Dear Colleagues,

If you had the opportunity to attend the recent congress in New Zealand I like to thank you for having represented your country and your chefs association. If you were not able to attend then this letter will bring you up to date on the many issues we discussed and those that we initiated and even resolved. Listed below is a status report on some of our major initiatives:

The delegates of the congress approved the new by-laws, which incorporated the many suggested changes that were made over the past two years.

The board also approved the establishment of several committees to assist in matters of Education, Finance, Certified Master Chef, Marketing, Congress Oversight and By-Laws.

The delegates were introduced a global Certification Initiative and the International Certified Master Chef program, both of which were also approved.

We presented the first ever Global Chefs' Challenge, which will have its inaugural debut at the Dubai congress. The focus of this competition is to grow it into the major global culinary event and to highlight our collective culinary expertise.

In addition, the new Culinary Guidelines and the Rules and Regulations for the Global Chefs' Challenge are being finalized and will be mailed to you within the next two months.

Our new awards program recognized the outstanding work of some of our colleagues and thanked those who supported us over the years, and we congratulate the following winners:

- The Honorary President's Humanitarian Award, sponsored by Nandos, was presented to the Chefs Association of Sri Lanka for their outstanding effort following the Tsunami.

- The Educator of the Year Award, sponsored by the Norwegian Seafood Council went to Master Chef Gerhard Bauer for his contributions to the WACS Train-The-Trainer program.

- The Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Dr. Billy Gallagher for his untiring efforts and great contributions on behalf of WACS over the many years.

- The President's Global Partnership Award was presented to Mr. Norman Clubb, President and CEO of Unilever Foodsolutions for their world wide support of many WACS endeavours.

There were indeed many highlights, none greater, however than the 38 Educational Sessions, Chefs Demonstrations and Specialty Lectures, which underscores our commitment to education and provided a great value to all in attendance. Special thanks go to all those who freely shared their knowledge and expertise.

Our collective thanks also go to the Organizing Committee and to the entire New Zealand Chefs Association. Their warm welcome and outstanding hospitality made this past congress very special to all in attendance. The chefs and their spouses did a terrific job and as such set the tone for all future congresses.

In the near future we will be sending out an electronic survey and ask for your timely and constructive response. The board needs your feedback in order to ensure that the direction of WACS is in concert with the wishes and desires of the membership. As you can see, there are many exciting initiatives coming your way. Please contact your continental director and the WACS web site for more details on the above subjects.


Sincerely yours,

Ferdinand Metz

A report by Canterbury Junior Ambassador Theresa Scott, Commis Chef, Christchurch Casino

I have to admit that I held a few nerves about the congress. The Junior Chefs' Forum programme was so intensive with workshops that were full of the big names; Peter Gordon, Dean Brettschneider and Graham Brown (With his speed, accuracy and butchery skill during the venison demonstration I have to say I was immensely jealous and hope to possess that level of skill one day) to name a few. And with so many talented and successful chefs it truly was a chance of a lifetime to be part of.

As one of the Canterbury ambassadors I thought I might be a bit lost in it all; but as soon as I walked into that Paua Cocktail Party and seeing those lamb carcasses hanging from the roof and the display of the duck, all doubt firmly left my mind. I knew this week had been meticulously planed and the man hours spent to arrange, organizes and execute the event, it surely was going to be one week I would not forget.

At the Paua Cocktail Party, the Kiwi Junior Ambassadors set about introducing themselves to as many of the other junior chef representatives as possible. After a few bubbles the plan was set to meet afterwards at a conveniently placed Irish pub, just round the corner from the hotel that was to be home for the juniors throughout the coming week.

The junior forum participants happily swapped chef tales and compared war wounds till the wee hours of the morning.

Monday morning came around all too soon and we, the juniors, were to participate in the Grand Opening Ceremony and Parade of Nations. Thanks to Gary Miller for organising the parade of flags, a very proud moment for every country, with the realization of just how large WACS is and to host it in our very own back yard!!!!!!
(And I guess only chef could include the ‘Crusaders' theme tune into the Opening Ceremony of a World Congress.)

Monday afternoon was spent at AUT. We were welcomed with a beautiful lunch prepared by the student chefs then we were into the workshops. I would have to say the highlight would have to be Phillip Kraal and his amazing stuffed pig's snout, Scott Webster's Pavlova – Aussies or Kiwis (it's ours). The workshops were all so informative, with new techniques, approaches and ideas. Because we asked so many questions and discussed every detail (which in itself goes to prove that the organisers' had hit on the right recipe – excuse the pun, for success) that it was a mad dash back to Sky City to catch the bus to North Harbor Stadium. This lead to one of the more fun and enjoyable activities where Murry Dick gave Lori Sands (Rotorua ambassador) and I a soccer ball which started a great game of 30 aside (spot the Kiwis with their slow brute force). We are all in an agreement at the breakfast table the next morning that we have each discovered new muscles.

As I sit here and read back on all the work shops and the recipes, it's hard for me to pick the best highlight as the were so equally enjoyable in my mind and I learnt and lot of new Technique's and gained a huge amount of product knowledge day after day, I nearly had to ask for another note book because I filled mine up and here's were I have to give credit to Renny and his team. Thanks for the apples, you definitely didn't let us go hungry.

I enjoyed the possum pate immensely until I found out what it was then it became a mind game to finish it. Having an interest in pastry I found Dean Brettschneiders tips useful when it came to bread making. And yes, yet again they had to hold one of the buses behind for us as we went way over time, could not miss out on the wine tasting and one of my personal favourite brands of wine, Villa Maria. We were well looked after that night I really enjoyed being on the other side for a change.

Wednesday 15th March COMPETITION DAY
The real test, to see if the competitors' had been listening. The mystery box which incorporated food and wine/beer demonstrated from the days prior. The competition seemed to pass in a blur, 3 and ½ hours to produce a 3 course meal for 6 covers. If it was fast for the viewers, then one can only imagine how it seemed for the competitors'

A nice touch added to the last hour spent at AUT was the motivational speech, presented by Mark Inglis. Mark is certainly a testament to the fact that with passion and determination you can achieve the impossible. Impossible is a possibility, it's just that no one has tried hard enough. Mark's determination to succeed in the face of overwhelming odds has certainly left an indelible mark on my way of thinking. I am currently reading his book and have found it very inspiring.

There is only one word to describe the Pohutukawa Gala Dinner & Awards, Magical. From the moment you walked in, the native New Zealand forest with the accompanying sounds, the lighting and table settings through to the glorious food. The absolute highlight had to be the three singing waiters they had us all fooled!!! I really thought they were lip sinking, but no, they were the real deal and with their last song, every napkin in the house was in hand; being waved with passion and vigor above our heads. What an awesome way to sum up the congress.

I was very impressed by the level of hospitality throughout the week; I think I must have eaten my own body weight in all that glorious food. The workshops were well planned and very informative. What I learnt will help me immensely as I enter my first competition later this year. Another aspect to come out of the Junior Forum is the life long friendships that have been cemented, both locally and internationally. I'm really appreciative that I had the opportunity to be part of it all and I would like to thank everyone involved, all the sponsors, the organising committee for no doubt weeks of planning, and Dr Bill Gallagher for his passion and determination to ensure that we, the Junior Chefs' of today, had an opportunity to see the opportunities' that await us tomorrow. And last but not least, to the Executive Committee of Canterbury Chefs NZCA for giving me this opportunity, one that will only come around once in the lifetime of a junior chef.

Over all, the congress and junior forum, from this young chefs' perspective was a huge success.



For more information, please visit www.acfchefs.org.

The French Open Dessert Contest was held in Paris over the weekend (25 and 26 March) and the top three countries have been chosen to move up to the World Pastry Cup Finals to be held in Lyon in 2007. The successful countries were Thailand (1st), Norway (2nd) and Finland (3rd).

The 2006 International Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge (ISSCC) will be held from 24 to 28 October 2006. Organised by the Australian Culinary Federation Queensland (ACF Qld) in partnership with the Economic Development Branch of the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC), the competition will have a maximum of 16 teams participating.

The New Zealand Chefs Association (NZCA) is leading the way in the Global Chef's Challenge with the National Final being held as part of their 49th Annual Conference from July 6th – 8th 2006 in New Plymouth. Seven chefs, one for each region of the NZCA have been selected to represent their region of New Zealand. At the conclusion of the NZ heat, the two highest placed chefs will then go through to the Pacific Region Final, being held in Christchurch in 2007.

The 2007 Pacific Region Final will be a Tri-nations affair, with representatives from Australia and Fiji flying in to compete against their Kiwi counterparts to see who will then go through to the World Grand Final in 2008.

The competition format is a ‘Mystery Box' cook-off. Each competitor will have three and half hours to produce a three course meal for 6 persons from a box of mystery ingredients that they will only have access too half hour prior to the start of the cook-off. They must also recommend a suitable wine match to their main course.

Finnish chef Martti Lehtinen has performed wonders for the benefit of the international co-operation and WACS. He has promoted Baltic relationships and encouraged Baltic countries to apply for memberships.

Mr. Lehtinen has also been active on international, national and regional levels; serving for ten years as a member of the Board of the Nordic Chef Association and as President of the Finnish Chef Association in 2002-2006. He is also founder of the Central Finland Chef Association of which he was president from 1996 to 2001.

Today Mr. Lehtinen works as a vocational lecturer in Restaurant Meal Production in Jyväskylä Vocational Institute, Restaurant - Catering College.

The One World Culinary Competition will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2 at the Iceland Food and Hospitality Exhibition 2006. This is the first competition of its kind and includes chefs from Australia, Brazil, Estonia, Romania, and South Africa. The instigators of the competition are chefs from Iceland and South Africa, and the competition will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2007.

The Icelandic Dishwasher of the Year Competition will also be held at the Iceland Food and Hospitality Exhibition 2006. Food technicians are in charge of this competition that will be held on Friday, March 31 with a highly competitive group of competitors. It is fully anticipated that this will be very entertaining event, with lots of broken dishes, suds and water splashing; an action packed event held in a boxing rink. The winner will be the representative of Iceland in the Nordic Dishwashers Competition in Stockholm, April 24.

Chile beat China, Sri Lanka and the Czech Republic during a vote held at the recent WACS Congress 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand. The biennial Congress is one of the most prestigious events in the world culinary calendar with 72 countries and approximately 10 million chefs around the world belonging to WACS.

Chilean Chefs Association general manager Jacqueline Rodriguez Echevarria said years of hard work, a convincing presentation, and 'playing to win' were just some of the reasons why Chile had been successful with their bid.

"We also had the support of the Tourism Promotion Corporation of Chile and National Service of Tourism which also helped us to achieve success."

"Today we completed a global circle for the hosting of the Congress, as it has never been held in South America before."

Chilean Chefs Association President Fernando A. de la Fuente Espina said the event is expected to benefit Chile's food and wine industry, as it will bring hundreds of chefs from around the world to Santiago in 2010.

"Many of the chefs have annual buying and influencing powers that are counted in the hundreds of millions of dollars," Fernando said.

Never again, will Chile exporters have such an opportunity served up to them in their own country. Ordinarily, local companies have to spend thousands of dollars developing and implementing marketing strategies in order to make only a tiny dent in offshore markets.

"Overseas delegates attending the 2010 Congress are expected to come from key markets in Europe, America, Canada, Asia and Australia and all of them will be focused on what Chile has to offer."

Fernando and Jacqueline said they would be seeking sponsors and putting in place a comprehensive strategy for running the Congress upon their return to Chile.

Figgjo AS has expanded their trendsetting Figgjo Front series with the new and different Figgjo Plattform collection.

Created to challenge both the way we traditionally serve food and how we eat, the new Figgjo Front products, Figgjo Plattform, feature a rectangular eating surface with a somewhat higher than normal height that literally takes dining to a new level. With their integrated design the platforms can be used as either plate or serving tray, thereby focusing attention on the presentation of the food and enhancing the dining experience.

The platforms come in 5 different versions in sizes from 9 to 42 cm of which 2 platforms are designed with a slightly lowered mirror and can to a certain extent be viewed as plates. The three other products have a completely flat eating/presentation surface and will certainly enhance all presentations of food on tables, counters or buffets.

The platforms have an architectural, building block-like quality, challenging the senses to compose and create whimsical and playful structures than can easily be combined with other products. By setting the products on top of each other it is possible to create even more height variations in table settings.

The products build further on the modern trend of “food sharing” and use of “centre pieces”. By using the platforms as part of the table setting we also meet the demand from chefs for “porcelain on porcelain” serving.

The products were inspired by collaboration with the Norwegian Culinary Team.

The frigid air and grey skies of winter have sent luxury travelers from the U.S. searching for bluer skies and a whole lot of warmth in the first three months of 2006, according to Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the luxury brand featuring over 360 hotels in 60 countries.

Despite SLH's global presence, it is Florida, Arizona and the Dominican Republic that have grabbed the attention of leisure travelers so far this year with sun seeking enthusiasts heavily booking Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada, FL; The Bentley Beach Hotel on Miami Beach, FL; Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, AZ and Sivory Punta Cana in Dominican Republic. www.ehotelier.com

February 2006 saw the return of high-spending tourists from the USA and Japan to London, reports PKF Consulting in its monthly study of the UK hotel industry.

While the majority (61.7%) of the capital's hotel visitors last month were from the UK and Europe, the proportion from the USA and Japan increased by 5.3% and 9.1% respectively year-on-year. Visitors from the UK/Europe tend to stay for a shorter time and spend less than those from elsewhere.

London hotels reported a 5.6 percentage point rise in February occupancy to 76.9%, with average rates up 2.8% at £106.87, which boosted rooms yield or revenue per available room (revPAR) by 8.5% to £82.23.

Regional UK hotels, meanwhile, saw February revPAR of £46.97 (+3.2%), largely driven by a 2.6% increase in rates to £69.45, as occupancy remained near flat (+0.6pp) at 67.6%.

PKF's monthly report analyses data from 504 regional UK hotels, predominantly in the three- and four-star categories, and 174 in the capital (three- to five-star). www.e-Tid.com.

After years of meeting mostly in bigger cities, the main trade group for the rent-to-own industry is considering Memphis, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio, for its 2008 convention. Its motive: saving money.

It's one of a growing number of business groups looking to smaller cities for meetings and conventions because of sky-high hotel rates in cities such as New York, Miami and Washington. Beneficiaries of the trend: places such as Columbus, Memphis, Sacramento and Savannah, Ga..

An analysis by StarCite, a website where corporations book meetings in hotels and convention centers, shows that smaller cities dominate the list of places with the fastest growth in inquiries. www.usatoday.com.

Christopher Bachran, the first foreigner to head a State-owned company in China, lost his job as president of Jinjiang group's hotel management unit after presiding over an eightfold profit increase in two years.

Bachran, 56, will leave Jinjiang International Hotel Management Co, which operates Shanghai's famous Peace Hotel, next month after his contract wasn't renewed, the US hotelier said Friday.

"I achieved the company's plan," Bachran, a former Sheraton and Radisson hotels executive, said. "Maybe it's time for them to pass the more mature company to someone else."

Bachran's departure highlights the lack of top foreign executives at China's State-owned companies, three years after the government started a campaign to recruit overseas talent.

Jinjiang, China's biggest hotel operator, hired Bachran to modernize its management as competition intensifies with overseas hotel chains such as Accor SA and Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc.

Bachran was hired by Jinjiang on a two-year contract in March 2004. Under his tenure, net income at the hotel-management unit, which operates 85 of the group's hotels, rose to 72.1 million yuan (US$9 million) last year from 9.01 million yuan in 2003, and revenue almost doubled to 201.7 million yuan, from 113.6 million yuan.

The unit contributed 37 per cent of 2005 net income at publicly traded Shanghai Jinjiang International Hotels Development Co, which holds the group's hotel business, and was the listed company's most profitable arm with an operating profit margin of 91.7 per cent last year.

Please visit the link for more information: www.asiapulse.com

PepsiCo has set up a research and development centre in China, according to local reports.

Xinhua News Agency said on 28 March that the soft drinks giant had established the centre to focus on drinks and leisure food catering specifically to Chinese tastes. At the same time, the news agency added Pepsi had built a laboratory in Shanghai to mix, analyse and improve food.

Citing a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the report noted that the Shanghai R & D centre is the company's first such facility outside the US.

Earlier this month, Chinese media reports claimed that Pepsi's Mirinda brand contained excessive levels of benzene, a claim that the company strenuously denied.

Please visit the link for more information: www.just-drinks.com

A new 'frequency-enhanced' bottle water is being launched in the US.

Liquid Om, available now in health food stores, spas and yoga studios, is made through a patented-pending process based on the principles of sound therapy being used to infuse purified water to the frequency of the earth as it revolves around the sun, a specific vibration that is expressed in meditation circles by the mantra 'Om'.

The drink will be available at a MSRP of US$1.49 per half-litre bottle.

"Everyone drinks water, and water holds sound at five times the magnitude of air," said the drink's creator, Kenny Mazursky, on Friday (24 March). "That's why dolphins and whales can talk to each other when they're miles apart. In addition, studies have shown that vibration affects the crystalline structure of water and that water has the ability to ‘memorise' frequency information. I realised that I could essentially treat water with sound to share the effects of sound therapy with a much wider audience."

"You don't have to be a monk perched on a mountain to find balance anymore," Mazursky added. "People are now able to drink the Om." The Chicago-based company supports social and environmental initiatives by contributing a portion of each sale to earth-friendly causes.

Please visit the site for more information: www.just-drinks.com.

Evans & Tate has put its Oakridge winery up for sale as part of its plan to focus on its premium wine business.

The ailing Australian wine producer said today (24 March) that it was "seeking expressions of interest" for the Victoria-based winery. E&T chairman John Hopkins said the company needed to focus on its premium wine brands in order to grow sales at home and abroad.

He added: "Evans & Tate's roots and competitive strengths are in the premium wine sector. While Oakridge wines are of exceptional quality, its limited capacity does not fit the company's strategy of competing in the domestic and international markets." Earlier this month, E&T struck a deal to sell its Mildura winery to UK beverage group Neqtar for A$22m (US$15.5m).

Last week, E&T posted heavy first-half losses of A$44.4m, including a A$19.9m write-down across its wineries and distribution company, and another write-down of A$8m on its wine inventories. It added then that talks on the sale of its Griffith winery were "progressing well". www.just-drinks.com

International hospitality professionals know that Hotelex Shanghai is an event they cannot afford to miss! Whether for selling purposes or for sourcing from China, Hotelex Shanghai 2006 should be on your agenda! From 4 -7 April 2006 Hotelex Shanghai will open its doors at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, welcoming 30,000 hospitality decision-makers from over 70 countries and regions. It provides an unrivalled opportunity to generate qualified sales leads, to network with old and new partners, to monitor Asian market trends, and to build brand awareness for your poducts.

For more information, visit www.hotelex.cn

Anuga FoodTec - International Trade Fair for Food and Drink Technology will be bringing representatives of the food technology sector from all over the world to Cologne for the fourth time from 4th to 7th April 2006. Anuga FoodTec is jointly staged every three years by Koelnmesse GmbH and the German Agricultural Society (DLG). With around 35,000 registered admissions and visitors from 130 countries (approximately 50 per cent of whom were from abroad), Anuga FoodTec 2003, the leading international food technology trade fair was once again confirmed as a top business platform for making investments for the food and drink industry. Furthermore, the high internationality leads to a multilateral interchange as well as to global contacts and business. With its unique crossover concept, Anuga FoodTec uses a cross-sector and process-oriented approach to bring together all the aspects of production, conveying technology, packaging and distribution. Use these synergy effects and reach all sectors of the food and drink industry at one event, while gaining access to new markets and target groups. Meet important decision-makers who are prepared to make major investments and want a compact and concentrated source of information on the latest technologies.

For more information, visit www.anugafoodtec.com/

The international exhibition companies PRIMEXPO and ITE Group Plc are glad to announce you the 10th International Food, Beverages and Ingredients Exhibition. InterFood St.Petersburg 2006 will provide a highly professional exhibition and seminars forum for regional, local and international companies in the Russian food market. Exhibitors will benefit from the vast experience of Primexpo and ITE and excellent standards of service that it is known for, from stand design right through to marketing services and customer care. The high quality of trade only visitors to Primexpo and ITE's exhibitions, attracted through the VIP regional buyer programme, will surpass expectations of even the most experienced exhibitor. The integral part of InterFood St. Petersburg exhibition is a specialized exposition Ingredients - "Food ingredients, additives and spices", where companies will present everything that gives piquancy to products.

For more information, visit www.equiphotel.ru/eng

A journey of the senses. A dining experience to be remembered. The World Gourmet Summit started in 1999 from a wisp of an idea between two gentlemen- one, who saw promise, and the other, who promised to deliver. Together, they embarked on an epicurean adventure to heighten the awareness and appreciation of fine food and great wines. Every year, we welcome the established experts and the burgeoning prot?? of gastronomy. We place them under the spotlight and taste their brilliance. We invite critically acclaimed wineries and savour their passion and mastery of the vine. Every year we serve the movers and shakers of the local and regional economies- high-standing affluent socialites, journalists from world renowned publications and the who's who of the food and beverage industry. And every year we feel the sophistication of gourmands and epicureans grow in us. Fine Cuisine. Great Wines. Unique Dining. We've adhered to this mantra in all its permutation because this best exemplifies our quest in gastronomy. We still have much to discover. And as the old saying goes, "the best is yet to come".

For more information, visit www.worldgourmetsummit.com

FHA2006's seven specialised events encompass all the significant sectors of the food and hospitality industry namely, FoodAsia, Wine&SpiritsAsia, BakeryAsia, HotelAsia, HospitalityStyleAsia and the FHA Culinary Challenge. Each individually tailored for the increasingly sophisticated needs of the food, drinks and hospitality industry. Besides providing an excellent platform for buyers and sellers to meet, FHA also provides value added programmes such as industry-related conferences and seminars. These and other multi-faceted programmes put FHA2006 on the pedestal as the leading food and hospitality event not to be missed!

For more information, visit www.foodnhotelasia.com

Break out of your ordinary business routine at the Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant Show. The LVIHRS, presented by the Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association, the Nevada Restaurant Association, and a new partner for 2006, the California Hotel & Lodging Association, showcases more than 350 suppliers with the newest products and services, and 4,000 lodging and foodservice executives representing the fastest growing regions in the lodging and foodservice industries. The LVIHRS is where business gets done. Add in numerous exciting competitions, special events and networking opportunities and the LVIHRS is the place to be.

For more information, visit www.lvihrs.com

If you would like to see your WACS related stories published in this E-Newsletter kindly email us the details at: ezine@wacs2000.org

Be a WACS Partner!
The World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS) website reaches out to a wide network of more than 8 million member chefs across 72 countries. As a Partner for www.wacs2000.org, you have the opportunity to position your organisation at the forefront of culinary communications and reach out to chefs across the globe.

For more information on how to be part of this dynamic network, please contact us


For careers at WACS, please visit www.wacscareers.com