With their flavorful baked creations and compelling bread stories, budding bakers Roy Tabocolde and Greegy Cabarrubias from Iloilo’s St. Therese MTC College—La Fiesta were declared grand winners of the Tinapay Natin Pinoy Bread Baking Competition’s Grand Finals on Oct. 13 at Treston International College
Tabocolde and Cabarrubias bagged P50,000 in cash plus the exclusive chance to have their bread creations distributed in over 150 Max’s Corner Bakery branches nationwide.
The Tinapay Natin Pinoy Bread Baking Competition, an initiative of Pilmico and Max’s Corner Bakery inspired by the massive success of last year’s Mahalin Pagkaing Atin movement, aims to also inspire more young Filipinos to carry on the craft of Pinoy bread-making.
Decadent favorites and a surprise twist
For their original bread entries, Tabocolde and Cabarrubias placed the spotlight on two well-loved Filipino breads: pastel, a popular pasalubong in Cagayan de Oro; and ensaymada, which is a traditional favorite in Bulacan and Pampanga.
Their breads, named Cagayan Pastel and Ensaymada Royale, proved supreme with their fluffier crumb, surprise filling and rich toppings.
For the last competition round, Tabocolde and Cabarrubias created their Sesame Streusel Roll as their third original bread. This reinvention combined the Cinnamon Roll and the Ilonggo butterscotch.
On bagging the top prize, the winners had this to say, “It was very nerve-wracking to bake during a competition and we weren’t really expecting to win. But, we concentrated on our entries and put our hearts into baking them.”
Molding the future of our local bread culture
For Pilmico and Max’s Corner Bakery, the competition was not only an opportunity for our young bakers to showcase their skills and creativity, but also to help share the progress as the winners were able to choose a beneficiary school.
“We want to give local producers better opportunities by bringing the livelihood to them,” said Norie Bermudez, Pilmico vice president for Sales. “Our hope is for these young bakers who joined the competition to serve as our ambassadors of bread culture in every bite.”
As a restaurant that’s considered a cornerstone of local dining, Max’s has aligned with Pilmico’s goal to inspire creation and promote a better love for food.
Carolyn Trota-Salud, president and director of Max’s Group of Companies, said, “We also believe that it is Max’s role to help promote local talent, as well as ensure that Filipino products will have world-class flavor that can compete globally.”
