Since the Presidium has been elected, we’ve been putting our heads together to figure out the next steps of the World Association of Chefs Societies. Here are a couple of things we have been working on.

Applications for Committee Work
I was very happy to see the enthusiasm to our call for members to send applications for the 24 seats in our committees. In all, we received 45 applications. The feedback we received regarding our initiatives for the committees was tremendous and I would like to thank everyone that has sent us positive words about our intention for these committees. We will formally announce on the WACS website, the committee members that have been chosen after our Board meeting in South Africa which is between the 12th and 15th of July. We will also put up their profiles and a short description of what they will be working on in the next while.

Upcoming Board Meeting
From the 12th to the 15th of July, we will hold our first board meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. As many of you know, Dr. Bill Gallagher announced at the Congress in Dubai that he would like to travel less to our meetings and spend more time with his family. As this meeting will be one of the most important ones, we really wanted him to be a part of the meeting and so, we decided to travel to Bill so that he could take part in our first meeting. His words and wisdom regarding WACS are very important and, with this decision, the board wants to honour him for all the good work he has done for WACS. I am also very happy that we will have almost full attendance from the Board to this meeting as well as all the committee Chairmen and the two juniors that I have appointed to work with us.

We will be happy to inform you about the outcome of this meeting via our website and with that, we hope that you will get our information faster, stay tuned on the WACS website and follow the news. We’ll be adding a link on the website called Meetings with future links to minutes so keep an eye out there if you’re interested in following WACS’s board meetings in detail.

But if you’re not interested in looking through the minutes, we will also be putting out press releases with information on the decisions we will make.

As always, please feel free to contact anyone on the board, especially your Continental Directors, if you’d like to give feedback about our ideas.

Bocuse d´Or Europe in Norway
Finally, I want to say that I had the Honour to be a guest at the Bocuse d´Or Europe in Stavanger at the beginning of July. Stavanger is a beautiful city that has become one of the most important gastronomic towns in the Nordic countries area. I will attend another great event there again from the 23rd to the 27th of July when students from different areas of Canada and the Nordic Countries will come together for the World Junior Culinary Exchange.

Seeing and taking part in the Bocuse d´Or Europe is very inspiring and I know my friends in Asia have said the same. With Paul Bocuse and many other internationally recognised chefs attending, including our Honorary President, Dr. Bill Gallagher, I felt that it was time that WACS got involved with the Bocuse d´Or and I felt that they too have the desire to with us. I believe you will see more cooperation between WACS and the Bocuse d´Or in the future and I welcome that with all my heart.

It is with pride that I also tell you that the Nordic Countries came within the first 6 places. Norway was the winner. Knowing the chefs from the Nordic countries, I know that they are always ready to share their knowledge with you all and I urge you to get in contact with them and learn and share your friendship as well.

My dear colleagues, until next month, have a great summer.
Gissur Gudmundsson

Dear Friends within WACS,

I would like to share with you our concerns regarding food availability and food security, as well as the risen hikes we have experienced in all food markets in the world today. I’d also like to share with you the speech that our foreign minister of Iceland, Ms. Ingibjorg Sólrún Gísladóttir held in a convention in Rome earlier this year with regards to the topic: “At the high level conference on World Food Security: The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy.”

In the past year, we have been witnessing prices in all product categories within our food chain and in products that are used in producing, packaging, as well as shipping products in our land and across oceans rise like never before.

Raw materials in food production have increased up to 50% (if not higher), some even up to 90% for products that are neccesary for many markets such that they are forced to take these prices, subsequently increasing prices on their products and sometimes not being able to increase prices at all.

Oil is a topic we encounter everyday in the news, but it mostly talks about oil for our machines but not oil for food processing so I have included a graph showing the increase in oil, soybean oil, rapesed oil, sunflower oil and palm oil prices in Europe over the last few years. It shows a frightening problem we have on our hands.

I have to say that sometimes we are more worried about the best way to get from location A to B and we forget how important it is to have affordable food prices, not only for high-end markets, but also for all markets, high-end as well as low-end in every continent in the world. As you can see in the graph, prices on oil are outrageous, if we can talk about products pricing themselves out of the market, oil is one of them, but it is not possible because of the importance of it in many products within food production and in our food chain.

Oil is only one item of many in our food market that has affected it in all areas, fast food as well as fine cusine. We can also mention corn, rice, meat, fish and many other vegetables that have been forced through changes in markets because of high demand in other areas, such as for biogasoline.

Today we must be aware of how we work our markets with these products because the importance of “secured availability of food products for all humans in every continent”. This should be our largest concern of today.

Please read our Minister’s speech held in Rome earlier this year:

Address of H. E. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir,

Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Iceland,

At the High Level Conference on World Food Security:

The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy,

Rome, 3 – 5 June 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The rising price of food has an impact on all families around the world. Failure to address this properly would cause a major reversal for development and have considerable implications for peace and security across the globe. Failure to act is therefore not an option.

Climate change, rising food prices and increased demand for energy threaten economic and political stability in many vulnerable areas. This complex situation requires strong leadership and coordination. The initiative and involvement of all relevant parts of the United Nations system will be essential.

Iceland therefore welcomes wholeheartedly the initiative taken by FAO here today.

Coming from a food producing and exporting country which also relies heavily on food imports from all corners of the world, I wish to emphasize the importance of free trade for food security.

My government has made a determined effort to make free trade agreements, bilateral and multilateral, which take into account Parties’ diverse level of development. It must be ensured that the developing countries are active participants in the global food trade, and furthermore that within the framework of WTO negotiations, the developing countries gain from trade liberalisation. We, who now belong to the so-called developed world must also bear in mind the market protection of our formative years and respect today the disparities between different parts of the world.

Commercial market forces, such as supermarket chains, now play a larger role than ever in contributing to Food Security. The private sector needs to shoulder its responsibilities and act in a sustainable manner. This is especially important, since increased investment in agriculture is of paramount importance in feeding the world.

Every country and each nation has to revise and adapt to the new challenges of our age. Iceland has concentrated its efforts mainly in three fields:

1. Fisheries management and utilization of living marine resources,
2. Active development of renewable energy sources,
3. Soil conservation technology.

I wish to point out that my country has progressed from being one of the poorest in Europe at the beginning of the century and defined as a developing country until the seventies, to being number ONE on the annual UNDP Human Development Index. We acknowledge what it took to bring about such a transformation, and we hope to share some hard learned lessons and apply know-how wherever it is welcomed and wished for.

There are vast untapped geothermal resources around the world. In close to one hundred countries, geothermal energy is found in some form or another. To give you an example: The current production of geothermal power in the vast East African Rift Valley area is only 150 MW. The potential, however, is estimated close to 14 thousand MW. My government promotes the utilization of geothermal energy through the UN University Geothermal Training Programme, in which almost 400 people from over 40 countries have participated.

The rising demand for energy must be met with the development of alternative energy resources that are renewable and sustainable. Agricultural food production capacity should not be converted into producing biofuel. It would be a short-sighted answer to the problem of carbon emissions.

Land degradation, to an extent, can be reversed. Iceland has over 100 years of experience in reclaiming land from erosion through the oldest Soil Conservation Service in the world. Last year, a new training programme on land restoration was initiated in Iceland with the objective of becoming a part of the United Nations University system within a few years.

Fish is one of the most valuable sources of nutrition and income for developing countries. Ninety-five per cent of those who live from fisheries are in the developing world and a billion people depend on fisheries for their main intake of protein. The share of the developing countries in the export of fish and fishery products is over 50%, with the net income of more than 20 billion USD. The fact that the earnings from these products for the developing countries exceed the foreign exchange revenues earned from any other major traded food commodity demonstrates the high value of fishery products. We have cooperated with many developing countries in building up their capacity in fisheries through the UN University Fisheries Training Programme in Iceland.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The international community is increasingly aware of the gender aspect of climate change. The poor will be most affected by climate change and 70 % of the world’s poor are women. The effect of climate change on gender equality and women’s empowerment could be profound, given their central role in food production, and could diminish considerably the progress we have made so far in securing gender equality. We need to strengthen the role of women in the decision-making process on sustainable development, including climate change. Women need to have equal access to training, credit and skills programmes to ensure their full participation in climate change initiatives.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The year 2008 has already become the point in time when the world community realised fully the fundamental urgency of ensuring food security around the planet. One day we may count our blessings and be thankful for the wake-up call we got in 2008 - if we indeed prove to be able to make use of it.

This conference has already succeeded by deepening our understanding of the complex linkages between hunger and climate change and between effective food production and sustainable harnessing of resources. Iceland aims to be a responsible member of the world community, a diligent policy applicator and a supporter to those who need and deserve a new deal in the globalised economy.

Representing the Chefs of Vanuatu both locally and overseas, the Vanuatu Chefs and Foodhandlers Association has been in existence now since early 2004 and has a paid up membership of 109 chefs representing 15 Venues. We are active in the promotion of safe food practices, promotion of local produce and the development of local chefs and Kitchen Staff. We are also currently administering a coin appeal for the Myanmar (Burma) Disaster

The Vanuatu National Culinary Team comprising of 5 young Ni-Vanuatu Chefs are a recent development of our Association and allows us to be seen on the international stage. In 2007 we competed in Fiji and returned with 4 silver medals, a bronze and a winner of Class.

This year we are intending to send part of the team to Fiji and part of the Team to Australia to broaden their experiences and enhance their skills we have also been invited to compete in the next Global Chefs Challenge being conducted by our parent body the World Association of Chefs Societies.

As part of our activities we also run the National Salon Culinaire and Trade Show which is being held once again this year at Le Lagon on November the 12-13th followed by our Annual Awards Dinner. We also conduct various fundraising activities during the year to support the association in its Endeavours.

The Association has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wan Smol Theatre to provide dis-advantaged youths with work experience to assist them in the future and is working closely with both the HTLTC and the Vanuatu National Training Council to improve the training of our young students.

We are also looking at the feasibility of scholarship to pay for a student to attend the yearly HTLTC Catering Course and sending trainee chefs to our sister organizations in New Zealand or Australia for further training. The future of the Industry here in Vanuatu is looking bright with more and more boutique Resorts coming on-line and a couple of major Hotel developments planned for the future, this is a very exciting time for the chefs of Vanuatu and with the assistance we have received to present and in the future both from WACs and the ACF and other sister Associations in the Region we are looking forward to seeing how the next few years play out. I would like to personally thank the members of my committee who have put in some long hours FOC, along with Glenn Austin, Peter Wright, of Australia and Daniel Lenherr from Fiji.

It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the sad news that our Founder, Chairman of the Board and Mentor, Albert Uster, lost his life in a glider plane crash on Friday, July 25, 2008 in the Swiss Alps, at the age of 75.

He passed away living his life more vivaciously than some half his age. He passed doing something he had a great passion for - flying his glider, with his heart open and a smile on his face. Albert lived, laughed and shared his enthusiasm for life right up to the final moments.

In light of this tragedy, Albert made certain that the vibrant torch of his company and his dream will be upheld with great honor. It is with this hope in our hearts that we look forward to continuing to serve our loyal and valued customers with the aide of our partners, for another 40 years and beyond with Albert Uster’s name strongly embedded within the company’s name and spirit.

Click here to read our formal press release

See attached the first 9 students, who have had to stop the last year school (10th standard) due to the effects of the Nargis Cyclone. Their families could not afford the cost due to heavy losses incurred during the cyclone. 2 more students will come (pictures and full names as well) in a view days. But since 23.7.08 they can continue their Final Year, where they have worked hard for the past 9 years.

The Students from Ga Tan Village Group: Ma Zin Mar Phyone, Mg Ye Lwin Htoo, Ko Myo Min Hein, Ko Soe Thet Oo, Ma Nu Yin Ngwe, Ma Aye Seint Seint Htoo, Ma Aye Thandar Oo, Ma Zin Phyo Way, Ko Hlaing Yin Aye, Ko Thiha, Ma Nyeing Nyeing Aye.

Thanks to a joint support for expenses for: - School Fees
- Books and Exercise Books
- Daily boat transfers to Twante High School
- Tuition Fees

Supported and fully financed through:
- Mrs. Helena Rakocz
- Immigrants in USA - Laguage Students of Mr Victor Buga in L.A. (Yolanda, Ivanita, Manuel, Leande Fuentes, Accovado, Karina, Berilla Jose, Mikhail, Eugenia, Piecen, Glenda, Francisco, Aitagrhcia, Maria.)
- Andrew Clark Foundation (through Sue & Sahin)
- Mrs Elisabeth Price (Travelling Teachers)
- Ma Phyu Phyu (Access Spectrum, PCs Yangon)

We are happy to arrange for you during your next visit a trip to Ga Tan Village at the Delta to learn more about these students and their life as well their future ideas for the Delta and beyond.

It is with much help and many thanks that this was arranged so quickly within a few days, through private help made available from Myanmar, Germany, England, USA, Mexico, etc. Everything was so easily arranged, despite all the global political barriers in place. There are more students also in need of education.

Children & students of today are the people who will rule countries and people in the near future. It is up to the adults now (and politicians) to lead their education in the best way possible. Only with good and well-educated children can we ensure our future.

Oliver E Soe Thet
MCA, Yangon 25.7.08
Union of Myanmar

All activities by MCA / WACS, from 8 May 2008 to October 2008 (if funding is available till then), will take place mostly at Twante Township. They will be arranged through Hilfe fuer Entwicklungslaender e.v. Aktion Myanmar – Germany (Helping to Develop Countries e.V. Action Myanmar in Germany).

MCA / WACS Record of Achievements (8 May 2008 - 23rd July 2008)

• Early Recovery (built 339 new traditional houses, donated 200kg of clothing).
• Education (scholarships arranged for middle & tenth standard students, supply of exercise books to primary school students).
• Food (237 tons of rice, 1040kg cooking salt, 1080 vegetarian meals).
• Health (provision of Amoxicillin and four other drugs in bulk to Zibyigone Village, transfer of patients to Twante Clinic & Hospital and Yangon Clinic, German and Burmese doctors, Zigran and Khun Zaw Naing to the villages to administer treatment).
• Water Sanitation (provided 300l of Chlorine, 60 kg of Micro Pur Water purification Tablets).
• Nutrition (B1-rich rice, B1 tablets as supplements for expectant mothers).
• Agriculture (we are arranging for 10 tons of fertilizer to be sent to farmers in the Delta Region).

Villages under MCA / WACS

Opposite Twante City - Canal
1. Mya Gon Village	520 families
2. Mya Kan Thar	310 families
Zibyigone Village Group
3. Zibyigone Village	921 families
4. Ma Die Village	160 families
5. Sar Mi Gone  Village	92 families
6. Nat Sin Chaung Village	70 families
7. Bant Bwe Chaung Village	64 families
8. Aung Zay Thi Village	79 families
Ka Yin Chaung Village Group
9. Min Baw Tan Village	98 families
10. Thaung Thit Village	104 families
11. Kyun Bat Village	120 families
12. Min Baw Su Village	100 families
13. Ka Yin Chaung Village	284 families
14. Ah Lay Su Village	98 families
15. Thaung Gyi Village	96 families
Ah Ga Tan Village Group
16. Ah Ga Tan North Village
17. Ah Ga Tan South Village	109 families
18. Thein Zaw Oo Village	89 families
19. Sar Phyu Su Village	82 families
20. Pun Hlaing Wa Village	167 families
21. Pyin Air Village
22. Twante Village	360 people
23. Ah La Kan Village
Ga Let Ya Me Village Group
24. Ga Let Ya Me Village	165 families
25. Ma Di Village	231 families
26. Seat Kyi Village	187 families
27. Htaw Ku Village	174 families
28. Kyaun Ter Kyi Village	230 families
29. Ah Dorn Village	400 families
Ah Lal Chaung Village Group
30. Ah Lal Kyaung Ka Lay	903 people / 175 families
31. Ah Lal Chaung	530 people / 114 families
32. Nyaung Lan	378 people / 169 families
33. Than Lyatt Soon	206 people / 43 families
34. Htaw Kuu	485 people / 98 families
35. Nyet Paw Su	911 people / 181 families
Total	3413 people / 955 families

As suggested at the previous Nutrition cluster, we have started “under milling“ of rice to ensure natural Vitamin B1 in all our donated rice. Rice is now cheaper and medical B1 treatments will not be entirely necessary in future. To ensure a healthy food supply by WFP to the Nargis victims in the Yangon Division, we have the modified Food–Cash programme which started on 15 July.

Contact:

Dr. Werner Heller
hellus1@freenet.de
esserre@aol.com

Best Regards,

Oliver E. Soe Thet
President
Myanmar Chefs Association
WACS Member - Yangon 22.7.08
Union of Myanmar

Cyclone Delta - 15.7.08

Again a big day with 20 members in three boats on the river, as well as a second team at Zibyigone for water sanitation check ups and samples to be taken to Yangon Lab. MCA has supplied 950 bags of B1 Rich Rice to delta families in need and B1 tablets as a nutrition supplement for pregnant women have also been made available. Evaluation for new Traditional Housing projects are underway. We would also like to thank again our long time associate member Dr. Khun Zaw Naing and Nutrition Expert Daw Thuzar Myint.

Click here to view more photos

Special Thanks to:

- All single and group donors for all their help up until now, especially during special events such as weddings in Belgium, live concert in Dueren, theater performance in Duesseldorf all for Myanmar, culinary events and direct action taken by WACS members. As well as all the good people who are still working on their own projects to boost all efforts for further assistance - until the next harvest in November / December 08.

- All volunteer MCA members on all Delta trips as well at the Yangon Office.

- Dr. Werner & Mallu Heller at "Hilfe fuer Entwicklungslaender e.V. Aktion Myanmar" in Germany (Aid to Developing Countries e.V. Action Myanmar) - Account, personal contacts, administration in Germany.

- Rene Esser - web organizer & media.

- Ruedi Weber - Photo gallery and communications.

- Mr. John Sloan & Mr. Kurt Bruschweiler of WACS and WACS website Nargis updates.

- Agnes James & Singapore Airlines Germany & Europe.

- Mr. Frank Franke, Mrs. Marie-Luise and her whole team, a most creative & enthusiastic partner to all Myanmar people.

- Dr. Wolfgang & Ulli Zigran for supporting us directly in the Delta Villages.

- Ma Khin Khet Khet Khaing who has been working tirelessly since 3rd May 2008 despite a broken hand during a Delta trip.

- Daw Thuzar Myint for opening & taking over a new chapter within MCA – to focus on nutrition in Myanmar cuisine.

- The Myanmar Government staff at all levels for always being speedy and fully cooperative, applying a hands-on management approach in every matter to ensure that we could provide quick and efficient help to the people in the Delta region.

To many others, a very big thank you from the hearts of the people in the Delta region, their smiles go out to you as equal friends, all the pictures are the best testament that you all have done the right thing in assisting them through a difficult time.

With best Culinary Regards, counting on all of you to stay with us "just a little bit longer..........", yours,

Oliver E Soe Thet
President Myanmar Chefs Association
WACS Member
Yangon 20.7.08
Union of Myanmar

Pressemeldung

     ... damit Hilfe Flügel bekommt
                            ... Wings of Help

Frankfurt am Main, den 07.07.08

Hilfe für notleitenden Kinder in Birma/ Myanmar

Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen e.V./ Wings of Help schickt 62 Tonnen Hilfsgüter ins Krisengebiet

In drei 40-Fußkontainern hat Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen e.V. heute rund 62 Tonnen Hilfsgüter ins Katastrophengebiet des Zyklons „Nargis“ auf den Weg gebracht. Die Hilfslieferung besteht vorrangig aus Baby- und Kindernahrung, Decken und Plastikplanen um rund 1000 Häuser abzudichten. Die rund 22 Paletten Milchpulver wurden gleichzeitig mit 46 Europaletten Mineralwasser verschickt. Damit soll sichergestellt werden, dass das Milchpulver nur mit sauberem Wasser angerührt wird. Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen e.V. arbeitet vor Ort mit der „Myanmar Chefs Association“ (MCA), der weltweiten Vereinigung von Küchenchefs (WACS) zusammen, die bei Hilfslieferungen, vor allem in Myanmar, intensive Erfahrung hat. Der deutsche Oliver Esser Soe Thet, Präsident der MCA, hat bereits zahlreiche Hilfslieferungen in die Krisenregion gebracht. Die MCA wird Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen e.V. dabei helfen, die Hilfsgüter in die am schlimmsten betroffenen Regionen im Irrawaddy-Delta zu verteilen. Eines der Ziele ist Pyapon im Zentrum des Katastrophengebietes, ein weiteres Ziel Labutta. Da beide Städte nur schwer zu erreichen sind, kamen bisweilen kaum Hilfsgüter dort an. Nach Oliver Esser Soe Thets Aussage wird vor allem Kindernahrung im Land gebraucht. Rund 68000 Kinder unter 5 Jahren warten dort auf Hilfe. Vor einigen Tagen haben auch die Vereinten Nationen dringend um Nahrungsmittelhilfe und High Energy Food gebeten.
Die Hilfslieferung wurde durch die großzügige Unterstützung der Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Milupa GmbH, Hassia Mineralquellen GmbH & Co. KG, Schenker Deutschland AG, sowie der Aktion Mission und Leprahilfe Schiefbahn e.V. möglich.
Druck von Bild und Text honorarfrei.

Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen e.V.
CargoCity Süd, Gebäude 555c
60549 Frankfurt-Flughafen
www.luftfahrtohnegrenzen.de

*Please visit www.wacs2000.org and www.lagunalodge-myanmar.com for updates on the cyclone.

To prevent vitamin B1 deficiency in areas affected by the cyclone in Myanmar, every active aid group heading to Myanmar’s Delta region should do this urgently.

Dear Friends,

As we have attended several meetings of the Food and Nutrition cluster organized by UNICEF, we realized that it is in fact very easy to overcome the B1 deficiency – especially in babies and children in the Myanmar Delta. The deficiency will cause death within 5 days if not treated with at least one B1 injection. It is just a matter of educating people and changing their eating habits. This is a good time to do so as they all eat out of our hands (I mean this in a positive way).

We have also discovered that it is a major problem not only to infants but also to adults, especially pregnant and lactating women, breast - fed infants as well as alcoholics.

Hence, the Myanmar Chefs Association has started to activate the B1 rich Rice Donation to fight malnutrition.

By simply polishing the rice significantly lesser than usual and not having totally white rice, the B1 deficiency can easily be avoided. B1 is contained in the shell of the rice and the people of Myanmar are used to eating the whitest and most polished part of the rice, so all B1 vitamins are taken out.

Another way to save the B1 vitamin in rice is via the parboiled treatment, which is very simple.

Soak the rice in water. During this process, the B1 moves from the shell to the kern – inside of the rice corn, then leave the rice to dry. As much of the rice got wet during the Cyclone Nargis, it was first dried and milled, and coincidently a “Parboiled Procedure” was also achieved. This helped boost the presence of B1 in rice directly after the Nargis cyclone hit.

The Myanmar Chefs Association has picked out these findings and will be the first to issue an order to our rice trader to mill the rice only half as much as the usual – so as to keep a high amount of B1 in the rice.

This order of rice will arrive in time for the next rice ration by MCA, to be supplied to 8 villages (Zibyigone and Mya Khan Thar village groups) on 9.7.08 to over 2000 people. We will only distribute rice that is half polished in order to keep a high B1 content in the rice from now on. Our rice trader has already acted according to our orders.

The positive side effect of this is that the rice trader will save a lot of money as he needs to distribute much less rice because the stipulated weight is more quickly achieved due to a heavier rice corn.

Thus, everyone will be in a win-win position.

MCA will implement in the 22 villages the MUAC measurement of UNICEF (Mid - Upper - Arm – Circumference) during the next few trips to assist in filling in the data base for UNICEF so as to better reach places where people and infants require treatment.

Everyone who donates rice to the Nargis cyclone regions should follow this easy way to ensure a healthy meal with important B1 vitamins. It costs you nothing – you just need to order the rice that way and you save even money for more rice.

Secondly, we will then in a meeting with the rice traders see how we can implement the “Parboiled Procedure” as a step to ensure B1 support to the Delta people will be natural and not artificial.

Important – change eating habits:
The people in Myanmar have always believed that the whiter the rice, the higher the quality and more pure, which makes it more expensive. This is nonsense from the nutrition point of view. With letters in the native Myanmar language and educational meetings in face of the rice distribution, we at the Myanmar Chefs Association will educate the people within our area.

This is a good time to change habits as the people depend on us as well many others for rice donations and have eaten whatever they have gotten, I believe changing the habits now is much better than giving out free B1 Tablets (which, of course, is good at short term, but people will not spend the little money that they have on B1 if others do not provide it for free) and after some weeks we are back to the same problem when the tablets are not given anymore. Changing eating habits will be more sustainable, maybe at present both are required urgently.

It is the right time to change old unhealthy habits!!!!

For cash donation to Nargis Cyclone Victims Account:
Hilfe fuer Entwicklungslaender e.V. Action Myanmar
Dr. med. Werner & Mallu Heller, Wildenbruchstr. 66, D- 40545 Duesseldorf
Tel: 00 49 (0) 211 554769, Fax: 5580107
E Mail: hellus1@freenet.de & esserrene@aol.com

All info & pictures: www.lagunalodge-myanmar.com and www.wacs2000.org

Ruedis Cyclone Photo Galleries:
http://home.citycable.ch/ruedi/cyclone_oliver_0619/index.html
http://home.citycable.ch/ruedi/cyclone_oliver_0620/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/hr_weber/cyclone_mca/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/hr_weber/cyclone_rice/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/hr_weber/cyclone_house/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/hr_weber/cyclone_mca/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/hr_weber/cyclone_help/index.html
http://home.citycable.ch/ruedi/cyclone_mca_0630/index.html

With best culinary RGDS, yours

Oliver E Soe Thet
President
Myanmar Chefs Association
WACS member
Union of Myanmar
Yangon 4.7.08

Announcement

The General Committee wishes to inform with great pleasure that we have restructured some of the positions in the committee in order to provide better service to our members. Please join us to congratulate the new committee below as we wish them every success in the future.

Audee Cheah Phee Lee	Chairman
Amir Hamzah	Vice-Chairman / Dir. of Government Affairs
Peter Chan Weng Seng PJM	Hon-Secretary / Dir. of Promotion
Eric Cheng Seng Lim PJK	Treasurer
Lee Kean Chye	Director of Competition
Lee Chan Wai PJM	Director of Special Projects
Murugan Balakrishnan	Director of Social & Recreation
Mohamed Bakri	Asst. Director of Social & Recreation
Thomas See Swee Heng PJM	Director of Welfare Fund
Darren Tan Yeok Ping	Director of Education
Billy Lee Chan Hoong	Director of Publication
Chuah Lay Yen	Director of Membership
Franco Ho Swee Fook PJK	Hon-Advisor
Bruce Lee Chee Onn PJK PJM	Hon-Advisor
Andy Oh Thye Peng PJK	Internal Auditor
Raymond Quah	Bookkeeper
Sonia Lee Kee Xin	PJCC Coordinator
Johnno Fung	Sub-Committee
George Chiam	Sub-Committee
Albert Goh PJM	Sub-Committee
For Info:
Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye	Hon-Patron
Dato’ Kee Phaik Cheen	Hon-Patron
Peh Soo Keong	Hon-Advisor Treasury
Phillip Ng Nei Teik PJK	Hon-Advisor
Mahalingam Chelliah PKT, PJK, PJM	Hon Advisor
Mr. Subramaniam a/l Palayah	Advisor – Legal Matters

Thank you

Chefs Association of Malaysia, Penang Chapter
Member of World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS)

Union Pavâru klubs (Chef’s Club) has been established in year 2004 to unite the best Chefs of Latvia, owners of restaurants and other professionals of the field. Founders of the club represent such restaurants and hotels as Hotel Bergs, Kaïíu vârti, Albert Hotel, Aquarius and La Boheme.

The aim of all activities in the club is to encourage Latvian Chefs to improve their professional skills, exchange experience and develop mutual cooperation. The Chef’s Club is based on participants’ independence and creativity as a result of their life-long experience and excellent knowledge of trend expressions of the tastiest art of all – cookery. The admittance of Latvijas Pavâru klubs in the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) was announced in a congress in Dubai in 2008. This admittance opens new opportunities to popularize our country and city throughout the world by taking part in international competitions and training programmes and also chance to organize a selection tour in Latvia after few years.

Objectives of the Chef’s Club are not only to follow the development of cookery in the world, but also to take part in international cookery events and to organize workshops and competitions to improve skills of Latvian cooks. This year for the fourth time Pavâru klubs is cooperating with the International Exhibition Company BT1 to promote the art of cooking and to motivate young cooks to seek for unconventional inspiration. The only competitions for professionals "Latvian Cook of the Year" and "Baltic Confectioner of the Year" with an international jury are being held during the international exhibition Riga Food.

This year during the exhibition Riga Food (www.bt1.lv) from 3 - 6 September ,together with already known competitions "Latvian Chef of the Year 2008" and "Baltic Confectioner of the Year 2008" Pavâru klubs is going to organize an international competition for cookery professionals with welcomed participants from all over the world. As Pavâru klubs has established very good relationships and reputation among chef’s clubs and professionals in the whole world, we consider this to be a very good opportunity to popularize the name of our capital city Riga and culinary tasks from different countries.

On behalf of Pavâru klubs I summon to be as jury member in only international cookery competition "Riga Open Culinary Cup 2008" and "Latvian Chef of the Year 2008" in this year.

All travelling and hotel expenses will be covered by Latvian Chef’s club.

Respectfully,

Pavâru klubs, Chairman of the Board
Jânis Šiliniks

Information on Pavâru klubs activities: www.chef.lv
Telephone No. for enquiries: + 371 29247495, Inese Vicupa

Click here to download Application Form & know more about ROCC
Click here for ROCC 2008 Regulations & FAQs

Chefs from the Welsh National Culinary Team warmed up for this autumn’s Culinary Olympics in Germany by cooking a dinner for their patron, the Prince of Wales, last night (Thursday).

The team was asked to cater for 140 guests in the Grand Hall at Caerphilly Castle at a dinner hosted by the Welsh Assembly Government to celebrate 50 years since the Prince of Wales was appointed.

Team manager Graham Tinsley, co-owner of the Castle Hotel, Conwy and Nant Hall, Prestatyn, selected ingredients from across Wales for the three course dinner, petit fours and reception canapes.

The canapés included Caerphilly Cheese fritters, Carmarthen Ham roulade, smoked Welsh sewin mousse and Pantysgawen goats cheese tartlets. The petit fours included Welsh cakes, chocolates and Welsh fudge and sugar daffodils were also made for table displays.

The dinner included a starter of pan fried North Wales sea bass, crab and potato cake, South Wales cockles and caper dressing and peashoot salad, a main course of roast loin of Cambrian Mountains Lamb, braised lamb shoulder parcel, Pembrokeshire potatoes and root vegetables gratin. Dessert was vanilla panacotta with chilled rhubarb soup and almond biscuits.

"The dinner went very well and we received compliments from the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who all enjoyed the meal," said Mr Tinsley.

"Because it was an all Wales event, we chose food items from across the nation and that seemed to go down very well."

The Cambrian Mountains Lamb served in the main course was sponsored by Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales, a team sponsor. To commemorate the dinner, each chef was presented with a specially engraved knife made by Friedr. Dick, Germany, a team sponsor.

The team of chefs included captain Wayne Roberts, joint head chef at the Imperial Hotel, Llandudno, Dave Kelman, of Lower Slaughter Manor, Stow-on-the-Wold, Toby Beevers of Inventive Leisure, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lee Jeynes, group development chef for English Lake Hotels, Gennaro Adaggio of La Dolce Vita, Shrewsbury, Sally Owens, Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea, Gareth Dwyer, of Hobart UK, Chris Owen and Lee Marshall, of The Castle Hotel, Conwy, Tom Middleton, of Hotel Maes-y-neuadd, Talsarnau, Harlech, Kevin Williams of Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, Dolgellau and Mark Jones of Henbury Hall, Macclesfield

The Welsh team, which will be competing at the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt from October 19-22, 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, Metcalfe Catering and All Clad.

Ends

For more information please contact Graham Tinsley, Welsh National Culinary Team manager, on 07765 404950 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations consultant, on 01686 650818.

Germany
October 2008

We are ready to compete big on International Stage. The HKCA Culinary team is all worked up for the Culinary Olympics 2008 in Erfurt Germany.

This is the first time since we compete as a National Team since 1996. We have the talented, committed and highly motivated top team together.

Our 4th Trial is in the HK Convention & Exhibition and Center (HKCEC) At the Bohemia Room on Tuesday the 5th August 7pm 2008. This is our last trial which is open to all, members and public, so don’t miss out and book to Rudolf.muller@disney.com

It is again HK$ 300.- for members and HK$ 420.- for non members

Wine and drinks are included in the price, so hurry and book early to be a part of us and to avoid disappointment.

We will put Hong Kong on the culinary world stage in Germany 2008.

Source: HKCA Newsflash July 30th, 2008
To read more articles from HKCA Newsflash, click here

Visit by French Guest Chefs to the Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre (HITDC)

By Andreas Muller

Rarely do we have the chance to enjoy two French guest chef lecturers from the Professional Hospitality Institute in Etoile, France on a stop-over to Sapporo in Japan.

Our trainee chefs had the opportunity to welcome Mr. Eric Lienard, Chief Instructor for Western Food Preparation and Mr. Joel Haumont, Chief Instructor for Pastry & Bakery Preparation during the period of 7-9 July 2008 at our Centre in Pokfulam.

Chef Eric and Chef Joel spent their entire first day communicating with our trainee chefs about what French Cuisine has to offer by demonstrating their culinary skills.

In preparation for the official “French Demonstration” on 8 July - for invited TDS members and professionals alike - both guest chefs emphasised the freshness and seasonal availability of the produce we had purchased all the way from France.

The demonstration of “French Cuisine” on 8 July was seen by over 50 chef trainees and guests who watched Chef Eric preparing a pike fish dish with French seasonal baby vegetables marinated in honey and herbs, and Chef Joel demonstrating the preparation steps for a souffléed peach tart.

Each guest and trainee chef had the opportunity to sample the dishes both chefs had prepared and all concluded that “French Cuisine” is well alive and well, throughout the globe.

On 9 July, the guest chefs prepared a four course French Dinner Menu for over 60 TDS Members, highlighting seasonal French ingredients.

For the visiting guest chefs and our trainee chefs, as well as for all our Instructors it was an educational experience and a fun-filled three-day course in French Cuisine we will surely remember for a long time.

Menu Degustation

Soupe Glacée Estivale et Velouté de Brebis

Chilled Estivale Soup with a Goat Velouté

*****

Pot au Feu de Saumon et St Jacques au Romarin

Salmon and Scallop ‘Pot-au-Feu’ with Rosemary

*****

Parmentier de Canard

Duck Parmentier

*****

Croquant de Noisettes et Infusion au Thé Vert

Hazelnut Croquant with Green Tea Infusion

*****

Café ou thé

Freshly Brewed Coffee or Tea

Friandises

Source: HKCA Newsflash July 30th, 2008
To read more articles from HKCA Newsflash, click here

Young Talents Flourish at the Salon

Over 145 chefs from 43 establishments participated to the 11th National Salon Culinaire, organized by the Egyptian Chefs Association (ECA), hosted by the InterContinental Citystars, and sponsored by Juhayna Food Industries and Unilever Foodsolutions on Tuesday, June 10th. An expert jury team consisting of 6 foreign chefs of diverse nationalities - Austrian, Dutch, Italian, British, Belgian and German - were all especially flown in for the occasion. They were busy from early morning till evening, evaluating the entries and giving their detailed feedback to the participants. In total, 16 silver and 32 bronze medals were awarded. For the first time in the history of the National Salon Culinaire, the hosting hotel was also the proud winner of the ECA Culinary Trophy 2008, the InterContinental & Holiday Inn Citystars with 32 participants, scored a total of 8 silver and 14 bronze medals.

The culinary arts show this year was a real learning experience for many Egyptian chefs, as the expert judges from abroad had to write with each plate they judged the good aspects of the plate and the points for improvements. Each pair of foreign judges was accompanied by Egyptian chefs with Salon Culinaire judging experience, who translated all the comments and feedback to the participants to ensure a full comprehension.

The Association added this year the category ’Main Course Middle Eastern Cuisine’ in which chefs were requested to present Middle Eastern cuisine displayed in accordance with contemporary presentation styles. This category was added in answer to popular demand to promote Middle Eastern cuisine and preserve culinary traditions, thus providing visitors to the country with the opportunity to take home a memory on foods. In total seven chefs participated in the category and 3 bronze medals were awarded, not bad for a start, but still leaving plenty of room for growth and improvement next year.

It was wonderful to see many first-time participants to the Salon this year, which highlighted another great feature this time around: the many juniors who chose to enter the competition. At previous competitions, the Association often counted only 10 to 15 participants under the age of 25, while this year the number was as high as 28 juniors, many of them achieving medals and even overall highest scores within their categories. A slight drawback at this year’s show was that some chefs didn’t read the rules and regulations properly, and so lost points due to not displaying what was requested for the category they entered. This was especially the case for the plated desserts category where the chefs either displayed only a showpiece or only desserts without a showpiece, or alternatively, three different desserts, although it clearly stated in the rules that they must display three plated desserts, exactly the same, with the showpiece.

The National Culinary Team of Egypt added flair to the show, by joining the culinary activities and proudly displaying their latest creations of dishes and platters, as part of their intensive monthly training sessions. The expert members of the judging committee were also available to provide exclusive feedback and guidelines for improvement to the members of the National Team; invaluable input as the team members prepare to represent Egypt in Germany at the prestigious Culinary Olympics 2008 scheduled to take place from 19 till 22 October in Erfurt.

The ECA wishes to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the National Salon Culinaire, and hopes to see many of the chefs and others showing their culinary skills again at the live cooking challenges scheduled to take place in conjunction with the Hace exhibition from 10 till 13 November at the Cairo International Conference Center.

Click here for the list of winners
Click here for the panel of of judges
Click for the photo gallery

HACCP in Practice, 5 - 7 August 2008

The Egyptian Chefs Association in cooperation with SGS Egypt would like to announce the 'HACCP in Practice' workshop, a 3-day intensive training course.

The workshop is designed for those who need a broad understanding of food safety systems and documentation, and quality control management as part of their responsibilities at manager or supervisory level.

The structure of the workshop and topics covered form a logical set-up to provide the participants with an in-depth knowledge of how to design and implement a HACCP hygiene quality control system specialized for hospitality and food service related establishments. For detailed course outline CLICK

Expert trainers of SGS Egypt will conduct the workshop. The 3-day intensive training workshop will be assessed upon the submission of a working HACCP plan. Certification will include the logos of SGS Group and the ECA.

Both registration fee and application form should be submitted to the ECA office before Tuesday 15 July. To register for this workshop CLICK

Category:	Training
Start Day:	August 5, 2008
End Day:	August 7, 2008
Location:	Cairo
Cost:	LE 450 for ECA-members and ECA-Sponsors, and LE 600 for non-members
Contact:	Marwa Said, ECA Office
Telephone:	020-2-2532-8187 or 2532-8188 or 2362-7217
E-mail:	marwasaid@egyptchefs.com

Receiving & Storing Practices, 11 & 12 August 2008

The Egyptian Chefs Association in cooperation with SGS Egypt will offer the “Receiving & Storing Practices” workshop, a two-day intensive training session covering all aspects of proper receiving and storing, as critical control points of the HACCP system.

The workshop addressed to kitchen division managers, F & B managers, receiving and storing managers and staff will cover the following topics:

* Objectives of proper receiving and storing of products
* Receiving & storing as Critical Control Points
* Storing classifications
* Storing principles and temperatures
* Knowledge training & responsibilities of staff
* Handling suppliers
* Visual inspection; fresh & dry items, frozen & chilled items
* Food storage & prohibited areas
* Receiving & storing documentation
* Receiving & storing equipment & facilities

The workshop will take place in Cairo and will be conducted in Arabic by expert trainers of SGS Egypt. Certification upon successful completion of test will include the logos of SGS Group and the ECA.

Both registration fee and application form should be submitted to the ECA office before Tuesday 5 August. To register for this workshop CLICK

Category:	Training
Start Day:	August 11
End Day:	August 12
Location:	Cairo
Cost:	LE 280 for ECA-members, and LE 350 for non-members
Contact:	ECA Office
Telephone:	020-2-2532-8187 or 2532-8188 or 2362-7217
E-mail:	marwasaid@egyptchefs.com

Salads & Salad Dressings, 18 & 19 August 2008

This 2-day, practical workshop will start with identifying a variety of popular salad greens. Techniques for preparing salads & salad dressings in harmony with taste, texture and color will be discussed, as well as nutritional properties. The workshop will cover more than 30 different recipes from the classical “Have to Knows” to some signature salads of famous chefs.

Structure of the workshop and topics covered:

* Identifying salad greens
* Food safety rules in handling salads & salad dressings
* Difference between tossed, composed & bound salads
* Recipes for various salads & salad dressings
* Technique of preparing emulsified salad dressings
* Matching salads with salad dressings

Training manuals and test are available in English and Arabic. Upon successful completion of test participants will receive an ECA certificate.

To register for this workshop CLICK

Category:	Training
Start Day:	August 18, 2008
End Day:	August 19, 2008
Location:	Cairo
Cost:	LE 280 for ECA-members, and LE 375 for non-members
Contact:	ECA Office, Ms. Marwa Said
Telephone:	020-2-2532-8187 or 2532-8188 or 2362-7217
E-mail:	marwasaid@egyptchefs.com

Pest Control Awareness, 8th August 2008

The Egyptian Chefs Association in cooperation with SGS Egypt would like to announce the 'Pest Control Awareness' workshop, a one-day training workshop covering all basic control measures toward pest control in food establishments.

The workshop, addressed to kitchen division managers, F & B managers, chefs and stewards, will cover the following topics:

* Objectives of pest control
* Pests as threat to public health
* Common species and their life cycles
* Basic environmental sanitation
* Effective chemical control
* Control measures that work
* Pest control staff
* Protective clothing

The workshop will take place in Cairo and will be conducted in Arabic by expert trainers of SGS Egypt. Certification upon successful completion of test will include the logos of SGS Group and the ECA.

Both registration fee and application form should be submitted to the ECA office before Monday, 18 August. To register for this workshop CLICK

Category:	Training
Location:	Cairo
Cost:	LE 195 for ECA-members, and LE 275 for non-members
Contact:	ECA Office
Telephone:	020-2-2532-8187 or 2532-8188 or 2362-7217
E-mail:	marwasaid@egyptchefs.com

To view more pictures, please click here

Dear All,

Please find attached the final wrap up of our event. If you need any pictures please email to me at peterosa@pd.jaring.my

Thanks
Peter Chan PJM
Organizing Chairman PCC 08
Hon-Secretary CAM Pg. Chapter

» Click here for Summary Report

Dear all,

Warm greetings from the Chefs Association of Malaysia!

Here are some pictures that were taken during the second Malaysia International Bakery and Confectionary 2008 competition in Kuala Lumpur, held at the Mid Valley Convention Center from 11 July to 13 July 2008.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Singapore Pastry Alliance for their support of the event as well as their presence as judges for the competition, namely Chef Kenny Kong, President of the Singapore Pastry Alliance; Chef Cassayan and Chef Kim Wah.

More than 100 chefs took part in the competition, with 200 entries received from all over Malaysia and Singapore. They competed in as many as 15 different categories such as pastry show pieces, bakery challenge, dress the cake and many others, displaying a very good level of skill and passion.

The overwhelming crowd present over the 3 days of the competition has indeed spurred us on to continue organizing this event, which we believe has truly stirred much interest in the younger generation to encourage and motivate them to build a career in this prospering industry that is currently in dire need of quality manpower.

Thanks!

Federico Michieletto
Chefs Association of Malaysia

Click here to view more photos

“July 24th 2008 the first Oliver Win & HKCA Bowling Tournament was held at Hong Kong Bowling City in the EMAX Center in Kowloon Bay and the response was very good. We had 8 teams of 4 members participating and 40 members and friends attending this sportive and fun event.

There was a buffet with plenty of food for every one sponsored by Oliver Pacific and we had Beer and water to keep up cool. The Atmosphere was great and we had a lot of fun. We had teams from the Young Chefs club, our own association and from as far away as Macau. Every one played 3 rounds and was giving his/her best shot. By the end of the evening we had winners. The best player was Stephen Cheng, the 2nd runner up was “BMW& Dennis Team” , first runner up “Saison Food Services” and the winner and champion for 2008 is no other then the “T.K.H.A team Macau” Well done every one.

A big thank you goes to Oliver Win for sponsoring and co-hosting this event and to La Rose Noire for sponsoring the Bread and to our committee members Daniel Menezes and Anthony Goh for organizing it.

Great job every one and we will do it again in 2009.

Source: HKCA Newsflash July 30th, 2008
For more pictures and to read more articles from HKCA Newsflash, click here

On June 30, the ECA members gathered for a festive summer night social gathering at the Swiss Club. Chef members of ECA and their families enjoyed delicious grilled salmon and a great selection of sausages provided by EgySwiss. LambWeston ensured that all had a portion of French fries and Three Chefs added to the meal by supplying products such as chicken panee, shish tawouk and hamburgers among others. All the condiments and sauces were provided by Unilever Foodlsolutions and Heinz Egypt, the bread by Mo’emen Group, and Wadi Food brought in the olives. Refreshing juices were served by Juhayna, Viva and Dreem; and if that was not enough, on a hot summer evening the chefs could enjoy Maxo ice cream. The evening pleasures were concluded with the projection of the animation film Ratatouille, accompanied with Lipton tea provided by Unilever.

We wish to thank all the loyal ECA sponsors who assisted the Association in making this gathering a wonderful treat for ECA members, family and friends.

Click here to view more photos

The 2008 challenge: running a Seafood restaurant!

This year the culinary exchange candidates will run their own seafood restaurant during the food festival Gladmat (www.gladmat.no) in Stavanger. 5 Canadian and 4 Nordic youths have assembled here in Stavanger. We are blessed with beautiful weather and an arena that is visited by over 200,000 people.

From the very beginning this festival has been a great success and every year it comes with new attractions. One of the attractions this year will be the restaurant Flirting with seafood!

The restaurant is a tent that sits 60 people. There will be two seatings for lunch, at 12pm and 3pm. There will be one seating in the evening at 7.30pm.

Lunch Menu
Pan seared maple cured salmon
Dill yoghurt, radish and cucumber salad
***
Poached halibut and mussels
Norwegian seasonal vegetables
Light creamy tarragon sauce
***
White chocolate and mascarpone cake
Local strawberries and Canadian ice wine sabayon

Dinner Menu
Scallop, cranberries and cider granite
***
Pan seared maple cured salmon
dill yoghurt, radish and cucumber salad
***
North sea fish and seafood soup
Cree bannock and saffron mayonnaise
***
Poached halibut and mussels
Norwegian seasonal vegetables
Light creamy tarragon sauce
***
White chocolate and mascarpone cake
Local strawberries and Canadian ice wine sabayon

See updates on the program at http://gladmatavis.no/junior-culinary-exchange-program/.

The second annual City Gas Singapore Chef Awards 2008 saw 16 finalists from nine different hotels and restaurants competing to create a winning dish that best represents Singaporean flavour and food culture.

Hosted at the Mandarin Oriental on 23 July 2008 and jointly organised by the Singapore Tourism Board and Peter Knipp Holdings, this culinary contest made up a key highlight of the Singapore Food Festival 2008. In order to win the coveted title of City Gas Singapore Chef of the Year, participants were required to come up with a recipe that contained at least two or three ingredients or condiments that is indigenous to Singapore’s ethnic groups. On top of that, the finished creation must also showcase the creativity and skill of the chef. The dish must embody the unique spirit of the cuisine of Singapore, and it will be judged based on creativity, presentation, taste and relevance to the local theme.

The distinguished judging panel of the competition was made up of six renowned figures, namely Ng Yong Hwee, CEO of City Gas; Chia Boon Pin, COO of Retail Business Group, Far East Organisation; Eric Teo, president of Singapore Chefs Association; Randy Chow, vice president of Singapore Chefs Association; Louis Tay, executive chef of Swissotel Merchant Court; and Edmund Toh, executive chef of Suntec City Convention Centre.

“The result of this year’s City Gas Singapore Chef Awards is excellent!” remarked a very impressed Ng Yong Hwee. “The standard and quality of the dishes surpassed the expectations of the panel of judges, especially with the use of the iconic lobster.”

So it should come as no surprise that Chef Tay Jun Hua from Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant won the coveted title of ‘City Gas Singapore Chef of the Year’ with his winning recipe, live lobster with glass vermicelli in superior stock. “We were about 70 percent to 80 percent sure that we would win this competition,” said Chef Tay. “This dish is a very different creation because it has a very Asian presentation. It comes in a pot!” Evidently, Chef Tay has a keen understanding of the local palate. He was hardly able to contain his excitement when he added, “Singaporeans like things that are spicy and just a little sour, and so that is how we made our stock to taste like.”

This year’s competition also inaugurated the category of City Gas Singapore Junior Chef of the Year. The title went to Chef Yong Hon Choy from Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, who dished up the Asian spiced pipa prawns with minced pork farce. Said Chef Yong, “I am truly very happy! I created this dish on my own, and I owe my mentor much gratitude for helping me to perfect it.”

Kudos also to the chefs who won the titles of ‘desirable’ local dish of the year, most creative dish, best taste, best workmanship, and media’s choice. They have all brought the local cuisine to an even higher level! While not all the contestants walked away with a prize, everyone left feeling very rewarded. “This is very fresh and exciting,” said first-timer Chef Foo Wei Ping. “I feel much enriched by the experience I have earned from this!”

On the turnout of the whole event and on next year’s City Gas Singapore Chef Awards, Ng Yong Hwee observed, “This year’s chef awards was very different from last year’s. Now we see more variety. I expect the birth of even more creative dishes next year!” As for now, we can only wait and anticipate what this prestigious culinary event will bring us again soon!

Rules & Regulations:

Juhayna invites professional chefs to submit a three-course menu which utilizes Juhayna’s products in all three courses.

Total preparation time of the three-course menu should not exceed one hour. Egyptian Chefs Association’s expert judges will select the best 12 menus to be invited for the live cook off scheduled to take place at this years Hace’08 exhibition from 10 till 13 November in Cairo.

Best three-course menus will be selected based on practicality of the dish, presentation style, creativity and originality, flavor and texture combination, nutritional balance, and utilization of Juhayna’s product range.

1st Prize: The Juhayna Chef of the Year Trophy, Gold Medal, Certificate and LE 10,000
2nd Prize: Silver Medal, Certificate and LE 3,500
3rd Prize: Bronze Medal, Certificate and LE 1,500

Recipes of the three-course menu with picture of each dish, and a picture of yourself and ID number should be submitted to the Egyptian Chefs Association (ECA) on egyptchefs@egyptchefs.com or send by mail to 7 El Fath Street, Manial El Roda, Cairo.

All materials should be with the ECA before 1st October ’08. Only one entry per competitor is allowed.

Juhayna obtains the right to keep a copy of all recipes for future product promotions.

Here’s your chance to show you skills, gain prestige and win BIG Prize money.
So be creative, and submit your best menu now!

California-based Wolfgang Puck Worldwide Inc. has launched cholesterol free and sodium free cooking and baking sprays. The product contains no water, 0g trans fat per serving and boasts all-natural ingredients. An innovative product to prevent food from sticking to pans, a one-second spray contains less than one gram of fat and less than 15 calories compared to one tablespoon of butter or margarine which contain more than 10g of fat and more than 100 calories. The spray also contains high-heat lecithin, which is made from soybeans, to prevent food from sticking to pans. Says Puck, “My mother used to save butter wrappings to coat her pans. This spray is more convenient with less mess and helps to keep you well.”

Varieties of the spray include All-Natural Original Canola Oil Cooking Spray: Made from 100% Canola; All-Natural Butter Flavour Canola Oil Cooking and Baking Spray; and All-Natural 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray: Made from 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Source: http://www.foodprocessing.com/

World Kitchen Asia Pacific has introduced their Ekco 123 kitchen gadgets collection ranging from silicon, nylon and stainless steel to baking and many more. The beautifully-designed line of product offers Style, Innovation, Quality and Value with its innovative features and attractive style. The Ekco 123 products are functionally designed for long-lasting performance and are affordably priced. The Ekco 123 gadgets also boast innovative features and attractive styles that will complement any kitchen décor.

Some of the Ekco 123 gadgets include:

- Stainless Steel Tools
- Graters / Peelers / Slicers
- Thermometers & Timers
- Food Preperation & Serving Tools

The latest from Carpigiani, Chocolady is designed with a unique bain marie heating system that ensures that the chocolate is never burnt. The Chocolady also heats up the mixture in just 15 minutes, with its circulating paddles that are used to churn the mixture resulting in a lusciously smooth and thick consistency. The bain marie system also allows for the Chocolady to be used as a storage for keeping mulled wine fresh and warm. Available in ten and five litre sizes, the Chocolady is the perfect addition to any bar.

For more information, please visit the Carpigiani website at http://www.carpigiani.co.uk.

If you would like to see your WACS related stories published in this E-Newsletter kindly email us the details at: wacsnews@asiacuisine.com

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