Details of WACS Congress 2008, Dubai is now available in the website. Please visit : www.wacs2008.com

33rd World Congress
Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Date: May 12th – 15th 2008

Hosted by the Emirates Culinary Guild
(www.emiratesculinaryguild.net)

WACS 2008 Congress Overview

The WACS (World Association of Chefs Societies) biennial congress sees a coming together of over 1000 of the world’s leading leisure-industry professionals.

The Congress will be held at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from May 12th to 15th 2008. (www.dicec.ae). The venue will be the centre’s magnificent Sheik Rashid Hall.

The main thrust of the congress will concern showcasing the prevailing exotic lifestyle of UAE residents.Arabian culture and the myriad cuisines and cultures of the diversity of nations that go to the making of our great city of Dubai will be prominently featured.

Delegates will be educated and informed in and entertained by the living traditions, customs and philosophy of societies other than their own. They will be regaled with practical illustrations of the culinary sophistication and refinement reached by nations they, in some cases, have never before encountered.

The Competitions
Three major international competitions will be held during the congress:

The Global Chef’s Challenge:

This practical cookery competition is a new WACS initiative. It will be inaugurated in Dubai during the 2008 congress. Seven senior finalists - each of whom will have triumphed as the best chef of their geographical region (through a world-wide series of competitions) – will be eligible to join culinary battle and compete for the title Global Chef 2008. This event will be a permanent fixture on the WACS competition calendar. The winner of this biennial battle can truthfully boast of holding a verifiable worldclass culinary title.

The Hans Bueschkens Memorial Trophy:

Here, twenty young chefs will each represent their respective countries, vying to be adjudged as the best young cook in the world. With only six-hours in which to complete the entire test - from the composition of the menu, to the service of the meals – this competition is designed to challenge each junior to prove to the jury the evidence of his/her culinary and organisational skills. (www.wacs2000.org).

The Meat & Livestock Australia Black Box Culinary Challenge.

Twenty-five teams of juniors, each consisting of: a team manager, a team captain, two cooks and one pastry chef, will compete in the grand final of a global inter-hotel competition that has taken the teams to two years of close competition to secure a place in the final.

On day one each team will be presented with a black box of mystery ingredients; once the ingredients are disclosed, teams have just one hour in which to draw up a menu and present it to the organisers. The teams then take the ingredients for preparation to their place of work. The following evening each team must serve the menu as compiled by them to twenty guests. All plating and decorating and the work on the pass is undertaken in full view of the diners! An interesting and entertaining spectacle culminating in a 500-seat gala dinner for invited guests.(www.mla.com.au)

The Kitchen Arena:
Throughout the life of the congress, there will be featured a permanent kitchen arena. Eight fully-equipped kitchens will be constructed in an arena setting; complete with lighting, back-projection screens, cameras and sound system. A culinary MC will provide a running commentary on the events unfolding every day throughout the day.

The kitchen arena will be open for viewing to everybody: delegates, the general public and invited VIP’s. The arena will host the Global Chef Challenge competition; The Hans Beuschkens Memorial Trophy competition and the planned culinary seminars and workshops.

The whole arena will be decorated with national flags, bunting and the colours, branding and logos of our major sponsors.

Seminars and Workshops:

In addition to the competitions, there will be a programme of workshops and seminars set at the kitchen arena, hosted by industry leaders. These will include:

o Thai cuisine and food decoration as practiced at the royal Thai palaces.
o Barbados conch and crab preparation.
o Iranian grills and breads.
o Lebanese cuisine and culture.
o South Indian specialties.
o Cuisine from the maharaja’s palaces.
o Arabic khahwa customs.
o Camel meat and camel milk preparations.
o Fugu; the deadly and delicious fish.

The Dr. Bill Gallagher Junior Chefs’ Forum:

Inaugurated by our Honorary-President-for-Life, Dr. Bill Gallagher, the Junior Chefs Forum will be conducted at the same time as the main congress and will offer some elements of the main congress programme to juniors. The forum is a platform for the young chefs of the world to air their views. The encouragement and development of junior chefs is an important part of the WACS philosophy.

Although there is a separate programme planned for the junior forum it will be designed so as to converge with the main congress from time-to-time so that the juniors may associate with the senior delegates as much as possible.

In addition to the culinary competition; educational programme, networking and the exchange of ideas and information it will offer workshops and visits to key sites of interest during the period. It is open to all member countries of WACS each of whom will also be able to send one junior member to participate in the Hans Beuschkens culinary challenge at no cost. Also included will be junior representatives from the ECG. Junior chefs from around the world will be encouraged to attend so as to build international goodwill, and to develop future chefs.

A special dining facility will be part of the Hans Beuschkens culinary challenge so that juniors can sample the meals produced by their colleagues at the competition.

The Social Programme:

Mornings:

Welcome City Familiarization Tour. A bus tour of Dubai organised through Arabian Adventures.

Coffee Breaks at the Dubai International Showcase.

The Dubai International Showcase will take the form of an exhibition within the congress itself.It will be a select exhibition of companies connected with or interested in the hospitality industry and the culinary arts.
The showcase will operate at key timings throughout the life of the congress.

Coffee will be served in the actual exhibition area. Exhibitors will be permitted to feature a coffee table (table & coffee provided by the organizers) at their booth. The Coffee break will be an informal event where the delegates and exhibitors can circulate and intermingle at will.

Delegates and exhibitors will be able to network and interact in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.The intention is to create a pleasant, social ambiance where goods can be displayed and business unhurriedly discussed at leisure between interested parties.

The Dubai International Showcase Suppliers Exhibition
Full options for booking exhibition space will be released soon. If you are interested in taking space then please contact us and we will register you and send you full details.

Luncheon:
At the Dubai International Showcase each day.
Luncheon will also be served in the actual exhibition area. Exhibitors will be permitted to feature a luncheon table (table, food and all requirements provided by the organizers) at their booth.
Luncheon will also be an informal event so that the delegates and exhibitors can circulate ands intermingle at will.

Afternoons:

Coffee breaks at the Dubai International Showcase.
Welcome City Familiarization Tour.