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Battle of the Chefs: A Culinary Showdown in Paradise

Welcome to Iron Chef Aruba, where culinary creativity and island flavors take center stage! In this thrilling competition, three renowned chefs will go head-to-head, crafting a stunning three-course menu to impress both your palate and our esteemed judges. The chefs will be joined by local culinary students, working side by side with these masters, gaining invaluable experience and showcasing their passion for the culinary arts.

The event will feature three commercial kitchens and a stocked pantry, with chefs tasked to prepare three courses: an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Each course must include mystery basket ingredients. The winner will win a culinary trip for 2 to NYC. Come and watch as Chef Juan Ludeña, Chef Moises Ramirez, and Chef Jeanclaude Werleman compete to become Aruba’s next Iron Chef.

Competing Chefs

Chef Juan Ludeña

Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Aruba, Chef Juan Ludeña melds the flair of European culinary techniques and excellence with the color and spice of the Caribbean. The chef laid the groundwork for his career studying culinary arts at Roc Eindhoven School in the Netherlands and serving internships in bistros in both the Netherlands and Belgium. The chef notably worked under the mentorship of Chef Jermain de Rozario, owner of Michelin-starred De Rozario. Several years later, Chef Juan returned to his homeland of Aruba, eager to be a driving force in elevating the island’s culinary landscape, obtaining a diverse career trajectory with experience in trendy beach cuisine and fine dining restaurants. He enthusiastically embraces the farm to table movement and developed his own menus for his current position as executive chef at both Papillon Restaurant and the recently opened Bistro L’Avenue. The chef also conceived numerous seasonal chef’s table menus for The Secret Garden Aruba and Papillon. As a leader in hospitality, he is an endearing personality and nurtures a warm and collaborative team spirit among the colleagues of his two kitchen brigades. Be sure to attend Autentico Aruba Culinary Festival where Chef Juan will take the stage to showcase his wide breadth of culinary skills while competing for the title of Iron Chef Aruba 2024.

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Chef Moises Ramirez

A proud graduate of the culinary arts program at EPI school in Aruba in 2014. His passion for cooking was ignited from a spark to a flame during his internship at local restaurant Screaming Eagle, under the guidance of one of Aruba’s top chefs, Erwin Husken. Upon graduation, Chef Moises was delighted with the opportunity to work with Aruba’s first Iron Chef winner, Urvin Croes, assisting with the opening of Croes’ The Kitchen Table by White. In 2015, Moises had the rare opportunity to work under the supervision of Chef François Geurds of Michelin two-starred FG Restaurant in the Netherlands. His hard work and discipline helped open the door for future Arubans to work under Chef François’ tutelage. Moises went on to gain more experience under another Michelin two-star recipient, Chef Sidney Schutte, at Librije Zusje (now the Spectrum) at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. After three years there, Moises earned the title of Sous Chef. In 2021, Chef Moises returned home to work with Aruba’s second Iron Chef, Teddy Bouroncle of Lima Bistro, where he currently serves as Sous Chef for this popular Peruvian restaurant. You can see Chef Moises in action live on the main stage during the Iron Chef Aruba competition at Autentico Aruba Culinary Festival on Sunday, October 13.

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Chef Jeanclaude Werleman

A graduate of both EPB’ and EPI’s culinary arts programs while also completing internships at a variety of restaurant concepts on the island. After finishing his studies, he joined Chef Urvin Croes, a former Iron Chef Aruba title holder, and his culinary team at The Kitchen Table by White and White Modern Cuisine, gaining valuable overall kitchen experience. But it was working in pastry that excited Jeanclaude, leading him to The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba to work as a pastry cook for two years. He then rejoined Chef Urvin at his new restaurant, Infini, as pastry cook, and was promoted to pastry chef after a year. Chef Jeanclaude is now honored to expand his skill set once again, being named Chef de Cuisine at Infini last year. The chef feels that his in-depth experience in pastry helped hone his artistry in plating, a standout feature of the seasonal dishes prepared at Infini. We look forward to seeing his culinary artistry come to life on the main stage during the Iron Chef 2024 competition at Authentic Aruba Culinary Festival this October 13.

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The Iron Chef competition will take place live at The Autentico Pavilion on Sunday, October 13th. Three chefs, selected from an open application process, will compete after a preliminary round held in late August featuring culinary students from local trade schools. Four judges (three local and one guest) will evaluate the competition.

The Judges

Chef Olivier Falchi

French-born and member of the French Culinary Academy and a member of its chef association, Les Toques Blanches International. He has been the Executive Chef at the Hilton Aruba since 2020, leading the resort’s culinary team and overseeing eight food and beverage outlets, including the famed Sunset Grille, currently undergoing spectacular renovations. Chef Olivier’s culinary career also took him from France to Uruguay, Argentina, French Polynesia, and Switzerland, where he worked at 5-star Relais et Chateaux properties. Chef Olivier authored a cookbook, La Cuisine D ’Olivier, and participated regularly in food festivals and regional gastronomic events, designed an airline menu for Air France, specialized in molecular gastronomy, and has judged a few culinary showdowns along the way.

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Aldwin Donata Headshot

Chef Aldwin Donata

The popular local chef started his career at the University of Central Florida, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He soon discovered that the kitchen makes him happier and signed up for a culinary arts degree at EPI Hospitality in Aruba. He credits his profound knowledge of chemistry with his understanding of people and food, and today he is an accomplished hospitality professional serving as Executive Chef at Holiday Inn Resort Aruba. The chef is skilled in leading the resort’s culinary teams in seven busy food outlets, directing all kitchen operations and keeping guests happy with delicious offerings around the clock. Chef Donata is credited with the creation of the outstanding menu of the latest Holiday Inn culinary success, Agave, serving Mexican food creatively interpreted by the chef and his team.

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Chef Antonia Lofaso

Chef, television personality, restaurateur, and cookbook author based in Los Angeles, where she runs celebrated restaurants such as Scopa Italian Roots, Black Market Liquor Bar, and DAMA. Antonia has been featured on top television shows including Bravo’s Top Chef, The Food Networks’ Cutthroat Kitchen, and CNBC’s Restaurant Startup. Antonia is also the author of The Busy Mom’s Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, Home-cooked Meals. Antonia will be traveling to Aruba to team up with the culinary team at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort to create the ultimate tasting experience at the Autentico Pavilion on October 12 and 13, in addition to serving as a judge at the Iron Chef event on Sunday, October 13.

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Chef Álvaro Clavijo

The heart and soul of El Chato. His journey began at the Hofmann School of Hospitality in Barcelona and continued at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. For seven years, he honed his craft in prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, acquiring a deep respect for technique and quality. He then worked at Per Se and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in New York before joining the innovative team at Noma in Denmark, where he solidified his focus on using local ingredients. With this vast experience, Clavijo returned to Bogotá to open El Chato, with the vision of redefining Colombian cuisine and positioning it on the global map. His style, which combines European discipline with Latin creativity, is reflected in every dish, turning each meal into an experience that transcends gastronomy.

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Autentico Local Students Competition

To elevate the on-island culinary scene, the Autentico Culinary Festival is also creating learning opportunities for local culinary, hospitality and, tourism students. During the Autentico Iron Chef competition, winners of the Autentico Local Students Competition will have a prominent role; they'll be supporting the professional chefs on stage!

Congratulations to the following students!
 • Michael Padron • Kahlil Mullers
 • Shandon Helder • Jayden Heyden
 • Dylan Cardona • Annie Ortega

Join the Autentico Pavilion on October 13th to see them in action on stage and show your support.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to taste the world!

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