The Verband der Köche Österreichs (Austria’s Chefs Association), the Carinthian Chef Club and HLW St. Veit (Higher Education for Economic and Tourism) in St. Veit an der Glan, Austria partnered with At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy in Singapore to embark on a great adventure of cultural and culinary exchange. Günther Prommer, head of gastronomic department at HLW St. Veit and Kwan Lui, founder and head principle for At-Sunrice met in Dubai at the WACS 2008 World Congress and found they had common interests in expanding the culinary knowledge of their perspective faculty for the benefit of their students and local industries. They were both intrigued with the possibility of creating a cultural bridge between their two schools that would connect chefs from one school to the other to learn and share about each other’s cuisine. The plan would be complete when the visiting chef then returned to his or her home country and shared what they had learned with others; and the cycle of learning would begin and carry into the future. When they heard of the successes behind the WACS Train-the-Trainer program they realized for the first time that their dreams may come true.

With many months of developing plans and multiple communications the details of the trip were finally set. When WACS announced the return of the Train-the-Trainer program thanks to the continuous generosity of Custom Culinary™ they were ready to go.

On 1 February Chef Madeline Mueller left for a two-week visit to At-Sunrice in Singapore with the quest to share knowledge of her native cuisine and learn that of the Singapore chefsshe was looking forward to meeting. Accompanying her was chef Michael Jost who funded his own trip, and went with equal enthusiasm. Chef Mueller was impressed by the clean, serenity she found in Singapore; a mix of old and new with strict rules yet very clean and secure streets. According to Chef Mueler’s own story, she “expected the city of over 4 million people with shops open 24 hours every day and the cars, busses, undergrounds and escalators to run faster than in other mega cities, yet despite all the hustle there was a consistent feeling of calmness everywhere.”

Chef Mueller was impressed by the eating habits of the Singapore people which are completely different to her European traditions. In Singapore menus are not divided into breakfast, lunch and dinner, but offer the same wide selection of foods all day long.

The variety of people living in Singapore is also reflected in the many different styles of foods that are sold in corner kiosks and local restaurants. Chef Mueller noted “you can find the Indian cuisine in Little India, eat Chinese food in Chinatown or find the influence of Thai and Malayan cuisine.”

Chef Mueller found At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy to be a vibrant learning center with a variety of public and professional training courses. The living motto at At-Sunrice is “Advancing culinary art with integrity and meaning.” They seem to do very well at fulfilling this mission.

During her visit Chef Mueller had the opportunity to participate in Singapore cooking classes where she learned some of the local favorites including Chili Crab and a delightful Spicy Green Mango Salad (recipes in download section). There she experienced a pleasing working atmosphere in which discussion always came first and learning, understanding and appreciation were always the main objectives.

Chef Mueller demonstrated specialties of the Austrian cuisine. The most popular, according to chef Mueller, were classic goulash, spaetzle and apple strudel.

The teachers as well as the students showed great interest in the preparations, and were just as anxious to share their cuisine with the two Austrians.

Chef Mueller ended her report of her adventures by repeating these words, once spoken by the great chef Auguste Escoffier which are inscribed into a shield that hangs in the corridor of At- Sunrice:

"One can never know too much; the more one learns, the more one sees the need to learn more and that study as well as broadening the mind of the craftsman provides an easy way of perfecting yourself in the practice of your art."

Now that chefs Mueller and Jost have returned to Austria they are preparing to show what they have learned to their colleagues and to the students in their classes. Guenther Prommer has already confirmed his commitment as lead instructor of St. Veit to carrying this training well into the future.

The bridge to Singapore goes both ways. Kwan Lui of At—Sunrice hopes to send one or two of her instructors to Austria to reciprocate the learning and sharing of cuisine. Plans are currently being developed.

For more information on WACS Train-the-Trainer Program, sponsored by Custom Culinary™ please write to chefbaskette@comcast.net. Chef Michael Baskette is the program coordinator for WACS.

Download the Recipes

WACS Train-the-Trainer program, sponsored by Custom CulinaryTM, made its grand debut in 2009 with the very successful visit of Finnish chef Sirkka-Liisa Ruottinen, WACS representative for the Finland Chefs Association, to Guadalajara Mexico. Chef Ruottinen’s visit was from 4 February to 13 February, 2009.

Chef Ruottinen first met Mexican chef Hector Uvence in Dubai during the WACS Congress in 2008, and there began to lay the plans for her visit to his country. Chef Uvence is the principle instructor of the Univercidad Machado Uvence, Escuela de Administarcion y Arte culinario Repostero y Panadero in Guadalajara.

A graduate of the Perho Restaurant School in Helsinki, and since 1995 chef for the President of the Republic of Finland, Chef Ruottinen brought a world of knowledge to the small yet vibrant city of Guadalajara. She intended to educate local Mexican culinary instructors and students on Finnish cookery while at the same time learning about Mexican cookery from local experts. On both accounts the trip was very successful.

On day one of the visit Chef Ruottinen visited Guadalajara's largest commercial city market, el Mercado Abastos, to purchase the ingredients she needed for her first demonstrations. For breakfast that day she enjoyed Birria one of Guadalajara’s most traditional dishes; a spicy stew made with roasted kid.

During her stay Chef Ruottinen conducted many cooking demonstrations on Finnish cuisine while emphasizing basic cookery techniques like braising, pan-frying, stewing and poaching. Each class was filled by a variety of culinary instructors from the Universidad and other local schools, as well as twenty to thirty culinary students. Chef Ruottinen always demonstrated three course meals, including first course, main entrée and dessert, to give the Mexican chefs and students a broad understanding of Finnish cookery. Classes were held at the Universidad Machado Uvence and the Hotel Intercontinental in Guadalajara where working chefs were able to enjoy the delights of Chef Ruottinen’s demonstrations and tasty Finnish cookery.

Among the recipes Chef Ruottinen demonstrated were some of Finland’s most popular national dishes and regional specialties: Åland Oven Pancakes, Egg Butter, Cabbage Rolls, Kulibiaka, Karelian pasties and Reindeer stew. Naturally she had to substitute local ingredients for some of the recipes.

Another place Chef Ruottinen visited in Guadalajara was the Fabrica de Bolillos a bakery that makes one of our local traditional crusty breads called Salado used in the preparations of a popular local dish of torta ahogados.

Chef Ruottinen enjoyed many local culinary dishes and more than a few with the Uvence family in their home. Among them were Tostadas de lomo (pork loin tostadas), Gorditas (thick corn tortillas that are split and filled with a selection of tasty fillings), Huevos Rancheros (eggs and salsa), and Quesadillas (fresh corn meal masa stuffed with a variety of ingredients and cheese), tacos of carnitas (special fried pork rolled up in a traditional taco) and Tortas Gemmas (local sandwiches). She was also able to sample one of Mexico’s famous hot chocolate drinks, and the local favorite spirit Tequila. Other local favorites included Menudo (a traditional morning tripe soup), Carne en su jugo (thinly sliced beef cooked in its own broth), carne con chile (tender pork stewed with a combination of chilies and tomatoes).

Chef Ruottinen’s visit also included trips to the sea food market in Zapopan, a tortilla factory, a factory specializing in Tosadadas and meals served at local restaurants: Los Itacates, El Abajeño Tamales La Capilla de Jesús, Casa de los Abanicos and Rio San Pedro.

During the last evening’s gala event “Viva Guadalajara”, Chef Ruottinen was awarded the Gold Medallion of Honor on behalf of the Governor of the State of Jalisco, Mexico for her talents, time and the sharing of her cuisine.

Over 200 culinary instructors, students and local cooks and chefs participated in the WACS Train-the-Trainer Program in Guadalajara. Thanks to the generosity of Custom CulinaryTM, the expertise of Chef Ruottinen and the hospitality of Hector Uvence, the event was one of the most beneficial learning and sharing celebrations on world cuisine in Guadalajara’s history, and will surely last in the memories of the Mexican cooks and chefs, and Chef Ruottinen for many years to come.

Finish Recipes. Click here to download