Memorable mentions- Events
Chef Toines Smulders Of The Netherlands is The Inaugural WACS Global Chef Champion (May 15th)
At 3:30pm Dubai time on 15 May 2008 Netherlands chef Toines Smulders, was crowned as the inaugural WACS Global Chef. This was certainly a historical moment for WACS, as the WACS Global Chef competition is the 80-year-old organisation ’s very first and only wholly-owned competition. Chef Smulders beat challengers from six other WACS continents, who were all champions of their regional continental heats. The second and third prizes were awarded to Norway ’s Tom Victor Gausdal and USA ’s Aidan Murphy, while Singapore ’s Anderson Ho received the media judging prize. Also taking home the best food & wine pairing trophy, was team USA.
This competition took four years to materialize, and was spearheaded by the Presidium headed by Ferdinand Metz. The idea behind WACS ’ Global Chef Challenge, was to create a competition which WACS could call its own, and to showcase the highly skilled chefs of WACS from each of our continents. The two-year long process was certainly not an easy one for continents to establish. First, country heats were conducted before continental heats. Some continental directors even had a hard time persuading all of their member countries to join, given the competition ’s infancy. But it was certainly all worth the wait, as WACS members have found yet another reason to work together for the future of our beloved organization.
The 33rd WACS Congress Comes To A Close With A Desert Outing (May 15th)
This was, without a doubt, the highlight event of the 33rd WACS Congress and it was an evening where everyone literally ’let go’ — of their own clothes, that is, in exchange for traditional Arabic outfits. After a short ride out to the dessert, WACS members were greeted with two queues for the changing rooms, one for the men and the other for women, before entering the compound created for the closing celebrations. Once inside, everyone was awed by the majestic ambience and beautiful Arabic tables settings — low tables with comfortable cushions all set on the sand.
Dinner was an even more interesting sight, with traditional Lebanese food served. Most intriguing was that all the cooking was done in open-air kitchens set above the dining area. To deliver the fresh, hot Lebanese breads and carved meats down into the chaffing dishes provided, chefs actually used chutes stretching from the kitchens to the individual chaffing dishes to send the food down! Entertainment was provided in the form of belly-dancers which certainly piqued the interests of many chefs! And for the adventurous, a ride on camels was also available. And as a final treat, Cuban cigars were given out to all!
Needless to say, the evening was filled with sights to behold and it was certainly an experience of a lifetime to dine out in the dessert and even experience fireworks right at the end!
South Korea Takes Top Honours at MLA Blackbox Global Finals (May 14th)
South Korea, fresh from its win to host the WACS Congress 2012, has gained yet another accolade here in Dubai. On 14 May, after a grueling day of competition cooking, the North Asian country came up as the winner out of 19 international teams competing in the bi-annual MLA Blackbox Global Finals. Team South Korea, representing the Grand InterContinental Hotel Seoul, won its chance to represent its country by winning the country heats. The three person team was headed by team manager Chef Bok Jong Dae, in-charge of the hotel’s buffet restaurant. His three team members were chefs Kim YooShik and Lim HoTeak, both 3rd cooks in Grand InterContinental Seoul’s flagship restaurant 34, and patissier Choi JinBok. South Korea also received the awards for Best Soup course, a creamy mushroom veloute, and for Best Main Course.
Overall, Asian countries took home most of the awards. Singapore received the award for Best Appetiser, for its Quattro of Norwegian seafood, and Indonesia won the Best Dessert category. This global finals of the MLA Blackbox is the culmination of two years of worldwide competitions stretching from the United States to Mauritius, and from South Africa to China. The MLA Blackbox, which first started in Bali in 1996 is a WACS endorsed competition and has certainly grown from strength to strength in its 12 years of operations.
Team Iceland Wins WACS Presidium Bid (May 14th)
After four years of leadership under President Ferdinand Metz, the World Association Of Chefs Societies (WACS) has a new presidium under Iceland ’s Gissur Gudmundsson.
A vote was held at the opening of the business day today, Wednesday May 14, at the 34th WACS Congress in Dubai. This is the first time in 20 years that a vote has been held for an incoming presidium. Gissur Gudmundsson ’s new presidium also includes running mates Hilmar B. Jonsson (candidate for Vice President), who has been a previous President of the Icelandic Chefs Association and a certified masterchef since 1969; and Helgi Einarsson (candidate for Secretary General) who is general manager of a leading food export company and was an active member of the Icelandic Chefs Association from 2004 to 2007.
At a presentation held on Monday morning, Gudmundsson revealed he had sold his restaurant in Iceland last year to dedicate himself and his time to the running of WACS. Also promised, is a permanent WACS Office in Paris, fully funded for four years by the Icelandic government. At his acceptance speech, Gudmundsson reiterated his campaign message that his team will be ’rethinking tradition ’ and emphasized, "We will work for everyone of you."
Continental Director for Asia, John Slone, was the other candidate for president and will keep his current post.
South Korea Wins Bid For 35th WACS Congress 2012 (May 13th)
Bright and early on Tuesday morning, 13 May 2012, four WACS member countries presented their bids to host the 35th WACS Congress 2012. Portugal was the first up, offering a programme which promised to include many cultural activities highlighting the country’s rich history. Sri Lanka, led by the Chef’s Guild of Lanka president Gerard Mendis, presented a look at the guild’s successful humanitarian project for victims of the tsunami in 2005. This was an incentive to come and witness the exciting work done for young chefs in Sri Lanka. Third on the list was South Korea, which offered the most comprehensive and well-thought through programme, and it even proposed a soccer game as a way to unite all WACS member countries! Finally, India proposed its case, highlighting the fact that the country plays host to many international exhibitions and conventions yearly and has a complete and fully equipped infrastructure to handle a WACS congress.
WACS country presidents and their members were given the morning to discuss the presentations and to decide which country they would vote for. A secret ballot was taken after lunch. The first round of voting shortlisted Portugal and South Korea. And on the final and second round, South Korea was awarded the bid for WACS Congress 2012!
Some of the incentives to look forward to in South Korea, which will receive much sponsorship from the Korean government, are:
2 free accommodations (5 nights) per country
20% Discount for Korean or Asiana Airlines
6 Team "Junior Chef" Invitation (By Continent), 6,500 EURO each team, 1 team = 5 members
Free Accommodations (4 nights) for 30 National Teams
Free Registration Fee for Accompanying persons of junior & the retired
33rd WACS Congress Overview (May 12th)
It was a very business day for WACS members, with the first official day of the WACS congress opening to the beat of traditional Arabic drums and an increased number of flags in our parade of nations — this year we introduced 12 new member countries to our 80-year-old organization! The very first item up for vote were changes to the by-lays, and they were hotly contested among members of the floor. After much discussion a motion to pass the by-laws was put to vote and due to a lack of a two-thirds majority, the by-laws did not pass and will be taken up again in Chile in 2010. Continental Director for Central Europe, Reinhold Metz, also gave a report on the growing WACS Masterchef programme which he has spearheaded and is currently very successful. Over 250 WACS masterchefs were awarded with their diplomas and medals — a great start indeed.
If you’re looking to review a presentation give during this business day, look no further than the WACS website! We have a full list of the presentations available for your review in various formats — text file, powerpoint presentations, audio as well as video. Do keep coming back to this page for more updates!
WACS Continental Directors Gissur Gudmundsson & John Sloane Vie For Presidium Votes
For the first time in about two decades, WACS members will be voting for a new presidium. During the last few presidium handovers, there had only been one contestant for presidium. Indeed this should be seen as a sign that our organization is keeping up with the times and that more and more individuals are willing to dedeicate their time and efforts to running and promoting our beloved organization.
The candidates up for election this year are truly powerhouse chefs, and very capable administrators, in their own right. Both are also WACS Continental Directors. The two teams are similar in composition — each proposes a vice-president who is an older, more established and a respected member in the WACS community, as well as a younger secretary general in-charge of spear-heading the team’s future directions.
Heading up the Iceland team is Continental Director for North Europe Gissur Gudmundsson. During his presentation, Gudmundsson revealed his strong commitment to WACS — as Continental Director he has diligently kept in touch with every country in his region, and travelled far and wide for judging competitions and promoting the cause of WACS. He makes a case for Iceland, a small country with a big heart, and his team promises a WACS office in Paris (run for four years with the help of the Iceland government) as well as changes and improvements to current WACS programmes.
Continental Director for Asia John Sloane is also hoping to win our votes for presidium. Sloane is a newcomer to the WACS board, having only taken up his position in 2006 when other Continental directors had a head start in 2004. However, he is without a doubt one of the most pro-active and effective Continental Directors the Asian region has ever seen. In the past two years, Sloane has fostered strong friendships with members in his region, and has travelled extensively throughout Asia to promote WACS. The Singapore team strongly believes it is time for Asia to step up to the plate, and show the world that Singapore can take the future of WACS to an even higher level. Team Singapore is also proposing to run a WACS office upon election.
It will surely be an exciting time over the next few days, before the vote on Thursday morning, as candidates gear up their campaigning. Every vote counts at a time like this. As we hope… May The Best Candidate Win!
Welcome Cocktail Reception (May 11th)
Venue: Al Mutaqa ballroom at Dubai International Convention Centre
WACS Delegates Mingle Through The Night At Dubai Congress 2008 Welcome Reception
From Australia to Cuba, and from Korea to Belarus, WACS delegates from around the world met for an evening of casual cocktails, catching up with old friends and meeting new colleagues at the welcome reception for the 33rd WACS Congress held in the Dubai Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Dubai UAE. Delegates and their guests for the event arrived at the convention centre and were treated to a red carpet entrance as they made their way to a ballroom filled with canapés, traditional Arabic and creative Western desserts, and a selection of delicate cold items. Outside in the foyer, an interesting array of hot food items catered for the needs of everyone present. Guests were constantly crowded around the two whole lambs set atop mountains of basmati rice, intrigued by the traditional Middle Eastern dish.
WACS President Ferdinand Metz began his welcome speech by asking everyone present to smile at a person nearby. As President Metz pointed out, that person was probably from another country and from a completely different culture too. He pointed out that with so many nationalities present at the welcome event, it truly showed that the strength of WACS as an organization lay in our ability to come together despite our differences — differences in language and culture. He said, “This difference is the true and only strength of our association. I suggest we accept, even celebrate our differences.”
Indeed, with four full days of WACS meetings scheduled ahead of us, it is time to bury our differences and to work hard together for the good of our beloved organization — the World Association of Chefs’ Societies!
Want to spot all the different nations represented at this year’s WACS congress? Click on to our photogallery!
The Global Chef’s Challenge (May 15th)
This practical cookery competition is a new WACS initiative. It will be inaugurated in Dubai during the 2008 congress. Seven senior finalists - each of whom will have triumphed as the best chef of their geographical region (through a world-wide series of competitions) – will be eligible to join culinary battle and compete for the title Global Chef 2008. This event will be a permanent fixture on the WACS competition calendar. The winner of this biennial battle can truthfully boast of holding a verifiable worldclass culinary title.
The Hans Bueschkens Memorial Trophy (May 13th-15th)
Here, twenty young chefs will each represent their respective countries, vying to be adjudged as the best young cook in the world. With only six-hours in which to complete the entire test - from the composition of the menu, to the service of the meals – this competition is designed to challenge each junior to prove to the jury the evidence of his/her culinary and organisational skills. (www.wacs2000.org).
The Meat & Livestock Australia Black Box Culinary Challenge (May 14th, 15th)
Twenty-five teams of juniors, each consisting of: a team manager, a team captain, two cooks and one pastry chef, will compete in the grand final of a global inter-hotel competition that has taken the teams to two years of close competition to secure a place in the final.
On day one each team will be presented with a black box of mystery ingredients; once the ingredients are disclosed, teams have just one hour in which to draw up a menu and present it to the organisers. The teams then take the ingredients for preparation to their place of work. The following evening each team must serve the menu as compiled by them to twenty guests. All plating and decorating and the work on the pass is undertaken in full view of the diners! An interesting and entertaining spectacle culminating in a 500-seat gala dinner for invited guests.(www.mla.com.au)
The Dr. Bill Gallagher Junior Chefs’ Forum
Inaugurated by our Honorary-President-for-Life, Dr. Bill Gallagher, the Junior Chefs Forum will be conducted at the same time as the main congress and will offer some elements of the main congress programme to juniors. The forum is a platform for the young chefs of the world to air their views. The encouragement and development of junior chefs is an important part of the WACS philosophy.
Although there is a separate programme planned for the junior forum it will be designed so as to converge with the main congress from time-to-time so that the juniors may associate with the senior delegates as much as possible.
In addition to the culinary competition; educational programme, networking and the exchange of ideas and information it will offer workshops and visits to key sites of interest during the period. It is open to all member countries of WACS each of whom will also be able to send one junior member to participate in the Hans Beuschkens culinary challenge at no cost. Also included will be junior representatives from the ECG. Junior chefs from around the world will be encouraged to attend so as to build international goodwill, and to develop future chefs.
A special dining facility will be part of the Hans Beuschkens culinary challenge so that juniors can sample the meals produced by their colleagues at the competition.
WACS Executive Committee and Sponsors Dinner (May 13th)
This dinner will allow some of the most highly recognized individuals in the world of hospitality to meet and discuss culinary events and share information with the main sponsors of the congress. The dinner shall be a semi formal affair with a menu dègustation created by the Chef de Cuisine of the Rib room restaurant at Jumeirah Emirates Towers. The Rib room restaurant is renowned for its high quality beef cuts from American and Australia served in an innovative and modern style.
The restaurant and bar for pre dinner drinks shall be exclusively reserved on this night with a capacity of hosting 80 guests on tables of 6 or 8 depending on sponsors’ wishes.
Timing of the dinner shall be 8pm till approximately 11pm, during the course of the evening sponsors shall be able to mingle with the WACS Executive committee and also top food and beverage professionals from the United Arab Emirates who make up the Executive committee of the Emirates Culinary Guild. There shall also be marshals and other officials from the Emirates Culinary Guild who are from the leading establishments from around the city.
This rare opportunity to forge new alliances and friendships should not be missed by sponsors,delegates and officials. Also in attendance will be a number of the presenters from the official educational program. They will share with diner
Deep in the Desert - Gala Dinner – Lisali Fort (May 15th)
o As the guests arrive they will be presented with a dish-dash for men and an abaya for the ladies to wear over their casual cloths to start the fun of the evening.
o At the entrance Ayala dancers will welcome the guests into the area. The guest shall walk through a fort entrance and walk beside a traditional vegetable and spice souk display area.
o On the other side of the alley there will be shops that sell curios and artifacts and perfume from the region for guests to purchase.
o In front of the fort area there will be camels ready to ride, fortune-tellers,weavers and henna artists practicing their traditional crafts.
o Servers will greet guests as they arrive with trays of fresh juices and soft drinks and assorted alcoholic beverages. Served from a large display bar area. Back ground music from Arabic band is playing on the stage.
o There will be an opening speech by the President of WACS and a speech from each of the key sponsors.
o Awards for the winners of the Junior Chef Competition will be made, followed by the awards for the winners of the Global Chef.
o The buffet will open and the guests will be free to move about at will.
o Traditional Shish’a majlis are open and ready to receive guest to sit and enjoy the entertainments from these raised vantage points.
o Enjoying a pasttime that is unique in all its aspects.
o In the centre of each tent 2 belly dancers shall perform on raised platforms and encourage the guests to join in, accompanied by the Arabic band on the stage.
o After the belly dancers, a spectacular fireworks display will be followed by a female Arabic singer.
o Luxury Coaches will convey guests to and from the venue.
The Menu
o The menu has been specially designed and will showcase Arabian cuisines and international cuisine to suit the most discerning palates
o Spectacular live cooking stations will enhance the Illuminated buffets elaborately decorated with Arabic themes.
o There will be special carts with traditional Arabic snacks.
o Many food items will be cooked in front of the guests, this will be of great interest to the delegates who are professional chefs, or those interested in how everything is cooked.
Beverages
Full standard bar with beer, red wine, white wine, regular spirits, (excluding champagne and premium sprits), soft drinks, canned juices, mineral water.
Decoration at camp site to include the following:
o Specially decorated Shisha Majlis areas
o Grand fort entrance with flame torches
o Table set up incl. linen, low Arabic chairs and chair covers
o Welcome reception display for juices
o Table centerpieces
o Elevated live cooking stations for Bread ovens, tandoori ovens and boiling pots.
o Tables with low seating with cushions, decorated in Arabic style
o Guests sit in large tents with high roofs that allow clear site lines to the stage.
o A total of 3 large A frame tents shall be used for the event, these will accommodate easily 1000 guests