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Congress Promotion

Message from Iceland
Thursday, 30 July 2009

President

Alfred Omar Alfredsson

Icelandic Chefs Association
P.O. Box 1301 IS,
IS 121 Reykjavik
Iceland
ICELAND

Tel: 354 696 4443
Email: haflidi@garri.is
Website: www.chef.is

Association Info ›

Over the last year I have thought a lot about how important it is to have good friends and I realized that it is often when something terrible happens that this crosses my mind. What the Icelandic nation has experienced over the last year almost everyone knows.

What is the purpose of the fact that we are forced to loose good friends and family members for various reasons? You certainly brings you to think more about your family and friends and live life one day at the time.

The Scandinavian people are good friends, almost family. The Nordic Chefs Association, which includes the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland, was founded in 1939 and held its 70 years anniversary here in Iceland last May during the Congress. The congress was held in Reykjavik between the 7th and 10th of May. Delegates from all the Nordic countries met, debated, learned new things, had lots of fun together and re-elected Chef Overas from Norway as President. It is a great and most certainly a unique feeling that five countries can come together this way and learn from each other, fight amongst themselves, but still be best friends when everyone goes home.

Here in Iceland we are still going strong, the culinary industry cannot stop, even while the economy is terrible. There is an even stronger need for the industry to be stronger as the wheels of the economy are slowing down. A long time ago, we here in Iceland realized that the young generation will eventually take over and it is very important that the "older" chefs make some compromises to allow the younger people to blossom while remembering that the young people often have differing opinions. These two culinary generations can and are working together in Iceland with great results.

The culinary world in Iceland refuses to lie down in these difficult economic times, and believe me, the Icelandic culinary industry, and especially the Icelandic Culinary Team will be a force to contend with in the years to come.

On a lighter note, of course we will not stop welcoming our culinary friends, as any friends, from all over the world to our little volcanic island of fire and ice.

We are also looking forward to seeing most of you in Chile next year!

Regards,

Alfred Omar Alfredsson
President
Icelandic Chefs Association

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