| PR National Culinary Team |
 2010 Puerto Rico National Culinary Team Members
Presented by the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association Sponsored by: Puerto Rico Tourism Company, American Airlines & Anne Marie Kleiss Weddings & Parties  Ernie Reyes, Copamarina Beach Resort Lucia Merino, Instituto de Banca San Juan Maria Germania, Conrad Condado Plaza Hotel Luis Enrique Castillo, La Concha Resort Xiomara Rotger, Augusto's Restaurant Bartender Ded Chazulle, InterContinental San Juan Coach Elvin Rosado, UPR Carolina Manager Ariel Rodríguez, Augusto's Restaurant Culinary Team Achievements 1995-2009
In 1995, the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association (PRHTA) created the Puerto Rico National Culinary Team for the following purposes:
Puerto Rico National Culinary Team 1995-2006
1995
Team members: Wilo Benet, Mark French, John Malloy, Alex Sánchez, Dayn Smith amd Augusto Schreiner
At Caribbean Culinary Federation’s Taste of the Caribbean competition, the team received a silver medal and was awarded a special recognition for demonstrating the Most Professional Team Standards.
1996
Team members: Wilo Benet (captain), Augusto Schreiner (manager), Pablo Budet, Hector Cardwood, Juan José Cuevas, John Malloy, Elliot Rios, Pedro Rivera, Juan Rosado,
Alex Sánchez, Gustavo Esterás (bartender)
At Taste of the Caribbean competition, the team won a gold medal for its high scores. In addition, two team members received special awards for their exceptional performances: Héctor Cardwood, the team’s pastry chef, was recognized for his outstanding dessert, and Gustavo Esterás received a bronze medal in the bartender’s event.
1997
Team members: Mark French (captain), Hector Cardwood, Jeremie Cruz, Aris Cuadra,
José Shamil Cedeño.
In 1997, the team received the highest score at the Taste of the Caribbean competition, earning a gold medal and recognition as the Top Team of the Year. Jeremie Cruz won the Chef of the Year award, the competition’s highest individual recognition. Jeremie Cruz, Aris Cuadra and José Shamil Cedeño won individual gold medals. Mark French won a silver medal, and Héctor Cardwood won a silver medal for his dessert and two silver medals for his centerpieces.
1998-99
Team members: José Shamil Cedeño (captain), Nelson Adorno (pastry), William Collazo (bartender), Jeremie Cruz, Nelson Millán, Javier Ortiz, Nelson Rosado.
The team won both a silver medal and the Most Professional Team award. Bartender William Collazo won gold for the Best Non-Rum Drink and a silver medal.
2000
Team members: Philippe Trosch (captain), Luis Alvarez, Héctor Cardwood (pastry chef), Julio Delgado, Mark French, Fausto Molina (bartender).
In 2000, the team competed in the Caribbean Culinary Federation (CCF) Taste of the Caribbean competition as well as the American Culinary Federation (ACF) competition.
At Taste of the Caribbean, our team garnered the lion’s share of the gold medals. Chefs Mark French, Luis Alvarez, and Héctor Cardwood, bartender Fausto Molina and service professional Jerry Montes won gold medals. Mark French won the prized Caribbean Chef of the Year award for his top performance in the competition. Luis Alvarez was also honored by receiving the Commis of the Year award, given by CCF for the first time that year.
A second stellar PRHTA culinary team, led by Julio Delgado and including Luis Alvarez and Jerry Montes as service professionals, also won gold medals at the Taste of the Caribbean, competing against ten international private teams.
In the ACF Competition in Orlando, Florida, our team, competing against other teams from the USA, won a bronze medal. In individual competitions, Julio Delgado and Hector Cardwood won gold, Mark French silver, and Philippe Trosch bronze.
2002 Team members: Nelson Rosado (captain), Efrain Cruz, Juan Carlos González, Jannette Berrios and Nelson Adorno, pastry chef.
In the American Culinary Federation competitions in Orlando, the 2002 team won an overall silver medal. In this event, 18 teams competed. In individual competitions, Nelson Adorno, pastry chef, won gold with his white chocolate sculpture, “Guardian Angel with Children,” and Jannette Berrios won silver in the turkey and pork categories.
2003
Team members: Ariel Rodríguez (captain), Fernando Parrilla, Juan Cruz, Aníbal Rodríguez (pastry chef), Hiram Avila (bartender).
This year, the team earned a gold medal for their three-course meal entry, the bartender earned highest honor for mixologists with Most Creative Rum Drink award, two gold medals and the title of Caribbean Bartender of the Year 2003. The Team demonstrated excellence in all phases of the competition winning a record total of 16 medals, the highest number of medals won by any single culinary team at the regional culinary competition.
2004
Team members: Cynthia Negrón, Enrique Piñeiro, Kalich Padró, René Olmeda (pastry chef/captain), Daniel Vázquez (bartender), Ariel Rodríguez (coach).
Medals: The Team won gold medal and the bartender won silver.
2005
Team Members: Anibal Rodríguez ( pastry chef & captain), Elvin Rosado, Emil Rivera, Carlos Portela, Dixon Seda (bartender) Ariel Rodríguez (coach)
The Puerto Rico National Culinary Team nabbed the Gold Medal for their three-course meal entry, and Carlos Portela won the Chef of the Year Award at the Caribbean Hotel Association’s “Taste of the Caribbean 2005,” in June at the Hyatt Regency Miami. The team, composed of Captain Aníbal Rodríguez, executive pastry chef at The Westin Rio Mar Beach; Elvin Rosado, from the Holiday Inn San Juan; Emil Rivera, from Bistro de Paris; and Carlos Portela from The Ritz Carlton San Juan, competed among 13 Caribbean national teams. They were ably advised by coach Ariel Rodríguez, chef-owner of Augusto’s Cuisine and former member of the team. In the individual Chef of the Year competition, Carlos Portela and Elvin Rosado won gold while Emil Rivera won bronze. Pastry chef Aníbal Rodríguez won a silver medal in the individual Pastry Chef of the Year competition. In addition, bartender Dixon Seda won a silver medal in the general bartending competition and another in the Caribbean Bartender FinalCompetition.
2006
Team Members: Rubén García ( captain),), Alexis Martínez, Gabriel Díaz, Roxana Alvarez
(pastry chef), Hiram Avila (bartender), Ariel Rodríguez (coach).
In 2006, Puerto Rico won two silver medals – one in the culinary competition and one in the bartenders’ competition – as well as the award for the Most Innovative Dish, with its Coconut Trilogy Dessert.
2007
Team Members: Efraín Cruz ( captain), Fernando Parrilla, Jonathan Hernández, René Olmeda ( pastry) , Josuam Figueroa ( bartender) Ariel Rodríguez (coach)
Chef Elvin Rosado, former member of the Team, was appointed team’s coach starting with Team 2008.
Medals: The team won gold, Efraín Cruz and bartender Josuam Figueroa won silver in the final competition.
Fernando Parrilla won Caribbean Chef of the Year 2007 and René Olmeda won Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year.
This is the fifth time that Puerto Rico earns the title of Caribbean Chef of the Year, a record no other destination has.
2008-2009
Team Members: Rubén Guzmán, Hedwill Martínez, Ernie Reyes, Lucía Merino (alternate member) Alberto Febo (pastry chef) Harry Rivera (bartender) Elvin Rosado (coach)and Ariel Rodríguez (manager).
At Taste of the Caribbean 2009 the Team won gold. Alberto Febo won Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year. Hedwill Martínez, Rubén Guzmán and Ernie Reyes won silver in individual competitions. Bartender Jorge López won bronze.
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