They say enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.

We need all members of WACS to share and display enthusiasm for our chefs societies. Sometimes when an organization takes a direction we do not agree with or focuses on a goal that to us personally is not important or does not make sense we pull away, we criticize we do not work together.

Just think if every single member and member country had excitement for WACS and the endeavors it partakes on now and in the future how strong a global association we can be.

Just think if every member and member country inspired others to belong, to take part in the goals and objectives and to celebrate our profession and the impotence of being with a caring focused group of global culinarians what the result could be.

Just think if everyone was motivated to ensure that WACS was all it could be and not live in the past how we can see the future., If all of us were motivated to support the leadership and then add some of that great chef creativity to assist in the challenges ahead and to assist in how we can make things better for the present and most certainly for the future then WACS would excite all members and possible members. Then WACS could grow; have new programs and new financial strength.

As the person tying to et the WACS certification off the round I could tell you first hand we spend much time discussing why we cannot do something, the obstacles in the way instead lets make this work, lets come up with positive ways to over come any road blocks and go forward.

Human beings and especially those who serve in committees, members of organizations spend to much time letting what they cannot do get in the way of what they can do.

Let’s support our president and the board in the year ahead and make some great things happen that we know will keep us going in the right direction.

For those on the sidelines or who observe and then criticize remember Don’t wait until you think everything in WACS is just right.

It will never be perfect no association or business ever is. There will always be challenges, mistakes, things to improve upon, and less than perfect conditions. So what? That is what we are all here for to contribute and make a difference. Get started now we need your support. With each step you take, WACS will grow stronger and meet is purpose to its members and the global community as well as the global culinary industry. We will all become more skilled at our craft and then contribute to our profession. WACS on a whole will become more self-confident, its members will become role players in the world and WACS will make all culinarians from every part of he world more and more successful.

In short be proud be a active WACS member!

Chef Edward G Leonard, CMC, AAC

Dear Fellow Chefs and Friends,

WACS Asia Pacific Forum 2007 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is less than four months away. We have been extremely busy getting this forum underway.

The theme for our forum is “The Meeting of Chefs in Malaysia, Truly Asia” which reflects the country’s cultural diversity that forms the essence and flavour of Malaysian cuisine.

The official hotel for the forum is Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur, a boutique hotel right in the Central Business District. For the Four nights and five days, delegates will be looked after in true Malaysian hospitality.

Included in the forum are two interesting paper presentations. One is addressing the halal issue which is a growing concern in the F&B industry among Muslim communities all over the world. Second, a paper on Malaysia Truly Asia: The Premier Choice for Culinary Gourmet in Asia Pacific. We have also organised a “hands-on” Malaysian experience in how to make satay and do a good “Teh Tarik”. On the last day we’ll be having a closing ceremony in Genting Highlands, after our visit to a hydrophonic vegetable farm which will conclude in a dinner in the Malaysian jungle.

The Food and Hotel Malaysia (FHM) Exhibition which also includes Culinaire Malaysia 2007 will join the WACS Asia Pacific Forum in a gala dinner a day before the official ceremony. The Battle of the Chefs, and the International Cold buffet display , will make its debut at Culinaire Malaysia 2007, details of which are on our website:www.wacsmalaysia2007.com

Fellow Chefs, we have attached a complete programme for the forum and all other details and posted on our website but feel free to talk to us or email us should you have any queries.

Culinary regards:

Chef Federico Michieletto
Chairman, WACS Asia Pacific Forum 2007 (Malaysia)
& Vice-President, Chefs Association of Malaysia

Battle” -- the brain child of Farrell the newest ‘Black Hat Chef’ in Australia, and One of Australia’s leading culinary competition organizers

48 Chefs battle against their fellow competitors, judges and the clock, in a winner-takes-all staggering $20,000.00 Prize, it promises to be one of the most exciting competitions ever staged in Australia, with lots of theatre, excitement and outstanding food from chefs-under-pressure, they will be presented with a mystery ingredient and need to produce a series of dishes in a one hour time frame,in what promises to be a very highly sort after accolade for all aspiring and top flight Australian Chefs. The Battle story will be filmed 100% live as a six part documentary with Live MC’S - The Competition has been designed to see who is the best of the best,no other competition in Australia is like it!!

Download information here!!

Dear Chefs, Friends and Supporters!

We are the Champs!

Your Les Toques Blanches Philippines Culinary Team earned top honors at the recently concluded Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2007 at HOFEX last 13-16 May 2007!

Our team’s Gourmet Team Challenge Entry received the Gold Medal, Best of the Best Trophy and $8000 HKD prize! We thank you for your support! We could not have done this without your encouragement and prayers!

The Les Toques Blanches Philippines Culinary Team was led by the country’s most bemedaled chef, Ariel Manuel of Lolo Dad’s Cafe. The Philippine Team members are: Virgilio Timola and Anatolio Bleza of Makati Shangri-La Hotel; Arnold Guevarra of, Mandarin Oriental Hotel; and pastry chef Buddy Trinidad of Park Avenue Desserts. J. Gamboa of Cirkulo and Milky Way Restaurants was team manager. At the HKICC, they competed in the Gourmet Team Challenge, where the team was required to make a cold buffet for 30 persons in 24 hours consisting of 27 different items (tapas, soup, appetizers, desserts, cakes, seafood and poultry platters, among others).

We most especially thank our sponsors, without whom we would not be able to mount this project. Thank you to Gourdos, Werdenberg International Corporation, PTC, Philippine Airlines, Meat and Livestock Australia, Mida Foods, Alternatives Food, Brother’s Burger, Unilever Foodsolutions, San Miguel Greatfood Solutions, Happy Living Fine Wines, Philon, Royal Country Marketing, Sweetlink-Silicone Zone, Golden Acres, Q&H Foods, and ACTRON. Thanks also to our friends for providing their expertise free of charge for the team: Tina Bonoan, Rajo Laurel, Claude Tayag, Myrna Segismundo, Raul Ramos, Rex Puentespina, Mrs. Butchie Ayuyao and Chefs James Antolin and Brando Santos of CCA Manila. Super thanks to the great guys at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, especially to Executive Chef Rudy Muller and his staff for granting us use of their kitchens and facilities. We could not have done the job without their support and accommodation.

Special thanks too to Chef Thomas Wenger of the Mandarin Oriental and Chef Christopher Romine of the Makati Shangri-la for supporting their chefs Arnold Guevarra (Mandarin Oriental), Boy Timola and Tony Bleza (Makati Shangri-la).

And congratulations to our Team Member, Arnold Guevarra for bagging the Bronze Medal for his Red Mullet & Prawns Live Cooking Entry!

Again thank you all! And this is all because of your support!

Best regards!

J. Gamboa

  
  
  
  

THE TEAM:

Team Captain- Ariel Manuel, Lolodad’s Café

Team Members –  Arnold Guevarra, Mandarin Oriental
                           Boy Timola, Makati Shangri-la
                           Tony Bleza, Makati Shangri-la

Pastry Chef - Buddy Trinidad, Park Avenue Desserts

Team Manager - J. Gamboa, Cirkulo and Milkyway Restaurants

Team Support -   Marge Villena, Lolodad’s Café
                         Andy Tabotabo, CCA Manila
                         Fernando Aracama, UVA Restaurant and Embassy
                         Nana Nadal, Team Public Relations

HKICC 2007 AWARDS:

Gold Medal for Gourmet Team Challenge
Best of The Best Trophy for the Gourmet Team Challenge
Bronze Medal - Red Mullet & Prawns Live Cooking Entry – Arnold Guevarra (Mandarin Oriental)

**** Watch out for the TV Special on our competition! Coming soon on Solar Entertainment!

Chefs from the Welsh National Culinary Team have completed their quest for glory at the American Culinary Classic in Chicago with a bronze medal.

Competing against 11 other teams from around the globe, the Welsh team was opened with a silver in the hot kitchen element of the contest on Sunday and followed up with bronze in the cold buffet table to finish eighth overall.

Team manager Graham Tinsley, co owner of the Castle Hotel, Conwy and Nant Hall Prestatyn, said it was an excellent competition and a good learning experience for the team, which included a nice blend of senior chefs and emerging talent.

"The judges commended our teamwork but it’s clear that if we want to break into the world’s top six we seriously need to strengthen by recruiting more senior members and practicing a lot more," he said.

"The junior chefs have all worked their socks off in this competition and that augurs well for the future of the team.

"This competition has demonstrated the standard we need to reach to compete with the likes of Norway. To illustrate how seriously they take this competition, the Norwegian team had 17 rooms in the hotel whereas we had just six."

Making their Welsh debut in Chicago were National Junior Chef of Wales champion Chris Owen, of the Castle Hotel, Conwy, runner up Andrew Wheeler, of Holland House, Cardiff and Erin Deering, a pastry chef at St Tudno Hotel, Llandudno.

The other team members were: captain, Lee Jeynes, freelance chef from Bowness on Windermere, Wayne Roberts, joint head chef at the Imperial Hotel, Llandudno, Hefin Roberts, of the Quay Hotel, Deganwy, David Kelman, of Lower Slaughter Manor, Stow-on-the-Wold, Danny Burke, product development chef at Brakes, Flint, Gareth Dwyer, of Hobart U.K and Adam Taylor, of Hotel Maes y Neuadd, Harlech.

On their return from the Chicago, the Welsh team will begin preparing to cook for the Queen at the reopening of the Welsh Assembly. Earlier this year, Tinsley and Jeynes catered for a St David’s Day reception hosted by team patron The Prince of Wales at Clarence House.

For more information about the Welsh team and the Welsh International Culinary Championships visit the Welsh Culinary Association’s website at www.welshculinaryassociation.com

The Welsh team is sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government, C&C Catering Equipment Ltd, Brakes, Unilever Foodsolutions UK, Catering Engineers (N.W.) Ltd, Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales, Gourmet Classic Ltd, Villeroy and Boch, Friedr. Dick, Germany and Snowdonia Cheese Company.

 Olli Kolu from Restaurant Savoy (Helsinki) won Finnish Chef of the Year competition which was held 17 of May in Turku. He will represent Finland in Global Chef Challenge Northern Europe semifinals on November in Tallinn.

Second in the competition was Jouni Toivanen (Chez Dominique, Helsinki) who also received the Media Award. Sauli Kemppainen ( Restaurant La Cocina, Helsinki. ) was in the third place and The Wine Award was given to Matti Jämsen (Restaurant Fishmarket ).

The task was to prepare four-course menu for eight servings in five hours. Finnish Chef of the Year 2007 was so called basket competition. That means that competitors knew only day before which are the ingredients in the competition.

Compulsory ingredient in the starter was arctic charr, in the main course rack and tongue of pork and in the desert chocolate. The competitors also had to choose suitable wine for every course.

Head of the Jury was chef Tapio Laine.

Judson Simpson, President of the Canadian Culinary Federation and Gissur Gudmundsson, President of the Nordic Chef Federation, are delighted to inform all WACS countries that the Canada - Nordic Junior Culinary Challenge has been broadcasted live. This “friendly challenge” is between two teams of Junior Chefs – a Canadian Team and a Nordic Team. The Canadian Team had representatives from each of the four different regions of Canada. The Nordic Team had one member from each of the Northern European countries, namely Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. Canada will be hosting the Northern European countries this year and they, in turn, will welcome Canada in 2008.

Each team will be preparing a three-course luncheon using shrimps and scallops for the appetizer, halibut and salmon for the main course and chocolate as the main ingredient for the dessert.

This event will take place at 10:00 Eastern Standard time on Thursday May 31st at Humber College in Toronto, Canada. To view the live Web cast, please visit http://mediaservices.humber.ca/ and follow the links to “Canada-Nordic Junior Culinary Challenge”.

Hopefully, your schedule will allow you to view this live broadcast and take part in the excitement of this Junior Culinary Exchange, a way of learning about indigenous food products, sharing information and showing your support for Junior Chefs on both sides of the Atlantic!

The culinary team from Marina Mandarin Singapore has emerged tops at the fourth round of the Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) Black Box Culinary Challenge held on Sunday 20 May, and will be representing Singapore at the global finals in Dubai next year.

The team, led by team manager, Executive Sous Chef Eric Neo, also won the categories of ‘best appetiser’, for The Duo in Trio—salmon and halibut presented in a variety of three starters; and ‘best main course’ for their display of creativity in preparing the wagyu shin shank. Three different expressions of the wagyu shin shank were presented— Asian glazed with pak choy and truffled sweet potato flapjack, “bollito” with vermicelli cheddar frittata, sautéed broccoli, salsa verde and “ossobuco” style in Cantonese bun.

The Marina Mandarin’s culinary team will be representing the Republic of Singapore, joining 22 other country winners, at the MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge Global Final, to be held in conjunction with the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) World Congress in Dubai, in May 2008.

Hi Chefs,

I hope all is well with you. Need your kind assistance. I am looking for a Chef De Cuisine with the following criteria:

a) Female
b) single package
c) Caucasian
d) 26-32 yrs of age
e) Continental Cuisine
 f) Eye for presentation
g) Guest oriented as she will time to time be on the dinning floor

All candidates to apply to this e-mail address:
eddy.ram@genting.com

Thank you.

With kind regards,

Eddy Ram

Genting Highlands casion

Malaysia

Dear Colleagues,

The Mexican Culinary Association, kindly invites you to participate in the III Internacional Chefs Congress, to be healed in Cancún, Mexico June 11 through 15, 2007.
ADRESS TO:
Chefs, Souschefs, Cooks, Food and Beverages Managers, Managers and Restaurant Owners, Sommeliers, Food service personnel, Head Educators from Food and Beverages Schools and Culinary Educators and Students.
GOAL:
Train an Educate culinarians by bringing to them high quality events to contribute to their personal and professional development in order to be prepared for the evolution and the tradition of the Culinary Art.
OUR THEME:
“Discovering Coking”

We will have for you Conference delivered by renowned speakers from different countries with solid international careers.

Personalities of the Culinary World

Edward Leonard Vicepresident WACS; Jacques Charrette President Academie National de Cuisine de France; Philippe Parc Maitrë Ouvrier, Francis Scordel, Koldo Royo, Philippe Ferrelec, Lucien Veillet, Franck Chaussse, Tim Aspinall.

Cordially

 Margarita Vin, CIC AAC
Presidenta

Av. Nader 34 Depto103 2º piso SM. 2-A Cp.77500 Cancún, Q. Roo.
www.asociacionculinaria.org.mx
www.chefscongress.com.mx
E-mail: presidenta@asociacionculinaria.org.mx
Tel: 52 (998) 884 24 66
Fax: 892 06 97
Nextel: 998 1855720
ID. 62*144486*1

This year ECA concentrates all efforts on training, with more workshops than ever before. 

Dear members,

The HongKong Chefs Association together with the La Rose Noire plans a one day trip to Dongguan China on Tuesday the 5 th June 2007.

Pick up point is behind the Peninsula Hotel in TST at 8:00 am in the Morning. Make sure that you bring along your valid passport with a Visa for China.

We provide continental breakfast on board of the coach, visit of the La Rose Noire plant, Chinese lunch in Dongguan and round trip in a comfortable coach bus. We are scheduled to be back in Hong Kong at 6 pm.

All this for only 150.- HK$ net

Don’t miss out on this educational trip to China.

Please book now under rudolf.muller@disney.com

Closing date is the Friday the 1st June 2007

Cheers

The HKCA Committee

www.foodfromfinland.com

Find out more about Finnish food and the Finnish food industry at a new website being launched on May 30 by Finfood - Finnish Food Information Service. Our mission is to provide intelligence about the Finnish food business and promote Finnish food culture.

The FoodfromFinland website is designed for international companies, the media and other stakeholders. It will be available first in English and in Russian in fall 2007 featuring information about Finnish cuisine, the Finnish food industry and its healthy food products.

There is a separate business section for companies interested in establishing new business contacts in Finland. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive news about services provided by FoodfromFinland.

To order FoodfromFinland free e-newsletters contact us at foodfromfinland@finfood.fi

For further information:

tel +358 9 6155 4531
email: foodfromfinland@finfood.fi

Norwegian Kari Innerå won Nordic Chef of the Year -competition, which was held on 18th of May in Turku Kåren (Finland). Second was Thorsten Schmidt (Denmark) and third Steinn Òskar Sigurdsson (Iceland). Fourth place was divided between Carina Brydling (Sweden) and Sauli Kemppainen (Finland).

The task was to prepare a three course menu for 12 persons. Compulsory ingredients for the starter were halibut and langustine, for the main course rack of pork and for the desert Lapponia Cranberry liqour and fresh rhubarb.

The Head of the Jury was Armand Steinmetz from Luxembourg. Other judges were Kari Aihinen (Finland), Jonas Backman (Åland), Sverrir Haldorsson (Iceland), Geir Skei (Norway) and Bengt Videriksen (Denmark).

One of the goals in the competition was also to promote Nordic food culture and rawmaterials. The competition was organised by Finnish Chef Association and Nordic Chefs Association.

Further information: jari.hamalainen@chefs.fi

Jens Sandström and Sirkka-Liisa Ruottinen from Finland received Cordon Rouge Ribbons on 19th of May during Nordic Chefs Congress Galadinner. The Cordon Rouge is the highest and most hounourable Nordic award.

Jens Sandström is working for Best Western Hotel Silveria in Vaasa and he has been a member of the NKF Board for the last four years. Sirkka-Liisa Ruottinen is a vicemember of the NKF Board and her longlasting career in the The Office of the President of the Republic of Finland is continuously successful. Both chefs have judged several cooking competitions in Finland and abroad.

Cordon Rouge Ribbons were also given by NKF Board to Heinz Käfer (Denmark), Håkon Reigstad (Norway) and Rolf Sjödin (Sweden).

The Nordic Congress was held in Turku on 18th - 20th of May, where around 200 chefs from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland met. The new Board for NKF was selected and the new President is Einar Øverås from Norway. He will replace Gissur Guðmundsson from Iceland.

The Nordic Congress is organised by Finnish Chef Association and Turku Chef Association in co-operation with Nordic Chefs Association.

On behalf of the National Restaurant Association & the American Culinary Federation, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2007 American Culinary Classic, recognized as one of the premier world culinary competition. In 2007, the American Culinary Classic will mark its 20th Anniversary. It will be held in conjunction with the Western Hemisphere’s largest foodservice and hospitality industry event, National Restaurant Association Restaurant Hotel-Motel Show, May 19-22 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The NRA Show is again expecting to attract 74,000 professionals from 110 countries, including 500 registered journalists, making it a major focus of the culinary world. For the latest information about the NRA Show, please visit www.restaurant.org/show

Chef Michel Bouit, Chairman

773-769-1790
773-907-0436 Fax

mbi@worldofmbi.com

Dear friends in the culinary profession,

A good friend of mine, Chef Eduard Betz who is the Executive Chef of the Deluxe 5-star Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta, is on the lookout for a reliable Italian Chef for their Bruschetta Italian Restaurant. I believe the hotel offers good wages and expatriate terms. He has asked if I know of anyone and so I am sending this out on my own accord.

If you know of a friend or have come across anyone whom you feel is capable to take up this post, please contact Chef Eduard at E_Betz@hotelborobudur.com or by phone at (62) 21 3805555 and (62) 3804444 ext 73010. It is ok to mention that the information was received through me as Chef Eduard has been copied this email.

Thanks and warm regards.
David Tan
General Manager
Sia Huat Ptre Ltd
20 Pandan Road
Singapore 609272.
Tel: (65) 62683922
Fax: (65) 62662796
Email: tandavid@siahuat.com.sg
Website: www.siahuat.com

Meet Service Award winner Ahmed Moustafa, Maitre of the Rotisserie Belvedere at the Nile Hilton, and learn what it takes to be a good service provider, from personal characteristics to acquired skills.

To read full interview CLICK

St. Augustine, Fla., May 8, 2007—Aidan Murphy, certified master chef (CMC), American Academy of Chefs (AAC), executive chef at Old Warson Country Club, St. Louis, has been selected to represent the United States at The World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Global Chefs Competition for The Americas, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, Lisle, Ill.

The competition to determine the representative for The Americas takes place in Orlando, Fla. in July. Competitors include chefs from North America and South America, of which Murphy is one. The winner, who will be announced at the 2007 American Culinary Federation (ACF) National Convention, July 21-24 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, will compete in the final WACS Global Chefs Competition at the WACS World Congress, May 12-15, 2008, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the title of WACS Global Chef.

Murphy is chairman of the board for ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis and chair of the ACF Culinary Competition Committee for the Central Region. He is one of only 61 certified master chefs (CMC)’s in the United States, and was named the 2006 ACF U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year,™ sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, Lisle, Ill.

“ACF is thrilled to have our very own American Culinary Federation U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ winner represent the United States in this competition,” says ACF President John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, AAC. “Aidan’s expertise and culinary skills have impressed me and the entire Federation, and he will no doubt represent the American Culinary Federation well as U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ in the Orlando competition.”

Preliminary competitions for the WACS Global Chefs Challenge began in 2006, when each WACS member country had the opportunity to hold a culinary competition to determine its country’s chef candidate. Those countries that did not hold a competition selected candidates. This year, the winners/nominees compete in continental competitions representing Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Pacific and Europe.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in America. With more than 19,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the only comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and also holds the presidium for the World Association of Chefs Societies, the largest international network of chef associations, with more than 8 million members globally.

                                                #  # #

Contact: Patricia A.Carroll,Communications Director
American Culinary Federation
(800) 624-9458, ext. 147
Email:pcarroll@acfchefs.net