PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
A PERSPECTIVE ON WOMEN CHEFS

In every culture, women as mothers and nurturers have played a pivotal role in turning basic ingredients into palatable if not delicious and nutritious meals. While men hunted and fished, women cultivating food and developed knowledge, techniques and unique methods of preparation and preservation while providing nourishment for the entire family.

Through the centuries women were responsible for cooking at home, while men became the dominant players in the professional culinary field. They entered it by first being assigned to feed their fellow soldiers, then honing their craft and eventually claiming cooking as their profession. The profession was regulated by guilds from which women were excluded since, by law, they could not own property or control finances and therefore could not inherit or purchase a position within the guild.

With men being so prominent in the culinary field and establishing hierarchies, it is easy to forget that mothers and grandmothers were their first teachers. Most of us keenly observed and even participated as children in our mothers’ food preparations. Our contemporary open kitchen concepts speak of our longing for the sense of community among the women in the kitchen while they prepared feasts. We remember the great dishes that our grandmothers or mothers put on the family table, culinary delights that shaped our palates and evoked memories of comfort foods, family gatherings and just plain good times. Even if women were not the first authors of cookbooks as most were not educated to read or write, they became prolific writers once they acquired those skills. Recipes that were formerly passed down verbally from generation to generation, were collected in writing by women for women Some of the most well-known cooking schools in the world were initiated if not founded by women: among them Le Cordon Bleu cooking classes and The Culinary Institute of America.

Today, as women strive to have both professional careers and a family, we are at a turning point as we see more and more women entering culinary schools and ultimately the foodservice industry. We all share the obligation to create and maintain an environment that allows women chefs to pursue their dreams of doing what they truly love. This process must be based on mutual respect and a deeply rooted belief that the promotion of women in the culinary profession is not only the right thing, but the only thing to do.

I congratulate all those women and men who have had the vision and courage to effect fundamental changes in the stereotypical perception of women’s roles. They are the pioneers and leaders, who pave the way for future generations We are entering a new era.

Ferdinand Metz
President
World Association of Chefs’ Societies

Manifestation Purpose
The Italian Federation of Chefs and Rimini Fair with the MIA - Food Service for Eating Out - Exposition wanted to organize an International competition to show up the Cook figure watched, not only as gastronomic operator, but also as expert of the ephemeral and visual art. It’s an occasion to realize an event also for people, cooking experts, who make, as amateur or professionist, extreme expressions of gastronomic products, simply manifactured only to be admired. That’s the most important event in Italy (about this kind) that joins, in only one exposition, all the visual expressions connected with the world of aestetic cooking and of the restoration at 360º. It’s a cultural occasion that FIC and MIA - Food Service for Eating Out - Exposition in Rimini want to diffuse on all counties recognized by WACS – World Association of Cooks’ Societies as professional exchange, technological comparison, artistic enrichment and, overall, divulgment for young of the different expression of the “Good-watching”. It’s for FIC also an occasion to approach to the not-direct cooking, that can enjoy many young and started to love Cookery, giving more importance to that qualities often choked by poor production. It’s an opportunity for Hotel and Restorative world and for enterprise to understand in what way these Cookery expressions can help the sale of restorative offer.
In this context, MIA - Food Service for Eating Out - Exposition wants to represent a qualified meeting moment between Food Service firms and Chefs and put on evidence their arts through assignations of important awards.

Aim of the event.
• To join all the “Good-watching” artistic expressions in only one competitive manifestation.
• To compare all artistic expressions of the gastronomic product in a competition without watching direct technics.
• To permit to observe and admire all art models made by chefs.
• To award every day the aristic work that is the most interesting than the others, from indicators of valuation schedules.
Articles of manifestation.
1. They are admited all Chefs that fill-in the application form, work in all the world, have special qualities, professionality, competences into artistic field, joined to food products used in the Restoration world cooking.
2. Every participant can take part bringing one or more works absolutely artistic, joined to the expression “Good-watching” and choosing among these possibilities: vegetables engravings, cheese sculptures, fruits ang vegetables triumphes, ice sculptures, sugar, margarine (or other fats) and/or chocolate manufactures, Pasta Pane and/or Marzapane compositions, cakes decorations and pastry works.
3. All the shown artistic works, belonged to one of categories, are considered the only-one-made and, so, they can be compared among themselves, without any type of distinction.
4. Jury will value all artistic works made by eatable products, using the same form for all and with the same indicators.
5. Supports are admitted only for particularly heavy works. In this case, concurrent must advise Jury before all valuations and also about all extra materials.
6. This is an official FIC competition reknown by WACS – the World Association of Cook’s Societies, participants must observe these articles and participation is opened to all chefs.
7. Works exposition will be decided by the organization, there will be a calendar following the organizing requests and the eventual availability of participants.
8. Works must be shown to public till the end of the fixed day. This is an useful indication for Press, Colleagues, Operators and Public to verify works and relative assigned score. Only after daily awarding, and with authorisation from the organization, shown and valued works can be withdraw by participants.
9. Every participant must show himself during all day with complete and right dresses. During awardings, Jury won’t deliver medals to Participants if these won’t be in regular uniform.
10. To all artistic works, indipendently by kind or theme, organization will put an exposition table. Maximum measures, in which works have to be gathered, are 160 X 80. If limits won’t be respected, 5 penality points will be assigned. Requests for current taps or other must be made during the registration.
11. For people who will work on the place, organization will offer a personal working space of 160 X 80. Requests for current taps or other must be made during the registration.
12. Jury judgment is unobjectionable. Only at the end of valuation, jury members will be available to explain results for who will ask for it.
13. Participation fees won’t be refund for any reason.
14. All “ARTISTICA” concurrents must accept all these articles and possible decisions, signing also the document for FIC and Rimini Fair to freely use photografic material, films and voices and everything will be useful for the organizations to spread, through every way, exposed works, concurrents participations and their own information.
15. FIC and Rimini Fair will freely use photografic material of this competition without any bond from participants or other subjects.
16. FIC and Rimini Fair don’t have any criminal and civil responsibilities joined to “ARTISTICA” concurrents participations.
17. All participants have to inform the organization, during the registration and exposition stages, about the name decided for their work, name that will be written on the exposition ticket-label and on all press articles.
18. This competition is born to increase the real dimonstration of artistic works preparation. Jury will value with much attention processing stages and the shown work.
19. Participants who want to subscrive at the A and C categories are left out from the “special award” classification, reserved only for live works.
20. All participants will have a participation certificate with the score they gained.
21. Medals will be assigned following the International indications, with a maximum of 80 points, with this division: from 56 to 63 Bronze Medal; from 64 to 71 Silver Medal; from 72 to 80 Gold Medal. The special award will be assigned to a work realized on the place and that will obtain the most high score.
22. Jury, with its self-government, can give Special Awards, for every expositive day, to Participants who achieved particulary valuations or for some hard, new and difficult art.
23. Special Award Rimini Fair: at the end of competition, Jury can give one or more Special Award following all final results.
24. For this competition, standards are as follow:
General Harmony of the work from 0 to 20
Style, idea and conception from 0 to 10
Development, form and colors from 0 to 10
Technic polish from 0 to 10
Originality and innovation from 0 to 10
Difficulties during the execution from 0 to 20.
25. All Concurrents can take part to Artistica with more than one work and each work will be singly valued.
26. Registration fee is referred to the single day of exposition but it is independent from the number of realized and registered works.
27. Participation to more than one day binds concurrent to pay the registration fee for each expositive requested day.
28. All works presented for the category A hadn’t had taken part to other competitions at least three mounth before Artistica.
29. To participants, after regular registration, useful indications will be communicated for their expositions.

Participations rules:

Category A – Artistic Works ready
a) Participants can enter into Rimini Fair, for their registrations, at the FIC office from 8.00 AM showing their papers at the door.
b) Registered participants can take their assigned place for processing stages of the artistic work from 8.30 AM.
c) All artistic works must be completed before 10.30 AM to make Jury turn around tables.
d) Jury can give 5 penalty point for a delay in work presentation.
e) Ticket-labels for each Artistic work will show only the work name.
f) At the end of jury valuation, it will be possibile to identify the artistic work with paper and personal promotional material.
g) At the end of awardings, every participant have tu put in order his place and everything he has utilized.

Category B –Works on Stage
Participants can enter into Rimini Fair, for their registrations, at the FIC office from 8.00 AM showing their papers at the door.
h) Registered participants can take their assigned place for processing stages of the artistic work from 8.30 AM .
i) Concurrents of Category B can be helped by one or more assistants, but they can’t absolutely participate to the true realization of the work.
j) Workings can started only with the Jury President official Start at 10.30.
k) The maximum time for work construction is 4 hours.
l) Jury can give 5 penalty point for a delay in work presentation.
m) Ticket-labels for each Artistic work will show only the work name.
n) At the end of jury valuation, it will be possibile to identify the artistic work with paper and personal promotional material.
o) At the end of awardings, every participant have tu put in order his place and everything he has utilized.

Category C – Out of Competition
• Works made by big and famous Professionist Chefs, that want to put on evidence the competition, are admitted.
• Restoration Schools and Professional Centers are admitted.
• Restoration Schools and Professional Centers can take part at Artistica with young students, as single, group or class.
• Students must be followed by a School Director or Laboratory Teacher.
• School Directors or Laboratory Teachers take on all responsabilities for their students, exempting FIC and Rimini Fair from any responsibility for the participation to Artistica.
• Chefs and Students for this category (out of competition) must observe all registration rules, as for the other categories.
• Chefs and Students for this category (out of competition) will receive the participate certificate.
• Restoration School and Professional Center, that registered single students or groups, will receive the participate certificate.
• If requested, jury, without giving any definitive judgements to works presented by Schools, can give its valuation and its own opinion and advices useful to participate at future editions of Artistica into Category A or B.
• At the end of competition, a Special Award will be delivered to the School or Professional Center that better shows up for their works Category C, only under the Jury last decision.
• Category C participants must observe all times and assigned places.
• During all day of the event, every participant of the Category C must show himself with complete and right dresses.

General rules:
To take part at this competition You have to send directly to FIC office the filled-in registration form (printed one) with the participation fee. The last day to send everything is fixed on 31th of January, 2007 (postal print will assure us about the date).
The participation fee payment can be done through bank allowance at
Banca Popolare Commercio e Industria – Milano Agency no. 126
IBAN: IT 53 L 05048 01641 000000000998 – SWIFT: POCIITMM
(9 zeros)+998
or through not transferable cheque registered under
Federazione Italiana Cuochi – Artistica 2007

PARTICIPATION FEES:

FIC members for the years 2006 and/or 2007 40 euros
Not FIC members 60 euros
ALL COMPETITORS WILL RECEIVE A TICKET FOR ONE GRATIS NIGHT IN
HOTEL *** at demi-pension in a double room with another participant + lunch ticket to use into Fair+Artistica 2007 Chef Jacket
Competitors will be weighed of any other Hotel accomodation requests (single rooms or personal guest into the same double room).
ALL FIC MEMBERS CAN ENTER INTO FAIR, PRESENTING THE FIC 2006 OR 2007 CARD JOINED TO THE FILLED-IN COUPON THAT IS PUBLISHED ON OUR MAGAZINE,
AT ONLY €.2,00

For any other information about this competition, you can contact directly the FIC General Secretary at the telephone number (0039) 02-66983141.

Inscription to competition means the agree to these articles and rules. FIC can make some eventual corrections to competition for unexpected causes.
FIC and the MIA Rimini Fair Organizing Committee decline every responsibility for damages provoked to everyone-everything during the manifestation.

INTERNATIONAL LINES

Standards of judgements and valuations observe all lines fixed for the International Competitions.
• All Artistic presentation must be shown with the right name on the side.
• Each name can’t be abstract or imaginary but it must be referred directly to the work.
• Utilized food must be harmonious with the main element.
• Exposed works can be dissected by Jury to prove the real use of right products (only eatable ones).
• It is not allowed to concurrents to realize any part of the work with not-eatable elements, everything into the work must be with the eatable ones.

ADVISES AND INDICATIONS
These points put on evidence everything that can be considered good aspects and qualitative elements:
1. Originality and innovation
2. Colors and Harmony of the work
3. Execution techincs
4. The sole work into this competition;
5. Eatable materials use;
6. Respect of established times;
7. Organization of every working place;
8. Cleaning, order and hygiene;
9. Precise definition of the work.

Download participation form here.

On occasion of the 35th anniversary celebration of our WACS member South Tyrol, a very active organisation of chefs and masterchefs, a wonderful wine of the region was served for the celebration dinner.

The label showed not only the typ of wine and the region, where it comes from, no, it also showed besides the Logo of our South Tyrolinne friend the new WACS Logo. When SKV President Reinhard Steger sets up his report and interpreted the 35th years of cooking and working in the kitchens and in education, the banquet guest recognized very higly how many engagement all the chefs of the association have shared their knowledge.

On behalf of WACS, Reinhold Metz, Continetal Director of Central Europe thanked the colleagues and was motivating them to continue in education and the South Tyrol Masterchef program.

Tuesday the 12 December 06 was the first cold night of the season and a cold wind was blowing from the harbor into the streets of Wan Chai.

But this did not affected the over 40 chefs and friends who joined us for a few drinks and snacks in a relaxed and warm atmosphere at the Swindlers Bar were we were hosted by the crew of Angelo McDonnell.

Some delicious snacks were sponsored by SILCO, Angelo’s Team and we had a few delicacies from Switzerland, the cooked ham, the aged gruyere cheese and the heavy cream with strawberry and meringue were exceptional well received.

Gerard and his team sponsored a bag of Christmas cookies for each one of us to take home to enjoy.

The Music was great a bit of 70ties and 80ties music and all in all we had a good time.

This was our last gathering for 2006, and we the Hong Kong Chefs Association had a great year and we thank every one of you for making this all possible. What a fantastic team!

The Committee of the Hong Kong Chefs association wishes to every one of you ; a happy festive season and the very best wishes for 2007 May you find some time to spend with your loved ones.

We are looking forward to see you all again next year. We plan a fondue party somewhere around the 15 of January followed by our AGM and dinner at the 26 February 06. Please mark it on your calendar and we will keep you posted.

Rudy Muller
Vice President

NEWS FROM FINLAND

The leaders of the Finnish Chef Association invited heads of office from Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education to prepare traditional
delicacies just before Christmas.

The Menu included marinated herring, stockfish, pastry and sweets.
Both chefs and visitors agreed that this is the best way to build relationships; meet each other around the table, prepare dinner of good ingredients and discuss food culture.
It was decided that these kinds of gatherings will continue.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2007

Finnish Chef Association

International Culinary Art at its best

Download Guidelines for Teams
Download Guidelines for Individuals

For further information
Please visit www.vkd.com for more information on German Chefs Association (VKD), Phone +49 (0)69/63 00 06-17, E-Mail: koeche@vkd.com

For further information on English
Please visit http://www.vkd.com for more information on German Chefs Association in English.

For media inquiries
Please contact Aina Keller, +49 (0)40/555 300 20, Presse@vkd.com

From 30 November until 2nd December, the Shanghai Cuisine Association and the China International Exhibition Ltd successfully hosted the 8 International Culinary Arts Competition in Shanghai.

This was done in conjunction with the 10th FHC China 2006 Shanghai. The standard of the show was excellent, from the organization to the soft and hard ware, everybody was geared up to give its very best, including the 300 something culinarians who raised the bar to a International Level. Chefs came mainly from Shanghai and other parts of China, there was also a large contingent including schools from Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong.

The same goes for the international Judges which were from France, USA, Switzerland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China’

The chefs battled over 3 days in Hot life cooking which varied from Lamb rack to pasta to spring chicken and tuna and finally into the modern Chinese kitchen. The jury had a lot of tasting and sampling to do and some of the dishes were outstanding and made up for those ones who need to be improved.

In the cold front we had the plated hot dishes western (presented cold and glazed), the appetizers, Ice carving and Vegetable (taro) carving.

Very strong participation was noted in the pastry selection almost making up 40 % of the show, they went from life cake decoration to plated desserts which were also for tasting, and some of them had a perfect combination, in flavor, sweetness and textures. The highlight was clearly the sugar pieces, which were of highest standards and the ICAM Chocolate showpiece and praline life competition. Some outstanding work man ship was shown. This was followed by the 3 tier wedding cake and the bread display, which again displayed the fine skills of of our friends in the bakery.

Overall; we were able to give away enough gold, silver and bronze medals, and they were all well deserved as those dishes would have scored similar results on any international competition.

We the Hong Kong Chefs Association; Hans-Ruedi Nussbaumer (Head judge), Mak Kam Kui and myself (Rudy) were lucky enough to be invited as judges amongst to this esteemed show , and we congratulating Clinton Zhu, his team from the Shanghai Cuisine Association and of course to the main organizer Brendan O’Connell Jennings. It would have not been such a great show with out you.

We are looking forward to have some of the talented chefs to participate at the upcoming HOFEX in Hong Kong at May 13. 2006

Rudy Muller

Celebration of International Chefs day –Coimbatore,Tamilnadu,India

Three hundred students of the School of Hotel Management and Catering Science, VLB Janakiammal College of Arts & Science, took out a rally in Coimbatore on International Chefs’ Day. District Collector Neeraj Mittal and Chef Ajit Kumar Lal Mohan, Director of the School, flagged off the rally at the end of which a blood donation camp was conducted. The Coimbatore Medical College Dean, Kalanidhi, inaugurated the camp.

Celebration of International Chefs day –Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

Students of the Sarosh Institute of Hotel Administration (SIHA) celebrated
the International Chefs Day with pomp and fervour. Faculty members and
students assembled at SIHA’s training kitchen and soon got busy making rotis and a variety of Indian sweets. Vegetable, fruit, ice and butter carvings
provided the aesthetics. There was a display adjacent to the ATK Lab.
In the picture, the students pose before the vegetable carving display.

On the occasion of the “Food around the World” event, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, Foreign Affairs and Information and Culture the Saigon Professional Chefs’ Club has set the record for the longest fresh spring roll in Vietnam.

Under the direction of Justin Tuong 200 Chef rolled the spring Roll which was 102 meters long simultaneously and it was made of 25kg rice paper, 45kg rice vermicelli, 25kg pork, 67kg shrimps and 25kg vegetables.

The finished spring roll was sold by the meter and the proceedings are going towards the hospitality school for disadvantaged children.

Greetings,

The Icelandic Osteoporosis Society and the Icelandic Chefs association worked together on the 20 of nov. 2006.

The Icelandic name is BEINVERND which means Bone-protection. It is a society of professionals and lay-people.

The societies committee on education and research has held conferences for health professional on osteoporosis as well as lectures and meetings for the public and written articles in professional and public papers and magazines.

The society has now published a booklet on osteoporosis and the joint effort with the Icelandic Chefs Association which is available from our website .

Download the powerpoint version here
Download the pdf version here

After 2000 and 2004 the 22nd IKA/Culinary Olympics will again take place in Erfurt, Germany, from 19 to 22 October, 2008.
Frankfurt am Main, November 2006. Messe Erfurt stands for a dynamic exhibition site in a central location. Erfurt can be easily reached from all key cities in Germany as well as from Frankfurt International Airport.

"The package of services offered by our exhibition partner Messe Erfurt AG as well as the experience of the previous two events made it quite easy for us to decide", says Ctefan Wohlfeil, President of the German Chefs Association (VKD). "Many colleagues from all over the world are already very well acquainted with Erfurt and are looking forward to again presenting their culinary art in Thuringia."

Not only the location of Erfurt is highly appreciated by exhibitors and visitors. The capital city of the Free State of Thuringia has a colorful history which goes back at least 1,250 years. The old part of the city with its winding alleys, numerous bridges and peaceful squares is well worth visiting. Thuringia’s largest city is distinguished by several unique features such as the cathedral and the Church of St. Severus, which have now become the emblem of the city, and such as the almost perfectly preserved medieval city centre.

Furthermore Erfurt is also proud of its traditional hospitality which is well-known for its Thuringian „dumplings“, its famous Thuringian „Bratwurst“ and its delightful local beer. In 2008 the culinary world will be visiting Erfurt again and Erfurt will host hundreds of chefs and confectioners from more than 35 countries. Find out more about the city and the exhibition site – visit www.erfurt.de and www.messe-erfurt.de

For further information
Please visit www.vkd.com for more information on German Chefs Association (VKD), Phone +49 (0)69/63 00 06-17, E-Mail: koeche@vkd.com

For further information on English
Please visit http://www.vkd.com for more information on German Chefs Association in English.

For media inquiries
Please contact Aina Keller, +49 (0)40/555 300 20, Presse@vkd.com