Puncak Borneo chefs shine with seven medals at Vietnam culinary competition

KUCHING (April 25): Four Bidayuh chefs from Puncak Borneo are continuing their efforts to inspire young talent to pursue culinary excellence following a strong showing at the MasterChef of Foodex 2026 Culinary Competition in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, recently.

Chef Robbie Richard Balcarek said the initiative is focused on long-term talent development through mentorship and creating opportunities within the community.

“This initiative is about creating opportunities for the next generation. We want to identify hidden talents within our community, guide them, and give them the platform to represent Sarawak and Borneo on the international stage,” he said in a statement.

A key highlight was the debut performance of young chef Nicky Nelson, who secured a silver medal in his first international competition.

The Little Fairy Cafe chef impressed judges with his dish Terung Asam Ayam with vermicelli noodles, which balanced the distinctive sour notes of Borneo brinjal with the light texture of vermicelli, marking a strong breakthrough for emerging culinary talent from Puncak Borneo.

Nicky is a mentee of chefs Robbie, Janncy Nyohim and Iana Akam, reflecting a structured mentorship approach to nurture young chefs within the community.

The delegation also achieved further success in the individual categories, with Iana of Fairy Tavern winning gold in the noodle category for her interpretation of Sarawak Laksa.

Her dish featured a rich, aromatic broth infused with local spices and seafood elements, elevating the traditional Sarawak favourite, described by the late Anthony Bourdain as the “Breakfast of the Gods”, onto the international stage.

Janncy secured a bronze medal in the rice category with her interpretation of nasi lemak, incorporating Bidayuh red rice and Bario rice, paired with sambal infused with bunga kantan.

Robbie earned a silver medal in the rice category with his signature Nasi Goreng Daun Ubi, served with terung asam sambal, tempoyak goreng and ikan terubok, delivering layered earthy, sour and umami flavours rooted in Sarawak’s culinary identity.

In the national team category, Iana, Janncy and Robbie jointly secured silver medals after presenting a five-course fine dining menu inspired by Borneo’s culinary heritage.

The menu incorporated local ingredients such as gula apong, udang galah, tepus and bunga kantan, transformed through modern culinary techniques into an elevated gastronomic experience.

Overall, the delegation returned with seven medals — one gold, five silver and one bronze — reflecting ongoing efforts to develop culinary talent in Puncak Borneo through structured mentorship and international exposure programmes supported by Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin.

Willie said the programme aims to strengthen youth participation in the culinary sector through structured development pathways.

“I will continue to support this initiative by Chefs Robbie, Janncy and Iana in empowering Bidayuh and Dayak culinary talents, as they bring our heritage cuisine to greater heights on the international stage,” he said.