Anchor Food Professionals, a world-leading New Zealand dairy foodservice brand, has partnered with Worldchefs to showcase 11 globally renowned chefs in its latest Taste of Tradition campaign.

The campaign celebrates culinary creativity and sees the chefs reimagine a traditional dish from their country by giving them a modern dairy twist. These innovative recipes from around the world have now been brought together in a digital cookbook titled Taste of Tradition, launching on 29 July 2024. 

The Taste of Tradition digital cookbook features culinary masterminds from across Southeast Asia. These leading chefs include Malaysia’s Steven Ong, the Philippines’ Kenneth Lee O. Cacho, and Singapore’s Ng Kia Ti (Kenny).

Chef Steven Ong is a renowned pastry chef whose creations have delighted international celebrities and local luminaries alike. The seasoned chef re-envisioned the Malaysian Laksa, infusing Anchor Extra Yield into the Penang Laksa Cream Sauce, shifting his discipline to dining for the campaign.

Chef Steven says, “As a native of Penang, I cherish Penang laksa for its tangy fish soup, balancing sweet, sour, and umami flavours. This dish blends Chinese and Malay culinary traditions. To honour its rich heritage while embracing innovation, I drew on my pastry skills and aimed to create a refined version featuring barramundi mousse using Anchor Food Professionals dairy products.”

“This dish is perfect as it is, and I have no intention of altering its essence. Instead, the light, pure and fresh mousse complements the rich flavours of traditional Penang laksa with an inventive twist,” Steven continues.

Chef Kenneth Lee O. Cacho, an experienced executive chef, enriches the lineup with his passion for culinary education at the International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCAHM). His creative twist on the Filipino Butter Ensaymada reflects his deep-rooted culinary heritage. 

Kenneth says, “Participating in Anchor Food Professionals Taste of Tradition campaign was an interesting challenge. The Ensaymada is a Filipino favourite and patisserie staple. The butter dough and cream cheese buttercream heroes Anchor Food Professionals dairy products capability and add a decadent edge to the classic.”

Each chef brings a unique perspective and expertise to their recipes, honouring traditional flavours while embracing modern techniques.

Chef Kenny Ng, Senior Culinary Instructor at Temasek Polytechnic, has a decade of experience in Pastry & Culinary Arts and reimagined the classic Swiss Roll by deconstructing its components to create the Reconstructed Roll Cake.

Chef Kenny says, “Being part of the Taste of Tradition campaign has allowed me to delve deep into Singapore’s rich culinary heritage and add a contemporary twist. Each element comes together in perfect harmony, offering a sophisticated and playful twist on traditional flavours. I’m thrilled to bring a decade of expertise in Pastry & Culinary Arts to the Taste of Tradition campaign,” he adds.

Anchor Food Professionals Global Senior Marketing Manager Lee-Ann Birch says, “Taste of Tradition is a testament to the exceptional talent within the culinary industry and highlights the transformative impact that premium dairy products can have on enhancing the taste, texture and appearance of a dish.”

“As dairy experts, our high-performing range of products is crafted for food service professionals. We’re incredibly proud to be Worldchefs’ trusted dairy partner. Chefs competing in the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge Finals will be using our Anchor Food Professionals products, and we can’t wait to see how they use our dairy in their winning creations,” she adds.

The Global Chefs Challenge is where 40 teams of top chefs meet to compete in four competition categories to showcase their mastery of the culinary arts.