Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort, Chef Alex Zee won the inaugural "Imperial Gourmet Soup Challenge" with his creation of "Braised shark fin melon, lobster, abalone in a chicken superior soup".It also earned the title as the best alternative to shark fin soup in the event organised by Tanjung Aru Junior Chamber International at Suria Mall, Sunday.
The occasion saw an entry from Shangri La's Tanjung Aru and its sister hotel, Shangri-La's Rasa Ria, Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu and Palace Hotel as well as three from the Sutera Harbour Resort.
The panel of judges was led by former Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Kok Wee Keat, who is now a renowned food critic together with artiste Fauziah Latif, former Sandakan Municipal Council President Datuk Adeline Leong and JCI Tanjung Aru past president Yvonne Chong.
Kok described Zee's soup as filled with surprises as the pumpkin and carrot soup had a bisque-like texture that surrounded the abalone, lobster flesh and julienne strips of winter melon.
"It was like an island emerging from the sea, giving a James Bond-like effect," said Kok, adding the judges gave the soup maximum points for presentation.
In second place was the cinnamon flavoured broth, mushroom salad and crab custard from the Shangri-La's Rasa Ria team while third place went to the Sutera Harbour Resort team with its braised dried and fresh scallop soup with spinach and pumpkin.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, in launching the event, said Sabah's shark population had declined sharply in recent years and this was due to harvesting of their fins.
In this regard, the State welcomed any initiative to reduce demand for shark fins apart from the ongoing effort to amend national fishery laws to impose a total ban on shark hunting.
The diving industry alone had contributed some RM237mil to the State's economy last year, he said, adding that divers would avoid coming to Sabah if sharks were wiped out.
"The are many alternatives É the Maldives as well as Indonesia and Philippines, closer here.
It is not we are against shark fin soup but we have to leave a legacy for our future generations," he added.
He said tourism industry was the only economic activity in the state filled with locals in noting that most jobs in the construction and plantation sectors were taken up by foreigners.
