Our History
Our History
In 2013, Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala, owners of legendary Indian restaurant Café Spice Namaste in London, launched the ‘Asian Junior Chefs Challenge’.
What would be re-branded the following year as Zest Quest Asia offered a fresh approach to student culinary competitions. Here was a challenge that focused on Asian cuisines, emphasised knowledge and practical cooking prowess in equal measure, and boasted a brilliant first prize – an educational journey to an Asian culinary hotspot.
The brainchild of Cyrus, as well known for his cooking as his devotion to education and training, Zest Quest Asia is the fulfilment of an award-winning chef’s lifelong dream to open minds and broaden visions through Asian cuisine. Having secured the backing of the Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB), the chef organisation’s chairman, Clive Roberts, was invited to join the competition’s organising committee. Confident of success, Cyrus, Pervin and Clive, along with fellow committee members Elke Passon, Gina McAdam and Meredith Bevan then launched what was to become one of the most rigorous, rewarding and respected culinary competitions open to students across the UK today.
From the outset, the Zest Quest Asia champions (and additional prize winners) would be decided by a formidable panel of judges, with the late ‘industry luminaire’ Andrew Bennett MBE, then Food and Beverage Director of the 5-star Park Lane Hotel, taking on the role of chairman. Joining Andrew were Cyrus, Pervin, Clive, Steve Munkley, Murray Chapman, Sarah Hartnett and, in separate years, Emmy-nominated TV chef and author, Ching He-Huang, and Tony Singh MBE. Guest speakers at the Gala Dinner and Awards Night, which always followed the live cook off at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen (the signature restaurant at Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5), have included Lord Karan Billimoria CBE DL, the legendary Ken Hom OBE and Andrew Wong of Michelin-starred restaurant, A.Wong.
The brainchild of Cyrus, as well known for his cooking as his devotion to education and training, Zest Quest Asia is the fulfilment of an award-winning chef’s lifelong dream to open minds and broaden visions through Asian cuisine. Having secured the backing of the Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB), the chef organisation’s chairman, Clive Roberts, was invited to join the competition’s organising committee. Confident of success, Cyrus, Pervin and Clive, along with fellow committee members Elke Passon, Gina McAdam and Meredith Bevan then launched what was to become one of the most rigorous, rewarding and respected culinary competitions open to students across the UK today.
From the outset, the Zest Quest Asia champions (and additional prize winners) would be decided by a formidable panel of judges, with the late ‘industry luminaire’ Andrew Bennett MBE, then Food and Beverage Director of the 5-star Park Lane Hotel, taking on the role of chairman. Joining Andrew were Cyrus, Pervin, Clive, Steve Munkley, Murray Chapman, Sarah Hartnett and, in separate years, Emmy-nominated TV chef and author, Ching He-Huang, and Tony Singh MBE. Guest speakers at the Gala Dinner and Awards Night, which always followed the live cook off at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen (the signature restaurant at Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5), have included Lord Karan Billimoria CBE DL, the legendary Ken Hom OBE and Andrew Wong of Michelin-starred restaurant, A.Wong.
In 2013, Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala, owners of legendary Indian restaurant Café Spice Namaste in London, launched the ‘Asian Junior Chefs Challenge’.
What would be re-branded the following year as Zest Quest Asia offered a fresh approach to student culinary competitions. Here was a challenge that focused on Asian cuisines, emphasised knowledge and practical cooking prowess in equal measure, and boasted a brilliant first prize – an educational journey to an Asian culinary hotspot.
The brainchild of Cyrus, as well known for his cooking as his devotion to education and training, Zest Quest Asia is the fulfilment of an award-winning chef’s lifelong dream to open minds and broaden visions through Asian cuisine. Having secured the backing of the Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB), the chef organisation’s chairman, Clive Roberts, was invited to join the competition’s organising committee. Confident of success, Cyrus, Pervin and Clive, along with fellow committee members Elke Passon, Gina McAdam and Meredith Bevan then launched what was to become one of the most rigorous, rewarding and respected culinary competitions open to students across the UK today.
From the outset, the Zest Quest Asia champions (and additional prize winners) would be decided by a formidable panel of judges, with the late ‘industry luminaire’ Andrew Bennett MBE, then Food and Beverage Director of the 5-star Park Lane Hotel, taking on the role of chairman. Joining Andrew were Cyrus, Pervin, Clive, Steve Munkley, Murray Chapman, Sarah Hartnett and, in separate years, Emmy-nominated TV chef and author, Ching He-Huang, and Tony Singh MBE. Guest speakers at the Gala Dinner and Awards Night, which always followed the live cook off at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen (the signature restaurant at Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5), have included Lord Karan Billimoria CBE DL, the legendary Ken Hom OBE and Andrew Wong of Michelin-starred restaurant, A.Wong.
The brainchild of Cyrus, as well known for his cooking as his devotion to education and training, Zest Quest Asia is the fulfilment of an award-winning chef’s lifelong dream to open minds and broaden visions through Asian cuisine. Having secured the backing of the Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB), the chef organisation’s chairman, Clive Roberts, was invited to join the competition’s organising committee. Confident of success, Cyrus, Pervin and Clive, along with fellow committee members Elke Passon, Gina McAdam and Meredith Bevan then launched what was to become one of the most rigorous, rewarding and respected culinary competitions open to students across the UK today.
From the outset, the Zest Quest Asia champions (and additional prize winners) would be decided by a formidable panel of judges, with the late ‘industry luminaire’ Andrew Bennett MBE, then Food and Beverage Director of the 5-star Park Lane Hotel, taking on the role of chairman. Joining Andrew were Cyrus, Pervin, Clive, Steve Munkley, Murray Chapman, Sarah Hartnett and, in separate years, Emmy-nominated TV chef and author, Ching He-Huang, and Tony Singh MBE. Guest speakers at the Gala Dinner and Awards Night, which always followed the live cook off at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen (the signature restaurant at Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5), have included Lord Karan Billimoria CBE DL, the legendary Ken Hom OBE and Andrew Wong of Michelin-starred restaurant, A.Wong.
“We are developing a pipeline of young home grown cooks who truly understand and have the ability to prepare food in an authentic Asian style. They are the future of our industry.”
Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL
Founder of Zest Quest Asia
Zest Quest Asia has never failed to attract creative entries from student chefs in colleges of all sizes, including some of the country’s best known.
Since its launch, teams from University of West London (UWL), University College Birmingham (UCB), Milton Keynes College, Sheffield College, Farnborough College and Westminster Kingsway College have triumphed in the competition, with the winners flying off to Asia with their tutor to enjoy a seven-to-ten-day immersion in Asian culture and cuisine, learning how climate, topography and lifestyle influence food. In Japan, besides learning how to make sushi from a master, winners from UCB toured a sprawling Panasonic factory, rode the ‘bullet train’ and discovered the splendours of Kyoto.
In Sri Lanka, they toured a tea plantation outside Colombo. In the Philippines, winners from UWL helped prepare a fund-raising dinner for VIPs at top restaurant Romulo’s, and were hosted by then British Ambassador, the Rt Hon Daniel Pruce, at his Residence in Manila. A few years later, Sheffield College champions enjoyed a fully immersive tour of “Sugarlandia”, again in the Philippines, sponsored by Don Papa Rum. Such are the unique experiences Zest Quest Asia has to offer.
Undeterred by the coronavirus pandemic that put a halt to live competitions for most of 2020-2021, Zest Quest Asia went virtual. Three successful on-line spinoffs during 18 months of successive lockdowns — including contests sponsored by Tilda and Panasonic — kept budding chefs busy and motivated. In summer 2021, Murray Chapman held Zoom tutorials on Asian food with over 1000 students, encouraging students to take up the Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge.
Since 2022, Zest Quest Asia returned in its original, live format. For the ambitious and talented student chef, competing is only the beginning.
Zest Quest Asia has never failed to attract creative, inspiring entries from colleges of all sizes, including some of the country’s better known culinary establishments.
Since its launch, teams from University of West London (UWL), University College Birmingham (UCB), Milton Keynes College, Farnborough College and Westminster Kingsway College have triumphed in the competition, with the winners flying off to Asia with their tutor to enjoy a seven-to-ten-day immersion in Asian culture and cuisine, learning how climate, topography and lifestyle influence food. In Japan, besides learning how to make sushi from a master, winners from UCB toured a sprawling Panasonic factory, rode the ‘bullet train’ and discovered the splendours of Kyoto. In the Philippines, Zest Quest Asia champions from UWL visited local wet markets, helped prepare a fund-raising dinner for VIPs at a top Filipino restaurant, and were hosted by the then British Ambassador, the Rt Hon Daniel Pruce, at his Residence in Manila, where they witnessed an on-the-spot cook-off between the diplomat and Cyrus. Such are the unique experiences Zest Quest Asia has to offer.
Undeterred by the coronavirus pandemic that put a halt to live competitions for most of 2020-2021, Zest Quest Asia went virtual. Three successful on-line spinoffs during 18 months of successive lockdowns — including contests sponsored by Tilda and Panasonic — kept budding chefs busy and motivated. In summer 2021, Murray Chapman held Zoom tutorials on Asian food with over 1000 students, encouraging students to take up the Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge.
In 2022, Zest Quest Asia returns in its original, live format. For the ambitious and talented student chef, competing is only the beginning.
Zest Quest Asia's Sponsors
Invaluable sponsorship in cash and kind have come from great friends, both individuals
and companies, who share Zest Quest Asia’s mission to make a difference.
and companies, who share Zest Quest Asia’s mission to make a difference.
Zest Quest Asia's Sponsors
Invaluable sponsorship in cash and kind have come from great friends, both individuals and companies, who share Zest Quest Asia’s mission to make a difference.
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