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Welsh Chefs’ Partnership with College Group Celebrates Decade of Success

Welsh Chefs’ Partnership with College Group Celebrates Decade of Success

Wales, 15 of December 2021 – A successful partnership between the Culinary Association of Wales and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai spanning a decade has been celebrated with the signing of a new agreement.

The agreement will see the Junior Culinary Team Wales, which flies the Welsh flag in competitions around the globe, continue to be based at the Grŵp’s campus in Rhos-on-Sea where team manager Michael Evans is a lecturer.

Under the agreement, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai provides a base, sponsorship and a coach for the junior team, which comprises talented chefs aged 23 years and under.

The partnership began in 2011 when the Junior Culinary Team Wales was re-formed for the Culinary Olympics in Germany the following year. 

The team has gone on to represent Wales in style, including achieving silver and bronze medals at the Culinary Olympics last year. Next up for the young chefs is the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg in November 2022.

The CAW’s link with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai dates to 2006, when it hosted the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) for the first time. The three-day event, which attracts top chefs from across the UK and around the world, is now a firmly established fixture at the college and is due to be held from February 22-24. next year.

CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, said: “We are delighted to renew our valued partnership with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai for another year and look forward to staging the Welsh International Culinary Championships 2022 there, after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.

“Chefs selected for the Junior Culinary Team Wales squad have an exciting year ahead as they prepare to compete at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg, one of the top two international competitions for chefs from around the globe.

“The junior team holds the key to the future and hopefully many of the young chefs will progress to the senior team to compete at the highest level on the world stage.”

David Owen, Assistant Principal of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, said: “We are delighted to continue our support for the Junior Welsh National Culinary Team, which has been promoting and nurturing the nation’s young talent for nearly 20 years. 

“Members of the team, many of whom have been Grŵp Llandrillo Menai hospitality and catering students, have competed in a number of competitions across the globe, including the Culinary Olympics and Culinary World Cup. They have even served St Davids’ Day canapes at Number 10 Downing Street!

“The evolution of a talented junior team, managed by Michael Evans, is a positive step towards the future of culinary skills in Wales, not only showcasing their talents but also the best of Welsh produce.”

Any young chef interested in joining the Junior Culinary Team Wales is asked to contact office@culinaryassociation.wales

Feature photo: Culinary Association of Wales president Arwyn Watkins, OBE (left) with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s assistant principal David Owen and Junior Culinary Team Wales manager Michael Evans.

-END-

For more information, please contact Arwyn Watkins, OBE, Culinary Association of Wales president, on Tel: 01938 555893 or Duncan Foulkes, publicity officer, on Tel: 01686 650818.

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Honoring the Legacy of Chef Dr. P Soundararajan

Worldchefs is deeply saddened to hear of the sudden loss of Dr. Chef P Soundararajan. Chef Soundararajan was a visionary leader in our community and beyond, a cherished mentor, and an instrumental supporter of Worldchefs’ mission.

As an Honorary Life Member of Worldchefs and in his role as founder General Secretary of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations, Chef Soundararajan dedicated himself to the industry. Known for his tenacity and compassion, his extraordinary contributions to the culinary profession will endure.

A native of Coimbatore, Chef Soundararajan studied mathematics and statistics at the University of Madras before pursuing a Catering and Hotel Management degree from the Institute of Hotel Management – Chennai.

Over more than four decades, Dr. Soundararajan honed his skills as a professional chef, mentor, and speaker. His career began at The Ashok, a part of the Taj Group of Hotels, where he trained under the French Chef Roger Moncourt. He was assigned to Catering for the prestigious Asian Games, cooking for close to six thousand athletes every day.

“The Prime Minister’s Chef!” was his first major success, being appointed as the “Chef” in charge at the Official State House of the Prime Minister in New Delhi. Here he prepared all the state banquets hosted by the Prime Minister and the Vice President of India, cooking for more than 40 heads of state, including Nelson Mandela, K P. Bhattarai, and Maumoon Gayoom.

Seizing an opportunity to expand his culinary skills, Soundararajan joined the Ashok Kovalam Hotel at Thiruvananthapuram and trained in Royal Cuisine from some of the best master chefs of the Travancore Kingdom. In 1984, he worked as a chef at Kanishka Hotel and gained tremendous knowledge and experience working with Chef J M. Chaudhuri.

He served as Corporate Executive Chef at Club Mahindra Holidays & Resorts, India’s leading lifetime holiday company with 50 resorts across the country, from 1997 to May of 2019.

A renowned member of the culinary community in India, Chef Soundararajan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Vels University, presented by the former President of India, Dr. A P J. Abdul Kalam. He was the recipient of the prestigious National Award from the Ministry of Tourism, the Golden Star Award from the South India Culinary Association, and also represented India in the Bocuse d’Or global competition.

Dr. Soundararajan received Certification in World Cuisine from the Culinary Institute of America and a fellowship from St. Nicholas University, Louisiana. Nominated to represent India as a member of Worldchefs Education Committee, he spearheaded sustainability initiatives, and lent his expertise to the first Worldchefs Global Hospitality Certification program, participating in the Worldchefs Certification Pilot Program in India. He was also a Worldchefs Certified Judge.

We thank Chef Soundararajan for a lifetime of remarkable contributions to our profession. He will be missed, and his memory will be honored by all those whose lives he has touched. His legacy continues with the next generation of industry leaders who will carry his torch forward.

We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Worldchefs President, Thomas A. Gugler, shares a message of farewell after the passing of Dr. Chef P Soundararajan:


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Alan Coxon is Presented with the Ambassador of Taste for Global Gastronomy 2021″ Gold Award.

It is with pleasure and honour to announce that Chef Alan Coxon has been awarded an “Ambassador of Taste for Global Gastronomy 2021” Gold Award.

The ceremony was held this week in Athens, Greece, where Alan also managed to mix business with pleasure and find time to feast upon its rich history whilst indulging in his long standing pleasure and interest in food archaeology.

The “Ambassador of Taste for Global Gastronomy 2021” “Gold Award” will be carried with pride in his attempts to continue supporting chefs and food sectors, culinary heritage, traditions, cultures and global gastronomy in all the destinations where he may be allowed to travel in 2021.

Mr. Alan Coxon receives the honorary title by the founder of the Ambassadors of Taste for the Global Gastronomy® organization (Ambassadors of Taste® global guide) Mr. Philip Koutras (Photo Credit: greektastebeyondborders)

The business world is currently suffering due to the Covid Virus, and non more so than the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Alan believes there will be a great need to support the industry morally and physically in its rehabilitation, whilst motivating young upcoming chefs looking to develop knowledge and skills that are desperately needed to see the sector into the next generation.

Alan says that “We need to implement and develop job security, stability, career progression and above all, hope for the future of the industry. Amidst all this we need to ensure global traditions are embraced and nurtured for the enjoyment and benefit of all”.

Please click here for additional information about the Ambassador of Taste for Global Gastronomy 2021. 

Hear more from Alan, listen to #worldonaplate:

https://latest.worldchefs.org/podcast/episode-14-historys-recipe-book-with-alan-coxon/

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