning pushes him to keep quality standards high. Johnson, meanwhile, hopes the win inspires others. “I encourage young chefs to step up. Competitions like this push you beyond your comfort zone... and your sleep,” he says, laughing.
Huge congratulations to our chefs for their well-deserved win!
