Chef Marlon Manuel from Nueva Ecija emerged as the winner of the first regional leg of the Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs Edition — a nationwide cooking competition which aims to recognize a new generation of local talented chefs.
Manuel bested five (5) other contestants from all over central Luzon for his winning dish, the Arroz Valenciana Arancini with Pan Seared Duck. He chose Arancini — a stuffed rice ball — to highlight Nueva Ecija as a province known as the Rice Granary of the Philippines.
Manuel will have the chance to qualify for the national competition round with P100,000 and a culinary trip to Japan at stake.
Photo shows (L-R): Marlon Manuel (center) with Solane marketing manager Valeri Villano (leftmost) and Solane Kitchen Hero ambassador Chef Nancy Lumen (rightmost) Solane Kitchen Hero Central Luzon judges Agnes Gonzales (2nd to the left) and Corazon Sanson (2nd to the right).