The Big Break - An AFC Original Production

Text - Veronica Ng, images kind courtesy of AFC

Imagine being abandoned, lacking the means of providing material needs or comforts, children experiencing poverty with their hands, minds and hearts, starting the day without a nutritious meal or being forced to engage in hazardous labor to earn a few bucks for their families.

The challenges of poverty and a lack of education have always been a prevailing issue faced by disadvantaged youths in Asia. With so few opportunities available to those in need, many children grow up unable to reach their full potential.

In this exciting AFC Original Production produced in partnership with Resorts World Sentosa, 12 underprivileged youths from six different countries in Asia are offered an opportunity to transform their lives by learning invaluable skills needed in the kitchen. The final winner will be offered a one-year scholarship at the prestigious At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy in Singapore.

Join Indonesian celebrity chef, Farah Quinn and Executive Chef from Resorts World Sentosa, Alan Orreal as they go on a search to Mongolia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. Watch them travel the distance as they visit local charity organisations to find worthy young culinary candidates who exemplify drive, commitment and passion that are needed to excel in the kitchen. It is not easy searching for one shining star, but the result is well worth the effort!

Though the road to success for everyone is paved with hardship and adversity, these youths are willing to face it all with determination. Follow the inspiring and heartwarming journeys of these aspiring chefs as they are whisked away to Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore and put through a series of lessons and challenges with

some of the industry’s finest chefs and hospitality professionals!

The one-year scholarship at At-Sunrice is a prize of a lifetime and a chance to secure a brighter future. With success just within their grasp, which of these youths will get their “Big Break”? We guarantee that this is one programme you won’t want to miss!

Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), in partnership with the Asian Food Channel, has produced an original reality television series that offers the chance of a lifetime to 12 underprivileged youths from six countries across Asia to fulfill their dreams in the latest original reality television series produced by AFC.  Titled The Big Break, the series premiered exclusively on Astro, Channel 703 on 14 November 2012.

More than 105 million AFC viewers from 11 territories across Asia will be able to catch the 13 x 30-minute series hosted by RWS Executive Chef, Alan Orreal and AFC celebrity chef, Farah Quinn. The duo will travel to voluntary welfare organizations in Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea, in search of youths who exemplify a passion for cooking and possess the determination to pursue their dreams of becoming a chef.

The brigade of 12 selected aspiring youths then travel to Singapore, where they will pit their skills in a series of challenges at Singapore’s first integrated resort, Resorts World Sentosa, where its myriad of attractions, restaurants and facilities will form the backdrop for the series.

Judged  based  on  their  culinary  and  hospitality  skills,  techniques   learned  during  the challenges, as well as attitude and performance, all participating youths will try their hand at getting one step closer to the grand prize of a scholarship worth over S$30,000 at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy in Singapore, co-sponsored by RWS.

There will be no losers either. Every week, a selected number of youths who don't qualify for the next round will be granted a S$2,000 bursary by RWS, allowing them to continue on with their education after they return home from the show.

To assist the youths on their journey, RWS and AFC have also assembled an all-star line-up of international and distinguished guest chefs to take on the role of judges and mentors. Featured  chefs  include  the  world’s  most  Michelin  star-decorated  Chef  Joël  Robuchon, Australian Celebrity Chef Scott Webster, RWS’s Executive Chefs Alan Orreal, Edmund Toh and Ron Cheng, as well as Unilever  Food Solutions’  Regional  Executive  Chef Yen Koh.

These world-class chefs ensure that each contestant receives first-class culinary and food and beverage  training throughout  the programme,  exposing them to a myriad of different cuisines  and  flavors  from  around  the  world.  The Big Break will also give them an immersive cross-cultural experience, while teaching them invaluable application techniques.

Mr Greg Allan, RWS’s Vice President for Food & Beverage and Rooms said, “We are very privileged to be a part of this meaningful project. Being involved from the conceptualisation stage of this series allowed us to offer up our extensive F&B expertise and knowledge and to really make a difference in the lives of these youths.

The entire RWS team including the 2,000-strong F&B team across various F&B outlets, have put their hearts into this production from providing the venues and facilities, to sharing their culinary and hospitality expertise and resources.

Through this programme and initiative, we hope that the youths will be inspired and enriched by this exciting culinary journey and that this experience will empower them to believe in themselves and what they can achieve.”

Ms Maria Brown, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Asian Food Channel also expressed excitement with the premiere of this AFC original production, “At AFC, we believe in the transformative power of food and the joy it brings to people.

It is an honor for the Asian Food Channel to be part of this life-changing experience that RWS is providing, and we hope that through The Big Break, all the youths who take part will be provided with a stepping stone to get one step closer to fulfilling their life ambition and dreams”,

Ms Brown added, “As Asia’s premier food channel, we are excited to leverage our expertise in producing successful programmes, to provide a platform to expose and develop these amazing talents which would have otherwise been undiscovered. We hope that the selected youths will be empowered by the life skills learnt throughout their journey on the show to make positive changes in their lives whatever they chose to do for a career.”   

For more information on The Big Break, please visit: http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/thebigbreak.