SATS wasn’t supposed to be part of the 14th Salon Culinaire, an exclusive culinary competition that gathers top chefs from across Asia. But when the invited representative for Singapore dropped out, the organisers reached out to Chef Matthew Yim, Executive Chef at SATS Food Services.
Chef Matthew then quickly rallied Chef Anderson (Team Manager), who pulled together a team of chefs: Johnson (Assistant Team Manager), Darren (Team Captain), Desmond (Team Member), and Michael (Team Member).
L to R: ESC Desmond Ignatius Biswas, ESC Johnson Goh, ESC Anderson Ho, ESC Darren Chin, and SC Michael Yonathan Rahardjo
It would be the first competition of its kind for all of them, and they were about to face the best teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Beyond representing SATS and Singapore, the chefs said yes for one simple reason – they love to cook. For Anderson, Desmond, and Michael, that passion was sparked by their families. For Johnson and Darren, it came from seeing how food has the power to bring people together and make them smile.
The team was made up of chefs from across SATS Catering, each bringing unique strengths and experiences:
Anderson Ho (Executive Sous Chef) trains cabin crew and catering staff in everything from international cuisines to wine and cheese pairing. He has also judged plenty of competitions in Singapore and abroad.
Johnson Goh (Executive Sous Chef) designs and develops new literary concepts. Together with Chef Anderson, he drove the culinary knowledge base project for SATS.
Darren Chin (Executive Sous Chef) develops innovative meals like ready-to-eat food and manages catering operations for restaurant clients and non-aviation events. A competition veteran, this was already his seventh contest.
Desmond Ignatius Biswas (Executive Sous Chef) oversees menu planning and staff for the army cookhouses. He joined SATS three years ago, and Salon Culinaire is his first-ever culinary competition.
Michael Yonathan Rahardjo (Sous Chef) works in the Cold Kitchen at SATS In-Flight Catering Centre 1 (ICC1). Fresh off a gold medal win at Food and Hospitality Asia 2025, he was grateful to be selected to represent SATS again.
The chefs came in with different backgrounds, different strengths, and even different ways of working. It was not easy to come together as one team. The fact that they were all Western-trained didn’t make it easy either, especially considering the competition’s strong focus on Asian cuisine.
But they stayed confident. “We just had to trust our ability as Asians to understand the region’s flavours,” says Chef Johnson.
For three months, the team trained twice a week at ICC1, with Darren and Desmond even making the long trip from the west each time. Those early sessions weren’t easy, admits Chef Darren.
“We realised we had different working styles and philosophies,” Chef Desmond adds. “We had to find a way to work together.”
As team manager, Anderson took on the role of puzzle master. “It was like working with a hundred puzzle pieces. The competition rules, the ingredients, the time limits, the challenges of being in a new place, and each chef’s strengths... and trying to make them all fit together,” he explains. “It was a steep learning curve. I had to make some hard calls, and the team had to trust me.”
What kept them together was a simple, shared goal: To do one job and to do it well.
The competition days were intense. The team had just three hours to prepare a full set menu for seven judges (an appetiser, soup, and two mains) using mandatory ingredients and two surprise proteins revealed only at the start of the contest. They also had to shop for everything at a local market on a tight budget.
Only Darren, Desmond, and Michael could enter the kitchen and the market, while Anderson and Johnson cheered them on from the sidelines.
Inside, the pressure was real. At one point, Darren made the tough call to drop an appetiser that wasn’t working out and pivot to Plan B. “At SATS, we cook with one thing in mind: excellence. If a meal isn’t good enough, we don't serve it. And when it came to the competition, we carried that same standard.”
The competition was a true test of skill, but the team admits their SATS training gave them an extra edge.
First, there was the support. Their fellow chefs (Ivan, Matthew, Cristophe, and Ah Chye) and many others in the kitchens shared advice, help, and encouragement throughout their training and preparations.
Then, there was the discipline they had built over the years at SATS. Keeping their stations spotless and following the strictest hygiene and safety standards were second nature to everyone.
They also had another advantage up their sleeve – the CKB, a digital recipe archive that Chefs Anderson and Johnson helped bring to life. With it, they could whip up new dishes on the fly, taking inspiration from tried-and-tested creations by their fellow SATS chefs.
Team SATS won 1st place at the 14th Salon Culinaire 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia
For each chef, this victory meant something personal.
For Michael, it was another opportunity to learn from his colleagues and hone his craft. For Desmond, a proud moment to celebrate with his family. For Darren, a well-earned reward for countless hours of hard work. And for Anderson and Johnson, a chance to show just what teamwork at SATS Catering could achieve.
When all was said and done, taking part in the 14th Salon Culinaire wasn’t just about winning. Five chefs, from different corners of SATS kitchens, came together to represent SATS and Singapore – and nailed it.
Congratulations on an excellent job done, Chefs!
