Author: Clare

Dilmah Elixir of Ceylon Tea is a natural tea extract designed to make hot summer days, chilled out. In under 2 minutes, make beverages that are low in sugar, ranging from iced teas, mocktails, cocktails, shakes and smoothies. Test its convenience and consistency with the Iced Tea Inspiration Travel Pack which features Dilmah’s Ceylon Black Tea extract with Lychee / Peach / Mango / Lemon and Lime. 

Explore recipes and more, here: www.elixirofceylontea.com.

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El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. joins Worldchefs as National Member

• El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. has joined as a Worldchefs National Member.
• Founded in 2018, El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. is the largest network of professionals in the food and beverage industry in Mexico, with diverse programs to support the growth of cooks and chefs at all stages of their professional development.
• For the latest news from Mexico, follow El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. on Worldchefs online community platform and visit the association’s website.

Paris, 5 of June 2021 – El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. has joined as a Worldchefs National Member. Founded in 2018, El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. represents the largest network of professionals in the food and beverage industry in Mexico, with diverse programs to support the growth of cooks and chefs at all stages of their professional development.

In 2006, a small group of passionate chefs recognized the lack of a Mexican association needed to unite and represent workers in the food and beverage industry. In addition, there was an urgent need to expand and promote the ideals and high standards of Mexican gastronomy in other parts of the world. With the encouragement of the Worldchefs Board of Directors, the establishment of the association began in 2018, and on April 16, 2019, El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. was officially registered.

“We are proud to welcome Mexico to the Worldchefs global family,” says Thomas Gugler, Worldchefs President. “Their commitment towards the culinary community and to the advancement of knowledge, exchange, and experience is an inspiration for all the culinarians around the globe.. We look forward to working together on our shared mission to build strong professional bonds with colleagues and chefs all around the world.”

El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. shares a core mission to advance the food and beverage industry to a level of excellence through the union and representation of gastronomy professionals in Mexico and around the globe. Their main objectives center around education, dialogue, and global connection.

El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. works to enrich the cultural wealth of Mexico through its gastronomy. A fundamental part of their mission is to promote and protect the vast heritage cuisine and foodways of Mexico. Through this, the association aims to foster understanding and respect, with professionalism and responsibility as core tenets for Mexican chefs around the world.

The young association has also nurtured a highly ranked national culinary team. Since 2012, the Mexico Culinary Team has competed for their country in some of the biggest competitions in the world, including IKA Culinary Olympics, and the Culinary World Cup and the Global Chefs Challenge. Mexico is ranked among the top 20 teams in the world in multiple categories, including Hot Kitchen, Pastry Arts and Banquets. One of the team members, Chef José Carlos Pérez Lecona, is ranked among the Top 5 in the world in the Mukimono specialty of carving, with 9 gold medals to date in Germany, Italy, and Luxembourg.

“I send greetings from all the chefs who are part of our association. We will continue working to ensure that more people in Mexico and around the world know the values and initiatives of Worldchefs,” says Rodrigo Ibañez, President of  El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C.

For the latest news from Mexico, follow El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. on Worldchefs online community platform and visit the association’s website.

To connect with members of El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. as well as other national associations, leading companies, and hospitality professionals around the globe, create a free Worldchefs account within seconds at www.worldchefs.org/login.

Feature image: Mexico’s Junior National Team at the IKA/Culinary Olympics award ceremony. Photo: Worldchefs

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ABOUT WORLDCHEFS 

The World Association of Chefs’ Societies, known as Worldchefs, is a dynamic global network of 110 chef associations worldwide. A leading voice in the hospitality industry, Worldchefs carries 91 years of history since its founding at the Sorbonne by the venerable Auguste Escoffier. Representing a mobilized international membership of culinary professionals, Worldchefs is committed to advancing the profession and leveraging the influence of the chef jacket for the betterment of the industry and humanity at large.

Worldchefs is dedicated to raising culinary standards and social awareness through these core focus areas:

Education – Worldchefs offers support for education and professional development through the landmark Worldchefs Academy online training program, a diverse network of Worldchefs Education Partners and curriculums, and the world’s first Global Hospitality Certification recognizing on-the-job skills in hospitality; 

Networking – Worldchefs connects culinary professionals around the world through their online community platform and provides a gateway for industry networking opportunities through endorsed events and the biennial Worldchefs Congress & Expo;

Competition – Worldchefs sets global standards for competition rules, provides Competition Seminars and assurance of Worldchefs Certified Judges, and operates the prestigious Global Chefs Challenge;

Humanitarianism & Sustainability – Worldchefs Feed the Planet and World Chefs Without Borders programs relieve food poverty, deliver crisis support, and promote sustainability across the globe.

For more information about Worldchefs, visit us at www.worldchefs.org.

ABOUT EL COLEGIO NACIONAL DE CHEFS PROFESIONALES DE MÉXICO A.C.

Founded in 2018, El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. works to unite the gastronomy professionals of Mexico at all levels of their careers who are in search of professional improvement, promoting specialization and international certification, participating and organizing conferences, seminars and world-class competitions, publicizing the heritage and wealth of the national gastronomy.

As part of this mission, the association’s key objectives are to:

GROUP the graduates in gastronomy, chefs, students and the like from Mexico to fight for their professional improvement.
ESTABLISH and foster fraternal relations with other professional associations, especially with those of similar or related professionals in the country.

MONITOR the professional exercise of the Food and Beverage industry, in order that it be carried out within the highest moral and legal plane.

PROMOTE the issuance and reform of Laws and Regulations relating to the exercise of Gastronomy, Service and Sommelier.

PROMOTE the general culture, specialization and international certification of the members, as well as the dissemination of Mexican Gastronomy in the world.

PARTICIPATE and organize congresses, forums, panels, seminars, courses, diplomas, certifications, etc., and culinary competitions.

For more information, visit colegionacionaldechefs.com.mx.

For any media inquiries, contact: 

Clare Pettersson

Communications Manager, Worldchefs

[email protected]

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El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. se une a Worldchefs como Miembro Nacional

• El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. se ha unido a Worldchefs como Miembro Nacional.
• Fundado en 2018, el Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. es la asiciación de profesionales de la indistria de Alimentos y Bebidas mas grande de México, con diversos programas que propician el crecimiento de chefs y cocineros en cualquier etapa de su desarrollo profesional.
• Sigue al  Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. para enterarte de las últimas noticias en la plataforma en línea de la comunidad Worldchefs y visita el sitio web de la asociacón website.

París, 5 de junio de 2021 – El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. se ha incorporado como Miembro Nacional de Worldchefs. Fundado en 2018, el Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. representa la red de profesionales más grande de la industria de alimentos y bebidas en México, con diversos programas para apoyar el crecimiento de cocineros y chefs en todas las etapas de su desarrollo profesional.

En 2006, un pequeño grupo de chefs apasionados detectó la falta de una asociación mexicana necesaria para unir y representar a los trabajadores de la industria de alimentos y bebidas. Además, existía una urgente necesidad de expandir y promover los ideales y altos estándares de la gastronomía mexicana en otras partes del mundo. Con el apoyo de la Junta Directiva de Worldchefs, el establecimiento de la asociación comenzó en 2018, y el 16 de abril de 2019 se registró oficialmente El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C.

“Estamos orgullosos de darle la bienvenida a México a la familia global de Worldchefs”, dijo Thomas Gugler, presidente de Worldchefs. “Su compromiso con la comunidad culinaria y con el avance del conocimiento, el intercambio y la experiencia es una inspiración para todos los apasionados de la gastronomía y la hospitalidas de todo el mundo. Esperamos trabajar juntos en nuestra misión compartida de construir fuertes lazos profesionales con colegas y chefs. alrededor del mundo.”

El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. comparte la misión principal de hacer avanzar la industria de alimentos y bebidas a un nivel de excelencia a través de la unión y representación de profesionales de la gastronomía en México y en todo el mundo. Sus principales objetivos se centran en la educación, el diálogo y la conexión global.

El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. trabaja para enriquecer la riqueza cultural de México a través de su gastronomía. Una parte fundamental de su misión es promover y proteger la vasta herencia culinaria y gastronómica de México. A través de esto, la asociación tiene como objetivo fomentar la comprensión y el respeto, con el profesionalismo y la responsabilidad como principios fundamentales para los chefs mexicanos de todo el mundo.

La joven asociación también ha nutrido un equipo culinario nacional de alto rango. Desde 2012, el Equipo Culinario de México ha competido por su país en algunas de las competencias más importantes del mundo, incluidas las Olimpiadas Culinarias IKA, la Copa Mundial de la Gastronomía y el Desafío Global de Chefs. México está clasificado entre los 20 mejores equipos del mundo en diferentes categorías, que incluyen Cocina Caliente, Pastelería y Banquetes. Uno de los miembros del equipo, el Chef José Carlos Pérez Lecona, está clasificado entre los 5 mejores del mundo en la especialidad de tallado de Mukimono, con 9 medallas de oro hasta la fecha en Alemania, Italia y Luxemburgo.

“Envío los saludos de todos los chefs que formamos parte de nuestra asociación. Continuaremos trabajando para que más personas en México y en todo el mundo, conozcan los valores e iniciativas de Worldchefs”, dice Rodrigo Ibáñez, presidente del Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C.

Para las últimas noticias de México, sigue al  Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C. en la plataforma en línea de la comunidad Worldchefs y visita el sitio web de la asociacón website.

Para conectarse con miembros de El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México A.C., así como con otras asociaciones nacionales, empresas líderes y profesionales de la industria de la hospitalidad de todo el mundo, cree una cuenta gratuita de Worldchefs en segundos en www.worldchefs.org/login.

Foto principal: Equipo Nacional Junior en las Olimpiadas Culinarias IKA, durante la ceremonia de premiación. Foto: Worldchefs

-FINAL-

ACERCA DE WORLDCHEFS

La Asociación Mundial de Sociedades de Chefs, conocida como Worldchefs, es una red global dinámica de 110 asociaciones de chefs en todo el mundo. Una voz líder en la industria hotelera, Worldchefs lleva 91 años de historia desde su fundación en la Sorbona por el venerable Auguste Escoffier. Representando una membresía internacional movilizada de profesionales culinarios, Worldchefs se compromete a promover la profesión y aprovechar la influencia del uniforme del chef para el mejoramiento de la industria y la humanidad en general.

Worldchefs se dedica a elevar los estándares culinarios y la conciencia social a través de estas áreas de enfoque centrales:

Educación: Worldchefs ofrece apoyo para la educación y el desarrollo profesional a través del emblemático programa de capacitación en línea de la Academia Worldchefs, una red diversa de socios educativos y planes de estudio de Worldchefs, y la primera certificación mundial en hotelería que reconoce las habilidades en el trabajo en hotelería;

Networking: Worldchefs conecta a los profesionales culinarios de todo el mundo a través de su plataforma de comunidad en línea y proporciona una puerta de entrada a las oportunidades de trabajo en red de la industria a través de eventos patrocinados y el evento bienal Worldchefs Congress & Expo;

Competencia: Worldchefs establece estándares globales para las reglas de competencia, brinda seminarios de competencia y garantía de jueces certificados por Worldchefs, y opera el prestigioso Global Chefs Challenge;

Humanitarismo y sostenibilidad: los programas Worldchefs Feed the Planet (Alimentando el Planerta) y World Chefs Without Borders (Chefs sin Fronteras) alivian la pobreza alimentaria, brindan apoyo en caso de crisis y promueven la sostenibilidad en todo el mundo.

Para obtener más información sobre Worldchefs, visítenos en www.worldchefs.org.

ACERCA DE EL COLEGIO NACIONAL DE CHEFS PROFESIONALES DE MÉXICO A.C.

Fundado en 2018, El Colegio Nacional de Chefs Profesionales de México AC trabaja para unir a los profesionales de la gastronomía de México en cualquier nivel de sus carreras y que están en busca de superación profesional, promoviendo la especialización y certificación internacional, participando y organizando congresos, seminarios y competencias de clase mundial, dando a conocer el patrimonio y la riqueza de la gastronomía nacional.

Como parte de esta misión, los objetivos clave de la asociación son:

AGRUPAR a los graduados en gastronomía, cocineros, estudiantes y afines de México para luchar por su superación profesional.

ESTABLECER y fomentar relaciones fraternales con otras asociaciones profesionales, especialmente con las de profesionales similares o afines del país.

MONITOREAR el ejercicio profesional de la industria de Alimentos y Bebidas, con el fin de que se lleve a cabo dentro del más alto plano moral y legal.

PROMOVER la emisión y reforma de Leyes y Reglamentos relativos al ejercicio de la Gastronomía, Servicio y Sommelier.

PROMOVER la cultura general, especialización y certificación internacional de los miembros, así como la difusión de la Gastronomía Mexicana en el mundo.

PARTICIPA y organiza congresos, foros, paneles, seminarios, cursos, diplomas, certificaciones, y ccompetencias  gastronómicas.

Para obtener más información, visite www.colegionacionaldechefs.com.mx.

Para cualquier consulta de los medios, comuníquese con:

Clare Pettersson

Gerente de comunicaciones, Worldchefs

[email protected]

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Is Multi-Sensory Experience the Future of Fine Dining?

Cocoon-like dining spaces, mood-altering lights, fragrances paired with food — the haute end of the restaurant chain is simmering with multi-sensory intrigue. Le Cordon Bleu contributing editor Sona Bahadur explores the growing popularity of immersive gastronomic experiences that stimulate not just taste buds but all of the senses to heighten the pleasure of eating.

Can a lollipop evoke the same feelings as listening to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture? Can an edible version of a Jackson Pollock painting be created on the dining table? Can a loaf of heritage wheat bread bring alive the last supper prepared in Pompeii moments before Mt Vesuvius erupted and reduced the ancient Roman city to ashes? If you’re a multi-sensory cuisine enthusiast, you’ll know that the answers are yes, yes and yes!

The said Tchaikovsky lollipop made its appearance at a 2016 International Society of Neuro-gastronomy meeting; the heritage bread was recreated by British culinary wizard Heston Blumenthal as part of a meal inspired by the cuisine of Pompeii last year, and the Jackson Pollock-inspired dessert is just one among many of Grant Achatz’s genre-bending dishes for his Chicago-based restaurant Alinea.

Only a decade ago, such high-concept experiences would have been dismissed as flights of fancy. Worse, they would have elicited derision. A good meal should speak for itself, traditionalists would have scorned. Yet what was once just the simple pleasure of eating is increasingly becoming a curated, playful, often tech-aided spectacle that takes dining to new levels of enjoyment.

Sense and satiety:

Although the act of eating is multi-sensory by its very nature, the notion that enjoying food and drink transcends taste and involves all of the five senses began finding wider acceptance during the 2010s. An increasing number of high-end restaurants are experimenting with smells, sounds, storytelling and other “off-the-plate” elements to manipulate the perception of flavour. From dining in the dark to 12-course culinary operas, from musical food pairings to high-tech “taste pods” that enhance the taste of chocolates, sense-stimulating experiences are all the rage.

The science of flavour perception:

The popularity of multi-sensory dining owes in large part to the emergence of the science of neuro-gastronomy, which has helped unravel the complex multi-sensory brain processes that create the range of flavours we experience when eating and drinking. According to neuro-scientist Gordon M. Shepherd, our appreciation of what is in the mouth is created by the brain. Charles Spence, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford and author of Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating, postulates a similar view. “I think we all assume that taste comes from our tongues….In fact, all of your senses are involved. Everything from the colour of the plate to the weight of the cutlery in your hands, from the background music to any ambient scent, as well as the lighting and even the softness of the chair you are sitting on.”

All the food world’s a stage:

What started in the lab segued into the kitchen. Blumenthal was at the vanguard of experiential dining. His Sound of the Sea, a plate of oysters, clams, seaweed and panko “sand,” which comes with an iPod tucked into a conch shell at the Fat Duck, is now regarded as a classic of multi-sensory dining. The iPod plays sounds of the ocean, waves crashing and children playing to conjure up feelings of nostalgia. Ferran Adria and Grant Achatz, who began serving menus that stimulate the senses a decade ago, have been equally influential. As the trend finds fans across the globe, more examples have emerged — Schloss Schauenstein in Switzerland, Ultraviolet in China, El Celler de Can Roca in Spain, and more.

The appeal of immersive cuisine:

Modern chefs are recognising that flavour is more potent than taste as it engages all the senses and can evoke nostalgia, reminiscence and emotion. Using audio and other sensory influences enables them to enhance the flavours of their dishes and make them more memorable. Curious, up-for-anything diners are just as hungry for enhanced dining experiences that play on all of their senses. What’s more, they are willing to pay a pretty penny for them. Witness the popularity of Ibiza’s Sublimotion, billed the world’s most expensive restaurant, where Michelin-starred chef Paco Roncero takes diners on a multi-sensory culinary voyage by fusing art, gastronomy and virtual reality. The phantasmagoric adventure comes at a price — a whopping $2,000 per meal.

A taste of the future:

The exorbitant price points of dining at multi-sensory restaurants put them beyond the reach of most diners, thereby limiting their appeal to a tiny but influential niche. Spending five hours eating a 17-course meal might not be everybody’s cup of tea. Yet there is no denying that theatrical, forward-thinking restaurants are here to stay. Neuro-gastronomy is still in its nascence and brings a lot to the table. As the field evolves and new studies emerge, practitioners of multi-sensory cuisine will take vastly different approaches to dining to accentuate their distinctiveness. Advances in technology coupled with an increasingly multidisciplinary approach to dining — think storytelling, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics, opera, electronica, poetry, olfaction, performing arts, singing, painting, cinema, music — will continue to push the boundaries of the culinary arts.

Meanwhile, one can’t help but wonder what they will do to a lollipop next.

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This article was originally published by Worldchefs Education Partner Le Cordon Bleu.

Chef Ulla Liukkonen was invited to become an honorary member of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies – the award was handed over on June 9, 2021 in Lahti 

Ulla Liukkonen, President of the Finnish Chefs’ Association, has been awarded an honorary membership in the World Association of Chefs Societies (Worldchefs). Liukkonen has been the chairman of the Finnish Chefs since 2008. Lifetime Honorary Membership of Worldchefs is the highest recognition a chef can receive from his colleagues.

– I am extremely grateful for the recognition I have received and I want to share it with our entire association. I warmly thank Wordchefs, the board of the Finnish Chefs Association, the member associations and all our members, as well as our supporters, for their cooperation over the years to promote Finnish food culture,” says Liukkonen.

– Recognition is granted on the basis of strict selection criteria, such as the member states’ support for the applicant and meritorious work for the country’s chefs’ association and Worldchefs, says Petri Selander, vice-president of the Finnish Chefs’ Association.

Osmo Norha (1974) and Martti Lehtinen (2006) have previously been invited from Finland to become honorary members of Worldchefs.

The recognition was announced at the Worldchef Congress on 15 August 2020, which was held as a remote congress instead of the Worldchefs Congress & Expo in St. Petersburg due to the corona situation.

Due to the situation, the harnesses were handed over to Liukkonen less than a year late. A solemn handover ceremony was held on June 9, 2021 in Lahti in connection with the board meeting of the Finnish Chefs’ Association. In addition to SKM’s board, representatives of the regional association Päijät-Hämeen Keittiömestarit ry congratulated them.

The Finnish Chefs Association congratulates Liuko on the recognition.

 

About Suomen Keittiömestarit (the Finnish Chefs’ Assocation)

The Finnish Chefs’ Association is a national association that acts as the central organization of regional chefs’ associations and as the guardian of the professional interests of its members, promotes professional skills and knowledge, and co-operates between communities, companies and individuals operating in the field. One of the main goals of the activity is to promote Finnish food culture and high-quality cooking skills. The association also supports competition activities in the field. The Finnish Chefs’ Association is a member association of the Nordic and world chef associations. Learn more at www.chefs.fi.

About Worldchefs

The World Association of Chefs’ Societies, known as Worldchefs, is a dynamic global network of 110 chef associations worldwide. A leading voice in the hospitality industry, Worldchefs carries 91 years of history since its founding at the Sorbonne by the venerable Auguste Escoffier. Representing a mobilized international membership of culinary professionals, Worldchefs is committed to advancing the profession and leveraging the influence of the chef jacket for the betterment of the industry and humanity at large.

Worldchefs is dedicated to raising culinary standards and social awareness through these core focus areas:

Education – Worldchefs offers support for education and professional development through the landmark Worldchefs Academy online training program, a diverse network of Worldchefs Education Partners and curriculums, and the world’s first Global Hospitality Certification recognizing on-the-job skills in hospitality; 

Networking – Worldchefs connects culinary professionals around the world through their online community platform and provides a gateway for industry networking opportunities through endorsed events and the biennial Worldchefs Congress & Expo;

Competition – Worldchefs sets global standards for competition rules, provides Competition Seminars and assurance of Worldchefs Certified Judges, and operates the prestigious Global Chefs Challenge;

Humanitarianism & Sustainability – Worldchefs Feed the Planet and World Chefs Without Borders programs relieve food poverty, deliver crisis support, and promote sustainability across the globe.

For more information about Worldchefs, visit us at www.worldchefs.org.

Keittiömestari Ulla Liukkonen kutsuttiin kokkien maailmanliiton kunniajäseneksi – käädyt luovutettin 9.6.2021 Lahdessa

Suomen Keittiömestarit ry:n puheenjohtaja, keittiömestari Ulla Liukkoselle on myönnetty maailman keittiömestariliiton The World Association of Chefs Societies -yhdistyksen (Worldchefs) kunniajäsenyys. Liukkonen on toiminut Suomen Keittiömestareiden puheenjohtajana vuodesta 2008 alkaen. Maailmanliiton elinikäinen kunniajäsenyys on korkein huomionosoitus, minkä keittiömestari voi saada kollegoiltaan.

– Olen äärettömän kiitollinen saamastani tunnustuksesta ja haluan jakaa sen koko yhdistyksemme kanssa. Kiitän lämpimästi Wordchefsia, Suomen Keittiömestarit ry:n hallitusta, jäsenyhdistyksiä ja kaikkia jäseniämme sekä tukijoitamme vuosien aikana tehdystä yhteistyöstä suomalaisen ruokakulttuurin edistämiseksi”, kiittää Liukkonen.

– Tunnustus myönnetään tiukkojen valintakriteerien pohjalta, joita ovat esimerkiksi jäsenmaiden tuki hakijalle sekä ansiokas toiminta oman maan keittiömestariliiton sekä Worldchefsien hyväksi, kertoo Suomen Keittiömestarit ry:n varapuheenjohtaja Petri Selander.

Suomesta maailmanliiton kunniajäseniksi on kutsuttu aiemmin Osmo Norha (1974) ja Martti Lehtinen (2006).

Tunnustus julkistettiin 15.8.2020 pidetyssä maailmanliiton kongressissa, joka järjestettiin koronatilanteen vuoksi etäkongressina Pietariin suunnitellun Worldchefs Congress & Expo -tilaisuuden sijasta.

Tilanteesta johtuen käädyt päästiin luovuttamaan Liukkoselle vajaan vuoden myöhässä. Juhlava luovutustilaisuus pidettiin 9.6.2021 Lahdessa Suomen Keittiömestarit ry:n hallituksen kokouksen yhteydessä. Paikalla onnittelemassa olivat SKM:n hallituksen lisäksi alueyhdistys Päijät-Hämeen Keittiömestarit ry:n edustajat.

Suomen Keittiömestarit ry onnittelee Liukkosta saadusta tunnustuksesta.

Suomen Keittiömestarit ry on valtakunnallinen yhdistys, joka toimii alueellisten keittiömestariyhdistysten keskusjärjestönä sekä jäsenistönsä ammatillisten etujen valvojana, ammattitaidon ja -tiedon edistäjänä sekä tekee yhteistyötä alalla toimivien yhteisöjen, yritysten ja yksityisten kesken. Yksi toiminnan keskeisimmistä tavoitteista on edistää suomalaista ruokakulttuuria ja korkealaatuista keittotaitoa. Yhdistys tukee lisäksi alan kilpailutoimintaa. Suomen Keittiömestarit ry on Pohjoismaiden ja maailman keittiömestariliittojen jäsenyhdistys.
www.chefs.fi

The World Association of Chefs Societies -yhdistyksen (Worldchefs) on keittiömestariyhdistysten maailmanlaajuinen verkosto, joka on perustettu 1928. Yhdistyksen jäseninä ovat yli 90 maan kansalliset keittiömestariliitot, jotka edustavat yhteensä yli 10 miljoonaa ammattilaista ympäri maailmaa.
www.wacs.org

Meet The American Culinary Federation President-Elect

*Originally published on We Are Chefs

The American Culinary Federation announced the election of Chef Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC, as president, among other board positions, during an annual meeting on May 12. Chef Brock Brown will be inducted during the ACF National Convention in Orlando on August 5 and serve a two-year term. 

Chef Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC, was elected National Secretary. A run-off election, held between May 19 and June 2 for Chef-Candidates David Ivey-Soto, CEC, CCA, and Kyle Richardson, CEC, CCA, AAC, will decide the National Treasurer. In addition, ACF announced the following regional vice presidents: 

• Central Region Vice President: Rajeev Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC
• Northeast Region Vice President: Barry Young, CEC, CCE, AAC
• Southeast Region Vice President: Bryan Frick, CEC, AAC
• Western Region Vice President: Greg Matchett, CEC

Remaining on the board for a two-year term are Chef Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, past president, and Chef Americo DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC, American Academy of Chefs Chair.

Chef Brock Brown, who is currently serving her second two-year term as Southeast Region Vice President and who has previously served 2 terms as president of her local Charleston chapter, as well as 2 terms on the ACF ethics committee, said she decided to run for president because “I wanted women to have a voice and position of leadership in the organization. I have always preached to others that when opportunities present themselves, you should take them; now I felt it was my duty to practice what I was preaching.” 

Chef Brock Brown plans to focus, first, on membership engagement, both at the student level and the professional level. She also hopes to encourage more women and chefs of color to be active and represented in ACF activities and leadership roles. 

“We can and should be a diverse, 21st Century federation,” she says. “My work will focus on ways to train and mentor students, recent graduates and up-and-coming professionals. We should be grooming the younger generation to make sure their voices are heard.” 

Chef Brock Brown also hopes to encourage others to run for the board and take up other leadership opportunities within ACF. “It would be great to have more seminars geared toward leadership, or information about next steps, especially for mid-career chefs,” she says. 

As vice president, Chef Brock Brown focused heavily on enhancing communication between the board and membership. Soon after beginning her first term in 2017 she was the first to host a monthly conference call with regional members in order to keep them informed about ACF news, changes and happenings at the national and regional levels. That call became so popular that many members outside of the Southeast region would join in—including from New Orleans and Ohio chapters. “It has always been a great way to be able to talk, ask questions and exchange ideas with each other, and it was especially helpful last year when we couldn’t get together in person at all.” For many, Chef Brock Brown’s conference call has become a networking tool, not to mention an almost therapeutic outlet for members during tough, isolating times. 

As president, Chef Brock Brown hopes to continue her commitment to transparency and communication in order to drive member engagement. In addition, she hopes to find ways to drive resources—financially and otherwise—for members, especially those hit hard by the pandemic. 

“I’m one of the many chefs who got furloughed during the pandemic,” says Brock Brown. “So many have lost and are still losing incomes, jobs and careers, so I believe we need to be in a better position to be of help and to advocate for each other. Charity should and does begin at home.” 

Born in Chicago and raised in the Western suburb of Maywood, Chef Brock Brown has had interest in food and cooking since a young child. As an adult, she fled to warmer climates, beginning in Dallas and settling down in Charleston, South Carolina. Currently, Chef Brown runs her own business as owner and corporate chef of Culinary Concepts, LLC, offering catering, personal chef and consulting services. 

Her ACF membership began in 1981 while completing an ACF apprenticeship program at El Centro College in Dallas. She went on to work as an assistant pastry chef in Atlanta, and as an executive chef(Sweet & Savory) in healthcare and corporate settings in Asheville, North Carolina and in her current hometown. She has served as an adjunct baking and pastry teacher at Trident Technical College and Johnson & Wales University, both in Charleston.  Chef Kimberly has also served as co-owner and corporate chef for a specialty foods distributor in North Charleston. 

Chef Brock Brown has participated in a variety of competitions, including the Gulf of Mexico Seafood Challenge in the 90s and she served as a member of Team South Carolina in the Culinary Super Challenge (both ACF sanctioned events) in the years 2002 to 2004. She has also traveled internationally to serve as a judge and demonstrator at competitions in Serbia, South Africa and Turkey in the years between 2013 and 2015. 

Chef Brock Brown was instrumental in the development of ACF’s Certified Culinary Administrator certification, as well as becoming one of the first to earn that designation. She has received multiple awards, including an ACF Cutting Edge award in 2015, an AAC service award in 2016, and the ACF National President’s Medallion in 2019. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Dallas College – El Centro Campus in 2015. 

Chef Brock Brown is a self-published author of “Here I Am!: Chef Kimberly’s Answer to the Question ‘Where are the Female and Minority Chefs,’” and she has contributed to other books, including training manuals; “Real Women, Real Leaders: Surviving and Succeeding in the Business World” and ” Toques in Black: A Celebration of Black Chefs.” 

She also spent two years as guest chef on WCSC (NBC-5) television’s “Coffee With” cooking segment and eight years as a guest chef on Charleston’s WCIV (ABC) TV “Lowcountry Live” talk show.

To learn more about the ACF president-elect, visit kimberlybrockbrown.com.

Gastronomic tourism predictions & preparation, post-COVID

Let us take you back to a time where tourists could wander off the beaten path and onto the rugged cobblestones of a road-less-travelled neighbourhood, exploring the bustling local markets through a delight of aromas and friendly unfamiliar faces during an authentic food and walking tour. Tasting sauces with strangers, breaking bread with locals and learning about cultures through the eyes (and tastebuds) of travelling gastronomes.

Now fast-forward to our current times of the pandemic, where the only thing we are breaking with strangers are personal boundaries and the foodies with wanderlust are now craving a cooking and cultural experience to be satisfied through digital means. It is no secret that the travel industry and its bread and butter, culinary tourism, has been greatly impacted by the extreme decline in international travel and shift in demand. As COVID-19 has transformed the gastronomic tourism industry globally, businesses are either pivoting, looking to pivot, or launching new offerings; and technology is featuring across these changes in different ways. From adapting food tourism experiences in line social distancing requirements to the anticipation of government support, there are a few ways the culinary tourism market can sow seeds in the consumer landscape of the future.

From the inside, out

As the cultural trend for destination brand identity is re-evaluated by businesses internationally, it is important for stakeholders in the gastronomic tourism industry to address technological transformation as a key pillar and extend their existing models to reflect this shift. New research shows that the impact of moving food tourism to digital space also calls for us to examine the current situation and explore research and practical consequences in the post-COVID future. As tourism has proven to be resilient through past events, it is predicted this is a key reflection of the future and there is also anticipation for government support to the sector; assisting in the rebuild and aligned with technology’s new role in the industry.

 

Navigating the change in direction

As we overcome the current and future restrictions through technology, there is a new spotlight on domestic tourism as a buffer against the fall in international culinary travel. Due to the limitations on travel, it is important for the gastronomic tourism industry to explore new domestic opportunities in line with social distancing requirements, safety and hygiene protocols, local access and adapting to social capacities to appeal to the responsible consumer behaviour. Domestic demand is rebounding faster than international demand and businesses are providing gastronomes with fulfillment through local food tourism, right in our own backyards. By offering a more local experience and targeted approach in line with the neighbouring market, it is building the foundation of a new pillar in offerings now and into the future.

Technology: The passport of today

With gastronomic tourism facing the challenge of remaining attractive to current and potential customers, technology is also providing opportunities in areas which address the need for tourists to access cultural information and create new home-based experiences. The pandemic has flourished the growth of innovative concepts in technology relating to culinary travel. Online cooking sessions and tutorials, live guided tastings, virtual reality tours, remote social eating and drinking are current and viable applications that have succeeded in supporting and temporarily replacing the traditional gastronomy tourism experience. Travelling Spoon is the perfect example of a food business who have pivoted successfully using technology, with a shift from primarily international experiences to now offer cooking classes with locals both in-person and online. The use of creativity with technology combined will allow businesses within the food tourism industry to continue appealing to gastronomes and keep the travelling flame alight, satisfying the current and evolving demands.

In conclusion

For food tourism, the limitations faced during the pandemic has been a journey of adaption and exploration of new opportunities in technology. From stakeholders addressing new strategies in line with tech to including offerings which appeal to the local market, these key methods of preparation are proving to be the most effective way forward. As we research and prepare for what the industry will look like post-COVID, it is more important now than ever to understand the history and future of gastronomic tourism to grow with the demand and stamp your potential on the technology passport of global food travel’s future.

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This article was originally published by Worldchefs Education Partner Le Cordon Bleu.

Don’t we just love deep-fried foods? We can hardly resist the distinct aromas, flavors, and mouthfeel of deep-fried foods, luring us with their golden color and crispy texture. Just envisioning a crispy fried chicken or a fried mantou bread can make your mouth water. But did you know that the frying oil used to fry these foods play a significant role in producing the desired end results? In this article, between soybean, sunflower, and palm oil, let’s find out which of these is the best for deep-frying.

What happens during deep-frying?

Deep-frying is often described as heating of food at 150 – 190^oC in an oil immersion.  During deep-frying, the frying oils undergo physical and chemical changes due to the presence of oxygen and moisture. Reactions such as hydrolysis, oxidation, ring formation and polymerization take place during deep-frying¹. As a result of these reactions, the degradation of the frying oil takes place. The degradation of the oil hinges on its fatty acid composition. As shown in Figure 1, the stability of the oils that contain higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as soybean and sunflower oil, degrade faster than palm oil. While palm oil contains only 10% polyunsaturated fatty acids, soybean and sunflower contains 61% and 62% respectively². Unlike polyunsaturated oils, palm oil contains less linolenic acid which is highly susceptible to oxidation during frying. For polyunsaturated oils to be used for deep frying, these oils need to undergo partial hydrogenation to increase the oils’ stability, which is unfortunately harmful as it causes the formation of trans fatty acids. Today, oils with lower stability such as sunflower and soybean are commonly blended with palm oil to gain higher melting point for better frying application.

Repeated frying is safe

Yes it is – to a certain level. Many households and industrial kitchens are accustomed to repeated frying to ensure cost effectiveness³. After one frying session, sometimes the oil we use is too ‘fresh’ to be wasted away. However, reheating vegetable oil at a high temperature leads to the production of rancid odor and flavor due to oxidation. Hydroperoxides and aldehydes are formed and are absorbed by food and eventually enter our system after ingestion.  These have been indicated as potentially harmful components in our diets.

According to the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS)⁴, the maximum allowable peroxide value for edible oils is 10 meq/kg oil. A study⁵ (Figure 2) has shown that after heating five times, the peroxide value of soybean oil, sunflower oil, and palm oil are 10.88 meq/kg oil, 8.42 meq/kg oil, and 6.01 meq/kg oil respectively. Clearly, the level of peroxide value in soybean oil exceeds the allowable value stipulated by AOCS, while the other two remains within the threshold. Higher peroxide value indicates lower chemical stability of the oil during frying. This clearly shows that palm oil is most stable among all.  As mentioned before, due to higher level of PUFA, these oils have lower stability as PUFA contain double bonds⁶, which are reactive in the presence of oxygen. Peroxide value indicates the presence of lipid hydroperoxides which in the body, can decompose into free radicals that can oxidize other unsaturated fatty acids and form compounds that are potentially toxic to one’s health⁷.

“Tocotrienols, which are abundantly found in palm oil, was found to exhibit higher antioxidant ability than tocopherol, which are found in other oils such as sunflower and soybean oil.”

Fortunately, antioxidants in vegetable oil provide natural resistance to oxidation⁴. Palm oil, processed or unprocessed, is rich in tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E). Vitamin E is an important antioxidant, which helps combat chronic disease⁸. The primary role of vitamin E is to prevent the oxidation of fatty acids in oils by free radicals. It is the presence of tocopherols and tocotrienols in palm oil that provide better oxidative stability during frying. Based on these observations, in this comparison, palm oil emerges as the more stable oil for deep-frying and is much safer for repeated frying with less potential to produce toxicity in humans.

Visit Malaysian Palm Oil Council’s website and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to learn more about palm oil’s nutritional and economical advantages as well as environmental sustainability.

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