Reykjavik,
April 28th, 2009

Dear friends, since my last message one month ago, many things have been happening. Not only have I been travelling from one continent to another, meeting colleagues and friends from all over the world, but I also have had the opportunity to meet many potential sponsors. After these meetings, I am convinced that we are on the right path: Members are open, sponsors are optimistic and we in the WACS Board believe we are getting something done.

In this message I would like to give you a little update on what has happened and what is happening within WACS

In the last month, we have had continental meetings for all of Europe and the Americas and it’s great to see the spirit and enthusiasm of our friends. Members are not quiet; they are active and they have visions and dreams. Both meetings where used to discuss the past and the future, the upcoming Congress and the various WACS programs.

The meeting in Europe was held in Split in Croatia and the job our friends did was great. The city of Split is a beautiful city and the food from the ocean was fresh and well prepared. We had the opportunity to walk around the old town of Split and I have to say I would love to go back to spend time there in the summertime, it is a dream of a place. The meeting went very well. Many things were discussed and many different views were shared, which is something very good and very necessary.

The meeting for the Americas was held in Guatemala City and Chef Euda Morales did an outstanding job hosting this with her team. The meeting was held in a beautiful hotel and we had the opportunity to spend a day in a coffee plantation where we met 300 children (aged between 3 and 8) and looked at their school and where their breakfast and lunch is cooked every day.

It was truly heartbreaking to see this place and everyone involved felt something had to be done. I have asked Vice-President Hilmar B. Jonsson and Secretary General Helgi Einarsson to take charge in our Humanitarian program and set up a special program where we can help with building kitchens in places like this. Also, Mr. Claude Buzon from Canada has volunteered to take part in this. He was with us in Guatemala and he burned with desire to do something for this and I know he already has collected tools worth thousands of dollars to be sent to the places which need them. In the next months, this small team will outline a plan on how this work can be done in the future.

Our WACS Board meeting was held in Germany in mid-April. The board made many decisions that will have effect on our association for the future. This you will see soon when our minutes from the meeting have been approved and published on the website. We were guests of Axel Rhüman and his wife, in their hotel, who showed us wonderful hospitality and served us delectable food.

The Biennial Congress is coming up soon and you will be seeing monthly news about it. I just spent a few days with Jaqueline, Fernando and their team in Santiago, Chile, and I can tell you that the congress will be an experience for you all. The various approaches we are taking and the plans with speakers and programs will guarantee you a special experience but also give you a good taste of the character of the Latin American people. Please follow all news on www.wacs2010.com and make your registration early; also look for flights early to get the best prices!

I had the opportunity to take part in a great show in Perth, Australia, where I also had a meeting with Fonterra and Meat & Livestock Australia. As you may know, they have been partners of WACS for a long time and now we are in conversation about the future. The show itself was great, the competition was first class, the teams did a very good job. Watching the competition showed me that all countries are doing a great job and I look forward to the next big competition in Luxembourg next year.

In Singapore, I got the opportunity to have a meeting with our website team and Peter Knipp. It is a company full of activity but focused and by the middle of the summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) you will be seeing a new, updated website, coming on the net. We have been getting different ideas for this revamping from around the world so that the website will be focused on giving something to everyone. It will accommodate all four official WACS languages so you can send your news in French, English, Spanish or German. But, remember, if you, the members out there are not active, nothing will happen, so please make sure to send in news, articles and stories from your associations and countries! This is for all members, not just the presidents!

I also met with John Sloane, Otto Weibel and Eric Teo in Singapore. I am very happy to say that we have 100 % support from our friends in Singapore. It is so important that we all focus together to work on what needs to be done and I honestly believe we will get there with the team we have today. Thanks guys for your hospitality and friendship.

I stopped over in Prague for 24 hours to speak about WACS at the Czech Republic Chefs Association’s congress. I met many great people and I am pleased to say that our colleagues in Czech Republic have made the decision and made the announcement that they will be applying for the position of the next WACS Continental Director’s position for Central Europe.

I then was in Lisbon, Portugal for a few days where the Global Chefs Challenge Semi-final for South Europe was held. The area where the competition was held was very well done. The public had a great opportunity to sit and watch and take part. Fausto and Srecko did a great job and I congratulate you both and all the team working with you. Also I would like to say that everyone competing did an outstanding job. The winner from Portugal was a clear one, even if the jury had a very hard time making the decision with all other places. Well done chefs.

Finally, I went to Norway for 24 hours to support my good friend Harald Asa with the Nordic project with the Nordic Ministers. The project was about menu language. As much as we have respect for our gastronomy heritage from France and other places, it’s important to use our own language at home. This is part of each one’s identity. Harald, together with chefs from all the Nordic countries had been working on this for a months to see what can be done and how to get this idea out to the chefs. I think they did a perfect job. The first step is the need to teach chefs to write menus correctly and in their own language. I am sure that Harald will give you more news about this through our website with time and I hope other countries will see the value in doing this as we all have heart for our own languages.

I have been on the road for long time and I may forget to mention some of the places and I hope you will forgive me that, if I have. What is the most important is that the activity out there around chefs is amazing.

Over the next months we will keep on with our work and I hope soon we will announce new partners working with WACS, some great projects coming up with UNESCO and many other exciting things! Also, remember to stay in touch with our office in Paris.

I am home now for the next three weeks, giving some time to my family and helping my colleagues out with the Nordic Chefs Congress which will be held in the beginning of May.

Take care of your health, family and friends and have a great spring everyone, where ever you are and what ever you are doing.

Yours truly,

Gissur Gudmundsson
WACS President

“Positive thoughts are not enough. There have to be positive feelings and positive actions.”

Si tomamos los últimos 10 años como referencia y evaluamos como evoluciono la gastronomía profesional en América nos vamos a sorprender, Es un hecho que se produjo un gran cambio en el desarrollo técnico profesional.

Si miramos al norte EE UU y Canadá vemos un crecimiento cualitativo en el estudio de la gastronomía y en la profesionalización del sector ,donde primeramente las autoridades nacionales reconocen la profesión y las instituciones federativas trabajan con planos de carrera creando solides y futuro.

Es un hecho que la ACF de EEUU Y la F CC de Canadá están muy bien sedimentadas y producen con su trabajo un resultado excepcional en el mercado de restauración y Hoteleria de sus países.

Al tener organizaciones sólidas con historia y programas muy bien fundamentados se puede tener un alto grado de eficiencia y calidad que se vuelca a la industria del entretenimiento y Turismo

A medida que descendemos geográficamente encontramos México un país continental con una gastronomía muy rica y con rasgos culturales muy fuertes, con una gastronomía profesional en crecimiento y con diversidad de opciones, pero sin el reconocimiento profesional gubernamental necesario para generar una formación sólida y continua reconocida que de resultados marcantes en la industria de Hotelería y restauración como conjunto global, lo mismo ocurre en países de centro América como Guatemala, Honduras, Panamá, Costa rica,etc donde la actividad profesional de la gastronomía es llevado por instituciones voluntarias sin mucho apoyo financiero que intentan mejorar los niveles profesionales de la gastronomía local.

Un caso especial es Cuba que vive en un aislamiento económico lo que le impide una evolución técnica en la gastronomía adecuada ante la falta de recursos no solo privados y públicos. A medida que descendemos geográficamente vamos a encontrar en países como Colombia, Venezuela. Perú Ecuador, Bolivia, problemas en la formación profesional también por falta de reconocimiento oficial y por falta de apoyo financiero lo que lleva a las instituciones de gastronomía a desenvolverse lentamente.

Otro factor en las instituciones es que son muy nuevas y no tienen experiencia corporativa de manera que falta conocimiento en la manera de desarrollas esas instituciones, necesitan permanente de ayuda y convenios con otros países que ya tienen un camino recorrido y un reconocimiento.

Finalizando el Continente encontramos, Brasil, Argentina, Uruguay y Chile, paises muy ricos en gastronomía y muy nuevos en la formación profesional Tienen problemas similares a los de otros países de centro América y sud América y la escala depende de los apoyos publico privados para el desarrollo profesional

Existe a nivel global de América una gran evolución por la apertura de numerosas escuelas de formación que en el futuro van a obligar a los gobiernos a reconocer la profesión y simplificara el desarrollo. Otro factor para el desarrollo es la participación mas activa de los países de América en especial de centro y sud en eventos internacionales lo que permite adquirir experiencias aplicables en gran manera en los países .El hecho actual de realizarse el Congreso mundial de WACS 2009 en Santiago de chile es un gran estímulo para todos los países de América verse representados cultural y gastronomica donde podrán mostrar su cultura e intercambiar información importantes con otros países del mundo con mas experiencia en el desarrollo de la gastronomía profesional.

Atentamente

If we take the last 10 years as a baseline and evaluate the evolving professional American cuisine we are going to wonder, is a fact that there was a rapid change in the technical development work.

Looking north to the U.S. and Canada we see a qualitative growth in the study of gastronomy and the professionalization of the sector, where first the authorities recognize the profession and the institutions working with federal plans to create solid career and future.

In fact, the ACF of the USA and the FDC Canada are very well settled with their work and produce an outstanding result in the restoration of Hotels and their countries.

To have strong organizations with great history and foundation programs can have a high degree of efficiency and quality that turns to the entertainment industry and Tourism

As you descend a country geographically located Mexico continental cuisine with a rich cultural features and strong, with a food professional growth and diversity of options, but without the professional recognition necessary to create a government strong and continuous training recognized Marcant results in the hotel and catering industry as overall, the same applies in the countries of Central America including Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. where the business activity of the food is brought by voluntary institutions without much financial support they seek to improve the professional standards of the local cuisine.

A special case is Cuba who lives in an economic isolation which prevents technical developments in the food in the absence of adequate resources not only private and public.

As we go down geographically to find in countries like Colombia, Venezuela. Peru Ecuador, Bolivia, problems in training also by lack of official recognition and lack of financial support which leads to the institutions of gastronomy to slowly unfold.

Another factor is that the institutions are very new and have no corporate experience so that they lack knowledge on how to develop such institutions need of assistance and agreements with other countries which already have been made and recognition.

Finalizing the Continent are, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, countries rich in cuisine and very new in the training
Have problems similar to those of other countries in Central and South America and scale depends on the private public support for professional development

There is globally a major change of America by the opening of numerous schools of training in the future will force governments to recognize the profession and simplify development. Another factor for development is the more active involvement of America in special events center and south in which to acquire international experience largely applicable in the countries.

The current place of the WACS World Congress 2009 in Santiago the Chile is a great encouragement to all the countries being represented American cultural and gastronomic culture where they can display and share information with other countries in the world with more experience in the professional development of gastronomy.

Sincerely

In our Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel’s, recent budget speech, he said that in framing 2009’s budget he had been guided by five enduring principles, one of which was “Sustaining employment growth and expanding training opportunities.”

In response to South Africa’s need, the South African Chefs Association (SACA) in partnership with the University of Johannesburg’s School of Tourism and Hospitality, are about to finish a project which will change the face of the South African hospitality industry. Dr. Bill Gallagher has been the major driving force behind this project and with the South African hospitality industry firmly behind the project, the Southern Sun Centre for Culinary Excellence, under the auspices of the South African Chefs Association, will be opening on the 6th of May. Committed partners in this project include Southern Sun, Vulcan, Caterplus, Chipkins, Crown National, Fedics, Continental China, Ecolab and Tiger Brands.

Developed to address the skills shortage in South Africa’s hospitality industry, highlighted ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Skills Kitchen project will consist of a state of the art kitchen, with equipment sponsored by Vulcan, as well as a demonstration theatre. The aim of the Skills Kitchen is not to replace traditional culinary schools, but rather to offer short courses of either 1, 5 or 10 days in length. These courses act as an intensive injection of basic craft skills designed for junior cooks, commis chefs, kitchen attendants, fast food assistants and anyone connected to the food industry who would like to improve their skills. As SACA is a non-profit organisation, its mandate is to teach, develop and empower through training and skills sharing at the skills kitchen and not to profit, which means that the courses will be inexpensive.

The Centre for Culinary Excellence is already equipped with a large reference library, stocked with cookbooks, SACA archive material and computers to be used for web-based culinary research. The skills kitchen is a natural extension of the Centre for Culinary Excellence, equipping the industry with a venue that will be used for skills development. The kitchen will be decked out with every piece of equipment found in working kitchens in the industry, with dedicated pastry, butchery and buffet sections. Students will each have a station where they can practise the skills taught to them. Television screens throughout the kitchen will replay the demonstrated technique, ensuring that any missed step can be seen again.

Another section of the skills kitchen will be the lecture and demonstration theatre, where a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen, with equipment from Vulcan that will be upgraded as new models come in, will allow for both theoretical and practical lectures. This part of the kitchen will be separated from the second part by one-way glass, allowing those in the lecture theatre to view the hub of activity in the main kitchen.

The South African Chefs Association is immensely proud to have so many key players in the South African hospitality industry behind them in creating this world-class skills kitchen. The kitchen will allow the hospitality industry to develop and nurture talent in our country and equip students, both young and old, to reach their full potential.

BALI PASTRY TEAM QUALIFY TO ASIAN PASTRY CUP SINGAPORE
Junior Chef Takes Away Gold In Salon Culinaire 2009 Jakarta

Bali, 29 April 2009… Teams from Bali Culinary Professionals won categories Best Pastry Team, took gold medal for Pasta & Noodle Culinary Junior challenge and took bronze medal for Junior Asian chef Challenge, during the Salon Culinaire 2009. The Salon Culinaire 2009 held at JIExpo Hall D Kemayoran Jakarta - organised by the Association of Culinary Professionals (ACP), Jakarta’s association of professional chefs - is a four-day culinary extravaganza that includes seminars, competitions, and demonstrations for chefs.

Bali’s Chefs Association, Bali culinary professionals (BCP), participated in the Pastry Class Display 5 Category, Asian Pastry Cup, sending 2 teams. The team members were Katarina Sari from Nikko Bali Resort and Spa partnering with I Ketut Candranata from Ayana Resort and Spa Bali and the second team was I Made Sutisna from Ayana Resort and Spa Bali partnering with I Wayan Laspina from St Regis Bali. The team I Made Sutisna and I Wayan Laspina took best pastry team, and qualifies to represent Indonesia for Asian Pastry Cup 2010 in Singapore.

Teams from the Bali Junior Chef Chapter also participated in the first Junior Asian chef Challenge and Pasta & Noodle Culinary Junior challenge categories. Winning Bronze medal for the Junior Asian chef Challenge category were team members I Made Putra Susila a student from STP Bali, Jatu Rizki Putra Aburantha, and Ivan Suputra both apprentices from Four Seasons Resort Bali. While A Alfan, an apprentice at Loop Restaurant Canggu Club, won gold medal for the pasta and noodle category.

“In order to build up our Junior Chefs skill, motivations and self-confidence, these young chefs have been training fully for 3 months at Nusa Dua Beach hotel and Spa to enter this junior chefs competition,” claims team leader, executive chef of Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa, Darren Lauder, who is concurrently the vice president of BCP,” They are the future generation of chefs and the BCP is extremely pleased with their achievement.”

Salon Culinaire 2009 organizer and president of ACP, Vindex Tengker, executive chef of Four Seasons Jakarta, says, ”This event is potential for junior culinary exchange and science. All teams performance was an evidence of their world class standard. I look forward to seeing their talent shine in the near future.”

Salon Culinaire chef competition kicked off on April 15th with the start of Food Hotel Tourism Exhibition 2009 and is currently inspiring trade visitors and exhibitors alike with: cookery demonstrations; live cooking competitions; ice carving demonstrations; buffet and banqueting showpieces; pastry and sugar set pieces; and bakery and confectionery innovations. This event invited more that 30 judges, including internationally certified World Association of Chef society (WACS) judges, chaired by Mr. Otto Weibel.

Editor’s Note :
Bali Culinary Professionals is a non-profitable organization that supports chefs in Bali with members comprising of chefs of various levels from hotels and restaurants across the Island of Bali, together with food and beverage managers, owners and suppliers to the hospitality industry. The goal of the organization is to create, maintain and improve professional standards of chefs, highlighting and encouraging new and needed skills, facilitating new ideas and exposing Balinese food and their craftsmen locally and overseas.

For more information on Bali Culinary Professionals
Please browse : www.balichefs.com or contact :
BCP Secretariat
c.o. Travel Works Communications International
Jl. Kesari no. 60A
Tel 0361.284095, Fax 0361.270189
E-mail : info@travelworks-bali.com

(From left – Bong Weng Chuan, Syamsul Bahari, Goh Sok Siong,
Malcom and Zubir Zain)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

The Malaysian Junior Team walked away with gold medal and overall champion in the recent Asian Junior Chef Challenge category in Indonesian Salon Culinaire, held in Jakarta from 15th to 18th April 2009. The young team represented by Bong Weng Chuan, Syamsul Bahari, Goh Sok Sion Malcom and led by Zubir Zain as team leader.

In this competition the team had to cook and serve a 3 course set menu within 2 hours using some fresh vegetables and dairy products from a mystery box. According to team leader, Chef Zubir Zain, the team had undergone several training session prior to the competition and this sweet achievement has proven that all the hard work has paid off!!!

The Junior team would like to thank the committee of the Saloon Culinaire in Jakarta and especially the president chef Vindex and Chef Eduard Betez for the hospitality at the Borobudur Hotel and all the help provided.

We will like also congratulate the Singapore Junior team, placed the second place and our sister Penang Chefs Association Malaysian chapter who brought back the third place and the over all best Junior Chef with two silver medals by Chef Fong Chung Yew.

Congratulations to all other winners!

SEE YOU IN AUGUST AT FHM 2009, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA!

Federico Michelletto - President
Rossham Rusli - Vice President
Chefs Association of Malaysia

Just in time to the start into the new summer season, Konrad Spinell from South Tyrol Chef Association was able to present the WACS Global Master Chef House plaque to WACS GMC Hanspeter Humml, who is the Executive Chef at the 5 Star Hotel Mignon in Meran. Mrs. Sissi Amort-Ellmenreich, the owner of the hotel, is happy that from now on every guest is able to recognize that his meal will be prepared by a WACS Global Master Chef.

Dear Friends

See info and link to Toni & Lottis Micro Credit Project for Delta Myanmar as attached or visit www.mingalaba.info.

Micro Credits are here mainly in fishery and agriculture to ensure a future independent from others to many people in Myanmar.

With the best regards and many greetings,
Oliver E Soe Thet
President Myanmar Chefs Association WACS member, Yangon 19.4.09
Union of Myanmar

Click here for attachment

DV Cuisine Presents

The Global Chefs Challenge
&
The Hans Buesckens Junior Chef Competition

Promotional Copy
Length: 5mins
Dubai 2008

Visit www.dvcuisine.com to order the DVD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Download the Recipes

Dear All valued members & friends,

Chefs Association of Malaysia, Penang Chapter is honored and pleased to announce the new board of committees for 2009/2011 as listed below after its recent BGM cum election:

Board of General Committee 2009-2011

Please lend your support and warm wishes to congratulate this new team.

Best Culinary Regards
Peter Chan PJM
Hon-Secretary

Click to Enlarge

Dear colleagues, Happy Easter Time to you, your family Wish you by name Miroslav Kubec, president AKC CR from Prague

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Dear Colleagues in Asia,

I wish to inform you officially that the APA Forum which was planned for this year in Myanmar I now cancelled. I shall be working to see how we can accommodate hopefully to have a one day workshop for Presidents in Bangkok during the Asia Culinary Cup in Thailand.

There has been many emails floating about on the topic, and I am aware that 90% of candidates which were attending the Forum will be in Bangkok, so I shall see how we can bring this together. This will be the appropriate arena to voice ones opinion & vote on the way forward for Asia. Some of you may know that I have made a career move; this is one reason of late that I have not been so proactive in communication; going forward from here I should be able to answer queries etc. I urge all of you that were putting money aside for Myanmar etc to use this for attending the 34th Congress in Chile. We have a great line up for Juniors, Global Chefs Challenge, Hans Bueschkens and many more.

In closing there is much adversity around us, we shall focus this year on Waste & Health for International Chefs Day on October 20th. Chefs have a roll to play in these difficult times as we all still need to eat, educating on simple & wholesome food for the public is key to ensure against illness and ensure good harmony. I look forward to seeing some of you in HOFEX early next month in May.

Culinary Regards

John Sloane
Continental Director Asia
World Association of Chefs Societies

MID WALES TOURISM

CHEF GARETH'S CULINARY DELIGHTS HEAD TO WASHINGTON

Chef Gareth Johns outside the Wynnstay Hotel.

Gareth Johns, who owns the Wynnstay Hotel, Machynlleth in partnership with his brother, Paul, has been selected in a team of six chefs to represent Wales at the festival from June 24 to July 5.

He is one of around 100 Welsh performers and craftspeople who will be showcasing Wales for 10 days. The capital of the United States will take on a distinctly Welsh flavour as Wales is the featured nation at the festival, which is expected to attract more than one million visitors.

An area the size of four football pitches on the National Mall, scene of President Obama's inauguration, will be split into different themed areas, each telling a different story. Gareth and his fellow chefs, led by food writer and television and radio presenter Angela Gray, will be working in the Homes and Community themed area.

"I am delighted and proud to have been chosen to take part in this exciting festival," he said. "It's a great honour and I am looking forward to preparing and presenting dishes based on Welsh food history and fusion.

His dishes will include a Roman influence with mussels with leeks and fennel, a mediaeval influence with Crusader Salmon baked in citrus fruits, herbs and spices and a Tudor influence with Katt Pie, which includes minced mutton, currants, salt and spices.

One of the few Certified Master Chefs working outside London, he is a great believer in maintaining the traditions of Welsh food.

Although he has travelled the world as a former member of the Welsh National Culinary Team, Gareth said he was looking forward to visiting the East Coast of the United States for the first time.

His two previous working trips to the US were to Hollywood and the Napa Valley, although his culinary travels have also taken him to many European countries, Japan and South Africa.

He has worked at the Wynnstay Hotel, an 18th century coaching inn, for 10 years and has just celebrated his first successful year as co-owner. Last year, the hotel won the Best Welsh Cheeseboard award at the Great British Cheese Festival, a Penderyn restaurant of the month award and a 'highly commended' in Gary Rhodes' Local Food Hero awards.

The Wynnstay Hotel is a member of Mid Wales Tourism (MWT), an independent organisation that represents around 600 tourism and hospitality businesses in Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd.

MWT's chief executive Val Hawkins congratulated Gareth on his selection for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. "Gareth is an excellent ambassador for the quality local food and hospitality that Mid Wales has to offer," she said.

For more information please contact either Val Hawkins, Mid Wales Tourism chief executive, on 01654 702653 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations consultant, on 01686 650818.

Best Buddies Electric Cooking Competition 2009

There were over a hundred twenty teams to complete each others during the week end of Mar 28th – 29th 2009 and it was the 5th times organized by Fu Hong Society in Hong Kong.

There could be a combination of 2 – 4 team members per team and had at least one member from the Intellectual disable person to assist the cooking competition.

The participants were came from over ten local high schools, volunteer society training centers and enterprise sectors such as CITI Capital, HWL etc.

There were total of 120 teams participated in this challenge in these two days competition which made the judging wasn’t an easy job.

As I were there witnessed the whole process and tasted their menu in the two days. I found that the most outstanding participants had the creative menu design, tasty nutritious meals and presentation. The pressure had been loaded on those young kids and their guidance people,

They did the fantastic job in preparation, production and presentation and time management. Especially those students were patience in teaching & cooperating with their partners in the first times. They had never met previously before cooking competition. It was totally demonstrate how the trust and inter-relationship being established between the buddies in a short period.

What’s a challenge!!

“Taking part in this kind of Cooking Competition” is a good lifelong learning experience. It is neat to see how’ communication, demonstration and coordination work within a team in real time.

Molecular Gastronomy a system of knowledge
By: Christopher Gallaga

I suspect some were disappointed to learn that Dr. Hervé This, would not be conducting a “cooking show” during his seminar on Molecular Gastronomy, presented at the HITDC in Pokfulam. In his clear words he does not pretend to be a cook. I, being a lover of science, food and cooking was delighted that one of the worlds most affable, approachable and readable food scientists would be discussing the science of cooking.

Early in his presentation Dr. This, stated unequivocally that he was not here to answer, but rather to ask, questions. He then set about asking several empirical questions about eggs (why do they foam, how does a whisk work, which whisk is better, where is the yolk inside a shell, and so on), to which he always answered, “We don’t [yet] know.” After demonstrating the first fundamental of the scientific method: to explore phenomenon without prejudice, he then demonstrated how we could find out the true answers to all those questions (and more).

We delved into both elementary physics and chemistry, and were even presented with several quasi-cooking demonstrations, (a microwave soufflé, a mayonnaise “pudding” and a egg cooked by ethanol) but our professor again quite strenuously noted that he is not a cook, but a scientist. He plainly stated that the scientist and the chef are two distinct and important vocations in the creation of food, and that while they could be the closest of friend, while they both pursued their purpose with equally vigorous passion; they had very different goals. Scientists are in endless pursuit of sublime knowledge, while cooks are in endless pursuit of the more ethereal artistry of creating pleasure through nourishment. The scientists can no more drive the actions of the cook than the cook can force the science against reality. For mutual benefit the two must work in harmony in order to increase the vast lexicon called the art and science of cuisine.

Dr. This did provide one clear and important answer to a multi-part question that is currently on a lot of chef’s minds. He stated unequivocally that Molecular Gastronomy is the scientific study of food, while molecular cooking is an adoption of certain new knowledge and modern technology to add to or enhance the established glossary of cuisine. Throughout history we see a steady progression of food knowledge while every generation or so this fundamental knowledge is punctuated by trends and specific advancements. In time the overall food compendium adopts those specifically important features of any trend, discarding the rest. Thus it is really not a choice of either/or; it is simply that the overall encyclopedia is the big picture progress of cuisine and cooking while any trend, including molecular cookery, is the temporary divergence to a small picture specialty. Exciting in the moment, but over all just one of many contributors to a much larger base of knowledge and technique.

In the end, what Hervé This tried to do was to teach chefs the scientific method, to teach chefs how to ask questions and how to devise and perform experiments that will yield factual answers rather than more of the same “old tales” steeped in mystical supposition. To that end I found the lecture a value packed two-hours of learning, and will certainly take this scientific approach into improving the understanding the facts behind my chosen vocation. Perhaps in time I can help advance the knowledge contained in the lexicon of cookery, myself.

The Spirit of Competition

Despite the global economic downturn, culinary competitions are still going strong this year. During Hofex, from May 6th to 9th, we have the Hong Kong International Culinary Classics, one of the biggest international competition events in the region. The last HKICC saw hundreds of competitors come to compete from all around the world, in a wide range of categories, both individual and team events. The Hong Kong Young Chefs Club will also be sending a team to compete in the Gourmet Team category.

In June 1st and 2nd, we also have the 2nd Hong Kong Norwegian Seafood Young Chefs Challenge. Last year’s event saw 21 teams of chefs, aged 25 and under compete for the ultimate prize, an educational trip to Norway and a chance to see the European Bocuse d’Or finals. This year, the format will be adjusted to bring us in line with our fellow international competitors, turning this event into an individual competition. The time limit is still 5 hours, including plating and cleanup, with 4 courses featuring Norwegian cod and salmon. Further updates will be provided.

In September, during the Restaurant & Bar show, we have the 2nd Tabasco Hot Chefs Team Challenge. Last year saw six 3-man teams compete for the chance to go to Singapore and battle against the hottest young chefs in Asia.

My own first competition experience was in the United States when I was still in college. A classmate and I applied for the Accellis Culinary Arts Challenge in 2000. Somehow, both of us were selected among the 20 finalists from over 150 culinary schools in the country, and a fancy write up on yahoo.com tauted us as the top 20 student chefs in America. There was nothing that could puff up a young student’s ego than telling him he was special, and unfortunately I bought my own press. I was in the unique position in that I had already had a few years of industrial experience, and that simple cooking was something I should be more than able to handle. So, I made the ultimate, most critical mistake you can make when competing. I didn’t practice.

The Accellis Culinary Arts Challenge featured a brand new type of convection-microwave oven. It sounds like familiar technology these days, but back then, it was something really special. The oven temperature was held at a base temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, with 100 kilometer per hour air currents helping to brown food on the outside whilst the microwave steams the interior. Just to give you an idea of its performance, this oven could roast a whole chicken from raw to fully cooked in under 3 minutes! A whole roasted Boston lobster could be cooked in 90 seconds, and my own entry, a roulade of pork tenderloin stuffed with lychees and dates took 45 seconds to cook it to medium doneness.

You’d think with such a fast oven, finishing four portions in 75 minutes should be a breeze. But because I didn’t practice, didn’t properly organize my thoughts and processes, I ran into problems. The competition was a major media event. Charlie Trotter, famed for his namesake restaurant and beautiful cookbooks, was one of the judges, along with six of the thirty or so American Culinary Federation Certified Master Chefs. The competition was held in the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone School in Napa Valley, California. While we were cooking, a team of journalists armed with notebooks and video cameras poked and prodded at our work, got in the way of our stoves, even messed around with our ingredients! The allotted time flew by in a blink and I realized I was barely even halfway done. I asked the floor judges if I could just give up and quietly disappear, but they informed me that Charlie Trotter wanted to see my finished product.

In the end, I didn’t even get a medal, understandably. I had gone 45 minutes over my time limit. However, during my critique, the tasting judges told me they were more interested in seeing if I would finish what I started. Charlie Trotter later told me that being willing to go back in after admitting defeat showed strength of character he would like to see in more chefs today. I later shared a glass of champagne with him and sent the photo to my mother.

I promised myself that if I ever competed again, I would practice myself to death, and I nearly did just that.

A year later, I was asked to join the college competition team to compete in the ACF Junior Culinary Olympics. We practiced 2 or 3 times a week, every week for a year. For the first component, we had to refine our knife skills to be able to produce with absolute precision a wide range of knife cuts within an hour. The exact knife cuts were determined by a draw, so we had to know all of them. These included tournée (7 faces, 2 inches long, 3/4 of an inch in diameter), fine brunoise (1/16th of an inch fine dice), paysanne (1/2 inch squares, triangles and circles, 1/8th of an inch thick), along with concassé of tomato, finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, and rondelle of carrot.

Now, I like to think that Hong Kong chefs have some of the finest knife skills in the world. Still, it took a lot of time and commitment to achieve these exacting standards. The judges really do go around and measure your cuts with a ruler!

The main part of the competition though was the 4-course meal, 4 portions of each. We had developed our own dishes in collaboration with our team coach, Michael Edrington, a big, rough-yet-dignified Southern fella, who also happened to be a hell of a chef. My own part to play in this was a piña colada bavarois, a creamy coconut and rum-scented dessert filled with pineapple compote, placed on a tempered chocolate coated sable cookie, with a thin layer of pineapple and vanilla jelly on the top. As an accompaniment, I had included a caramelized sugar cage in the shape of a pineapple, placed over marsala-macerated berries on toasted macadamia sand, along with two sauces (one a berry jus, the other a kiwi fruit purée). Oh, and a tempered chocolate filligrie; all this to be done in 75 minutes!

The exact layout of the plate, the components, the flavours, textures, etc. took the better part of a year to develop. I actually lost sleep over this plate, to the extent that I would be playing with the arrangement in my mind’s eye whilst driving on the Southwest Freeway at over 85 miles per hour at 2 o’clock in the morning. I almost got thrown out of school because I began missing classes. I went from one extreme to the other, but my commitment eventually paid off in big ways.

The first competition we had was for the Texas state title. Texas is a big state, about the size of Western Europe, and our chief rival, a team from Dallas was led by a master patissier from France. Our practice prevailed however. The 75 minutes went by in a blink and I was wondering if I’d even started yet when the results were announced. A gold medal!

In last year’s WACS Congress in Dubai, I met a chef from South Africa who gave a talk about the spirit of competition. He said that getting your first gold medal is “…better than sex! And I’ve had a lot of great sex, let me tell you!” A bit coarse, but he pretty much summed it up though. That first medal isn’t about you beating all the other competitors, but about besting yourself. I always hate it when cooks tell me they’re doing the best they can, because you really have no idea what your best is until you push yourself beyond what you think is your limit. Competition is all about besting yourself, bettering yourself, discovering just how much more there is to you.

I’ve been in a total of 4 competitions, not a great number when compared to individuals like our HKCA competition guru, Mak Kam Kui of Disney Hollywood Hotel. I had the chance to team up with him in Penang, Malaysia along with Ken Chow and Martin Lam (an old HITDC classmate of mine) for the 3rd Penang Chefs Challenge. It was one of the most intense competitions I’ve ever seen, let alone competed in. For five rounds, 28 teams from around the world were faced off against each other, one on one. The winning team proceeded to the next round, sort of like in Wimbledon. Each round saw a host of chefs racing to fight over ever-dwindling (and decomposing) supplies of ingredients, plus two mystery ingredients provided at the last minute. Limited refrigeration and work space, domestic stoves and stifling heat made for a truly challenging environment. Gelatine, chocolate and sugar work was made next to impossible due to the heat and humidity. To top this off, the competition took place in a public area where hundreds of spectators milled about. We managed to place 1st runner up in the end, and made a lot of new friends too.

Culinary competitions are probably the worst place to try new things. There are so many variables, so many unknowns, so many things that can go wrong at the last minute that you want to eliminate as many as you can before you go in. Know your equipment, your ingredients, your methods, everything. I see so many young chefs try to “reinvent the wheel”, create new flavour pairings and then try to justify their wild choices to the judges. You want to make sure of as many things as possible when you go into that arena because competition is all about execution. Creativity comes and goes long before you first pick up that knife after the timer starts.

Practice is the key, and with it comes commitment. You shouldn’t get into competition if you aren’t going to give it your all. Don’t give a mediocre performance or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. You’ll constantly be asking yourself, “Could I have taken gold if I’d tried that little bit harder?” Even if you don’t win, you can take away a tremendous learning experience.

Also, always remain humble. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re always right. Get second and third opinions. Socrates said that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing. If you start thinking you’re smart, you’re going to find yourself in a slugging match with the judges, and that’s a truly embarrassing position to be in. When you get a critique, take notes and learn from it. The beauty of being a chef is that you can never know it all. There’s always something you can learn from someone else.

Anyway, good cooking! Francis Lo