WACS
Global Chef CHallenge
Central Europe Semi Final 2007

8 Teams gathered in Budapest from Tuesday, September 24th to Friday 27th for the Central Europe Semi Final of the WACS Global Chef Competition.

This competition was the brain child of WACS President Ferdinand Metz (USA) and it is designed to see who is the best chef in the world.

The preparation for this competition had been on going since the WACS Congress which was held in New Zealand in March 2006. Each WACS Member Country of Central Europe could nominate or have held their respective final and now teams have come together for the Semi Final with the winner is going on to Dubai for the World Global Chefs Challenge Final in May 2008.

Austria was represented by Chef Hans Peter Fink from the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, Czech Republic with Chef Jan Horky from Restaurant Rybi trh (FishMarket) in Prague, Germany with Chef Holger Mootz, Restaurant Alte Bootswerft and Smokery Rügen Rauch, Hungary with Chef Attila Bicsár from Restaurant Alabárdos in Budapest, Luxembourg with Ladychef Corinne Colles from Grand Hotel National Lucern, Netherlands with Chef Toine Smulders Chefpatron of Restaurant Cuisine Villa Copera in Tolkamer and Switzerland with Chef Friederich Zemanek, Chefpatron from Restaurant Walliser Kanne in Fiesch.

Each competitor were permitted to bring with them as assistance a student/apprentice to help with basic tasks in the kitchen.

The judging panel also has a big International flavour with Milan Sahanek from Czech Republic, Lázlo György from Hungary, Frank Widmann from Germany, Wynand Vogel from Netherlands and Adrian Bader from Switzerland, all of them are WACS approved Judges. WACS also provided the Head Judge and Observer for the competition with Axel Ruehmann..

The teams gathered with the judges the day prior to the cook off, they were greeted by the WACS Continental Director of Central Europe Reinhold Metz and the President of the Hungarian Chef Istvan Petö. They  welcomed all teams to Budapest and thanked Chef Dènes Sandor for his role in organising the competition as well as thanked the Helpers and Sponsors.

Competitors were then given a briefing and overview of the DO’S and DON’TS for the competition by the Head judge Axel Ruehmann, once the boxes had been seen, they were given a wine matching with food seminar and then they had to hand in their menus, teams then had the opportunity to research recipes in their own time.

On the Wednesday morning the competition started, and then the heat was well and truly turned up inside the kitchen, competitors were given a staggered start as each course were to be put up in 5 minute intervals with a penalty of 1 point per 2 minutes late per course.

The Judges decided in case of the closeness of the results that the following Chefs all will be placed on 3rd.

Chef Hans Peter Fink from Austria,  Chef Jan Horky from Czech Republic, Chef Holger Mootz from Germany, Chef Attila Bicsár from Hungary, Ladychef Corinne Colles from Luxembourg, Chef Sebastian Krauzowicz from Poland.

2nd place was awarded to Chef Friederich Zemanek, Chefpatron from Restaurant Walliser Kanne in Fiesch Switzerland.

“…and the winner is:”
Chef Toine Smulders
of Restaurant Cuisine Villa Copera in Tolkamer, Netherlands

Winning Chef Toine Smulder with his Assistant Robert Hartelmann framed by WACS CD Reinhold Metz and Istvan Petö, President Ugnarian Chefs Association

The Winning Menu

Jelly of smoked Duck Breast with
Red Beet and Apples Tower
surrounded by Vanilla Oil

Pan seared Pikeperch with
Duxelles in Spinach Leave
On Red lentils with Carrots and Ginger

Lamb Loin in Herb Crust
Potato and Goat Cheese Terrine
Minisquash and puree of Yellow Bell Pepper and Peas

Chocolate – Pistachio – Tartelett
with Walnut Sabayon

At the award presentation in the wine cellar of the world well known Hungarian Restaurant “Gundel”, which was a fantastic frame WACS CD Reinhold Metz thanked all participants on their great effort, and passed on his congratulations to the Hungarian Chefs Association in particular to Denes Sandor and his Chefs team, the Exhibition Managing Director Maria , and the Sponsors. He also recognized the importance of an International judging panel lead by Axel Ruehmann.

Overall the competition was a great success for Hungary and the Central Europe region, and now it is on to Dubai. 3 TV teams where working in the Competition area and the German TV will show a 25 Minutes take from the contest at VOX Channel at 4th of November 2007.