Category: Press Releases

Celebrating International Chefs Day and raising awareness of healthy eating among children in Malaysia

Post author By Anand
Post date October 25, 2017

October 2017, Malaysia: When asked if they would like to become “Healthy Heroes”, a group of about 100 children raised their hands enthusiastically.

Their excitement was justified as Nestle Malaysia really made them “heroes” for a day by empowering them to eat healthily.

In conjunction with International Chefs Day, Nestle Professional worked with the World Association of Chefs’ Societies and Professional Culinaire Association (PCA) of Malaysia on an educational session designed to raise awareness of healthier eating among children.

The third year of this initiative saw the team organising a fulfilling morning at R.E.A.L. Schools Shah Alam campus, engaging children aged eight to 12.

They learned to be creative with food, and how fruits and vegetables can be fun and nutritious.

Nestle (M) Bhd Nestle Professional business executive officer Yit Woon Lai said 10 million chefs around the world come together to celebrate International Chefs Day every year, and chefs in Malaysia were no exception.

“They engage with their respective local communities to share their love and passion for cooking and good food.

“This year, Nestle Professional is teaming up with PCA once again to bring nutrition, health and wellness to the children of R.E.A.L. Schools to celebrate the occasion, and as part of the Nestle Healthy Kids programme,” said Yit, adding the theme for this year’s programme is “Foods for Healthy Heroes”.

She said Nestle believes in instilling good nutritional habits from a young age.

“Celebrating International Chefs Day with the children is an excellent way to put this into practice and help them find the fun in healthy eating and living,” she said.

The event gathered 40 professional chefs, led by PCA president chef Mohd Kamaruddin Adnin (also known as Chef Bob), to help the children in various activities.

There was a juice stall from which they could choose a variety of fresh fruits to create their own juices, as well as a superhero stall which gave them the opportunity to decorate their fruits and vegetables.

When they completed the activities, the children were awarded superhero badges, and at the end of the session, they were presented with “Healthy Heroes” certificates of participation.

“This year’s Nestle International Chefs Day celebration focuses on encouraging children to be creative with vegetables and fruits.

“This is a great way to help kids discover new foods,” said Bob.

Reprinted from Star Online: https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2017/10/24/getting-creative-with-fruit-and-vege-chefs-use-fun-activities-to-show-children-how-to-eat-healthy/

News Press Releases Without Borders

World Chefs Without Borders prepares 40,000 meals in honour of beloved Royal Thai King

Post author By Anand
Post date October 24, 2017

Thailand, October 24, 2017: Following months of intense preparation, the time has arrived. On October 25 and 26, 2017, 99 chefs from Thailand and around the world will generously donate their time to prepare 40,000 meals and 9999 snacks over two days for hundreds of thousands of Thais who will be paying final respects to their beloved Royal Thai King.

The meals are an initiative of World Chefs Without Borders, run by the Thailand Chefs Association, The Thai Culinary Academy, and Event9 Marketing who will provide raw ingredients, equipment and funds.

October 26 is the Royal Thai King’s Cremation Day; the whole of Thailand will be paying their final respect to the king with hundreds of thousands expected to travel to the cremation site.

International chefs participating in the event have travelled at their own expense, and all chefs involved have generously donated their time and skills to honour and pay tribute on this solemn day for Thailand.

About World Chefs Without Borders

World Chefs Without Borders is the humanitarian arm of Feed the Planet, including emergency task force, relief, and development programs, along with Chef Ambassador events.

About Feed the Planet

Feed the Planet is an initiative to inspire sustainable food consumption among communities and professionals, and to support people in need through emergency relief, food poverty alleviation, and education. Founded by WORLDCHEFS, it is run in partnership with Electrolux and AIESEC, and supported by an international network of chefs passionate about creating better food, better lives and better futures across the globe.

CONTACT

For more information about this event, please contact:

Willment Leong, Chairman, World Chefs Without Borders

[email protected]

News Press Releases

Worldchefs Organized Cuban Cuisine Day

Post author By Anand
Post date October 23, 2017

October 2017, Havana: Cuban chefs celebrate Cuisine Day Wednesday because on this day they achieved an important success at an international meeting on October 18, they said in a statement. The Federation of Culinary Associations of the Republic of Cuba (FACRC) said in a report today that on October 18, 1984, a select insular representation was awarded Gold Medal in the Decisive Effort at the Culinary Olympics held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. For this reason, this date appears as Cuban Cuisine Day, whose presentation to the world markets occurred in Culinaria 98, International Event of the FACRC. The Olympics constitute the culinary event of the highest international technical level. These meetings take place every four years, organized by the World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS) before the date set for the organization's congress. In these events, the best chefs of the world participate. Each day is a hard struggle in which the developed countries display a waste of riches in dishes, food raw materials, and utensils to make their culinary preparations, which, without a doubt, is a limitation for countries like Cuba. Hence the 1984 Olympics was the first participation of this level for Cuba. However, the local representatives competed against the opulence, providing a great victory to the kitchen and also to the national culture, the note insists. The Olympic gold medalist team was led by Gilberto Smith, the teacher and founder of the Cuban Culinary Association, accompanied by chefs José Luis Santana, Zoilo Benavides, Ramón Rodríguez, and Luis García. The statement concludes by stating that Cuban art and professionalism were awarded for the first time at the highest level of the world, which is why the Federation of Culinary Associations of the Republic of Cuba agreed to establish October 18 as the Cuban Cuisine Day.

Reprinted from Prensa Latina Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana: http://plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=19766&SEO=cuba-celebrates-cuisine-day

Press Releases News

Worldchef Peter Duenas achieves Worldchefs Global Master Chef certification

Post author By Anand
Post date October 18, 2017

October 2017: Chef Peter Duenas has achieved the distinguished title of certified master chef.

The president of the Micronesian Chefs Association (MCA) and chef/owner of Meskla Chamoru Fusion Bistro, Meskla Dos and The Deli at Meskla recently earned the Worldchefs Global Master Chef certification.

Duenas will be recognized at a gala dinner and said the certification has been on his bucket list.

‘A true honor’

“Like so many chefs across the MCA, and across the Pacific Rim, I was keen to continue improving, learning and developing skills – being able to do this at such a high level and reach a global standard of recognition is a true honor,” Duenas said in a press release issued by Worldchefs.

“The Worldchefs Global Culinary Certification was established to bring a much-needed global benchmark to the industry,” said Worldchefs President Thomas Gugler. “Being able to get qualified – anywhere in the world at any level of the profession – is a big step toward helping chefs validate their skills, and helping employers understand what a potential candidate can offer to the team. It is opening doors to global employment opportunities.”

Gala dinner, competition

The celebration of this honor will take place at a gala dinner held in conjunction with the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge Series Pacific Rim regional finals, taking place Oct. 12 and 13, which sees the best chefs in the Pacific Rim compete to win titles of regional global chef, global pastry chef and global young chef (age 25 and under).

The winners will advance to compete in the coveted Worldchefs Global Challenge finals, where they will go up against the best chefs in the world at Worldchefs Congress & Expo in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from July 11 to 14, 2018, according to a press release from the organization.

Reprinted from The Guam Daily Post: https://www.postguam.com/business/duenas-achieves-global-master-chef-certification/article_1c9c992c-ad54-11e7-94e9-9f6cc747a5e7.html

News Press Releases

Worldchef Christopher Koetke about taking inspirations from chefs’ traditional cuisines

Post author By Anand
Post date October 18, 2017

September 2017, India: Chefs across the globe, including India, are taking creative inspiration from their own culinary traditions and local ingredients, says US-based chef Christopher Koetke.

“I think that the biggest evolution that I have seen internationally is that chefs today look to their own culture with their own culinary traditions and local ingredients for creative inspiration,” Koetke, who is also the Vice President, Strategy and Industry Relations at Kendall College in Chicago (USA), told IANS in an email interview.

Sharing his own experience of how he started, he said: “So like many others, I travelled and worked in other famous food countries. While this was a great experience and I learned so much, it did nothing to validate my culinary heritage and traditions.”

“Please understand that I am in favour of young cooks travelling and learning as much as possible from other countries. But they also need to understand that they have great food where they live, and it is their culture.”

What he sees today is that there are “many younger chefs who are looking at their own locales and from this generating really creative and fascinating dishes”.

The overall result, he says, is an explosion in locally grown creativity in many countries. “I see the same happening in India,” he added.

“India has a great cuisine or rather cuisines that are so regional/local. Translated, there is so much to work with here in India and there is such a strong appreciation for food and many strong food traditions. It is a pretty magical place to eat.”

A certified executive chef and culinary educator by the American Culinary Federation, Koetke also served on the education committee of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies. He also served for 10 years on the American Culinary Federation Foundation (ACFEF) Accrediting Commission.

In 2010, he received the inaugural Award for Excellence in Culinary Education from the Foodservice Educators Network International (FENI) and, in 2016, he received the World Chefs’ Education award.

Talking about the evolution of the Indian food and beverage industry, he said that even “younger Indian chefs really want to create their own artistic cuisine with Indian roots and perhaps some other international influences”.

“Nothing will hold them back. I hear it when I talk to Indian culinary students and I see it in their eyes. What I see for India is that there is so much potential culinarily and so much untapped potential.

“Clearly, there will always be a place for the great traditional foods of this diverse country, but there will be a growing presence of highly creative food made by Indian chefs,” he said.

He says that when it comes to trends in the Indian market, there is burgeoning interest by young people to pursue the profession of a chef.

“I think that the view of what a chef is, is also changing. Thus, it is a move that I have seen in other countries as well as people see chefs as real professionals with all the subsequent respect that they deserve,” said Koetke.

The expert feels that he has also seen some really top-notch food safety practices in many hotel kitchens in India.

“The key to food safety and making sure that your guests are served safe food is education. Most often when there are food safety issues, it stems from people simply not understanding the biology and chemistry behind their actions. Education, education, education.

“As to sustainability, India is making progress, but like every country there is always more to do. Sustainability is a massive problem that is global in scope and thus requires a global solution,” he said.

Reprinted from India New England News : http://indianewengland.com/2017/09/young-indian-chefs-creating-cuisine-us-based-christopher-koetke/

News Press Releases FeedThePlanet

Feed the Planet provides culinary training and empowerment in Curitiba, Brazil

Post author By Anand
Post date October 16, 2017

OCTOBER 16, 2017: Our latest Feed the Planet collaboration is helping unemployed people in Curitiba, Brazil by providing the culinary skills and training they need to get a job in a professional kitchen!

The students, many of them single mothers struggling to find a job – are being trained through a curriculum developed by Worldchefs, being delivered by 12 chefs in a specially designed training kitchen at the Electrolux factory in Curitiba.

The Worldchefs curriculum aims at raising awareness about sustainable culinary practices such as zero food waste. During the ten-week period the students will learn how to provide for themselves and their families, as well as gain awareness about sustainable culinary practices such as zero food waste. The objective is to train them to find work in professional kitchens.

By helping people to get a job, this Feed the Planet project, run in a partnership between Worldchefs, Electrolux and AIESEC, will help underprivileged individuals provide for themselves and their families.

The project is supported by AIESEC volunteers; Sodexo provides cleaning services and the food; and FAS, a local non-profit organization, helps to select the participants and organize the training.

Over 60 people will be trained in three waves by mid-2018. This is a pilot project which we hope to exend to other regions in the future.

Press Releases News

NATIONAL APPRENTICE COMPETITION

Post author By Anand
Post date October 9, 2017

OCTOBER 2017: The Australian Culinary Federation National Apprentice Competition Final was held at Huonville Trade training Centre, Tasmania on 3^rd & 4^th October Apprentices from all Australian States & Territories flew into Hobart Monday having come together for a week of camaraderie, networking & education.

Tuesday morning the Final & 1^st year apprentices were off to Tassal Hatchery & processing plant & then on to Willy Smith Cider for a tour of the distillery & museum. The 2^nd Year & Culinary Students hit the ground running when they arrived at the kitchen to find that the cool room had frozen all the produce so it was all hands on deck. Michael & the judges went off to purchase more produce while the students foraged in the gardens, amended menus & prepared for the first heat, team work was the name of the game as managers, & culinary students all pitched in to help the second years get on their way only slightly later than anticipated. After lunch the culinary students were up & 3 hours later we were all headed back to Hobart for drinks & canapes at Glasshouse.

Wednesday morning well there was only one thing to say Ground Hog Day!!

The judges were expecting a repeat of the day before with 2 heats but we were all not expecting the cool room to have failed a second time…nothing like really making the playing field even for all competitors, luckily the ACF Tassie team decided to head down extra early just in case and by the time we arrived the new produce was being sorted for the competitors. The final year apprentices were a calming influence on the 1^st years being experienced competitors, as they pitched in to help the first timers get a handle on what needed to be done for the day. The last session of the competition was the final year apprentices where the heat was really turned up & the judges took over an hour in deliberations to determine the winner. Time to relax & enjoy was had at New Sydney Hotel that evening.

Judges for the competition were Culinary Committee Chairperson & Vice President Andre Kropp, Tasmanian & Queensland presidents Stephen Lunn & Andrew McKenzie who accomplished the daunting task of tasting over 50 meals to determine the outcome. Special mention must be made to Michael Norton thanks you for his invaluable assistance for the weeks preceding the event coordinating things on the ground & especially for competition week where he was all places all the time.

Awards were presented to entrants from across the country & all competitors received medals & a 22cm knife from Furi Knives. For the first time in the history of the competition we had a tied result in the 2^nd year apprentice category when the judges could not split the difference between Luke Roe from Tasmania & Jaymz Harris from Victoria. Culinary Student of the year went to Chollada Phanthong from Victoria, 1st year Apprentice Chef of the year was Rory McLeod Australia Capital Territory & 3rd Year Apprentice Chef of the year is Hugh Walters from Tasmania. The prizes awarded to the category winners included knives from Furi, pans from Solid Teknics, cook books & engraved Huon Pine Plaques.

The Champion Apprentice Chef again in a historical first went to the two second year apprentice chefs Luke Roe & Jaymz Harris & thanks to the generous support of Robot Coupe each lucky apprentice received a R211 Ultra food processor valued at over $2000 & a seven piece Knife set from Furi.

The National Apprentice Competition is a culmination of many apprentice competitions being held throughout the year in each state and territory and includes training chefs in each year of apprenticeship and a culinary students section. The best apprentice from each apprentice year and culinary student section from each state and territory are brought together to compete and decide the overall winners. The numbers of competitors, training schools, culinary educators that the NAC touches is staggering, with in excess of 4,000 culinary students and teachers, each with links to industry resulting in exposure to over 10,000 chefs throughout Australia.

MEDAL RESULTS

Culinary Students

Layla Lawler NT Bronze

Yan Ng QLD Bronze

Jimmy Kiley SA Bronze

Clinton Richardson TAS Participation

Chollada Phanthong VIC Bronze

2nd Year Apprentice Chefs

Sophie Schiliro ACT Silver

Liam Gray NSW Silver

Billy Wilkes NT Silver

Alec Stemmler QLD Bronze

Nicola Warren SA Silver

Luke Roe TAS Silver

Jaymz Harris VIC Silver

Tran Thi Ai Vo WA Silver

1st Year Apprentice Chefs

Rory McLeod ACT Silver

Paul Boaden NSW Bronze

Joshua Carlos NT Silver

Sarah Jones SA Bronze

Laura Skvor VIC Bronze

Nathan Ball WA Bronze

3rd/4th Year Apprentice Chefs

Christopher Pont ACT Bronze

Maria Hoad NT Silver

Bernadette Gill QLD Silver

Truong Nguyen SA Silver

Hugh Walters TAS Silver

Molly Duguid VIC Bronze

Jason Scott WA Silver

News Press Releases

Worldchefs Congress & Expo Official Launch

Post author By Anand
Post date October 5, 2017

OCTOBER 2017: Straight from Malaysia – Official Inauguration of Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2018 held last week!

Don't miss your chance to register for Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2018, Kuala Lumper – www.worldchefs2018.org

For more photos of this event, visit us on Facebook

ABOUT WORLDCHEFS CONGRESS & EXPO

Asia, the rising dragon, is THE gastronomic paradise of today. It offers a complex plethora of cuisines, cultures, flavours, ingredients, herbs, cooking techniques… the possibilities are endless.

Join us at Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and get set for a gastronomic journey that will inspire your palate, your minds and your culinary soul.

This bi-annual must-attend global event will welcome chefs from around the world. Enjoy global networking opportunities, and bask in renowned Asian hospitality.

Savour Asia on a plate.

News Press Releases

Refreshed THAIFEX-World of Food Asia tightens focus on business with enhanced buyer programs and superior trade show experience

Post author By Anand
Post date October 5, 2017

Refreshed THAIFEX-World of Food Asia tightens focus on business with enhanced buyer programs and superior trade show experience

BANGKOK, 4 OCTOBER 2017 — Asia’s leading food and beverage trade show, THAIFEX-World of Food Asia, has unveiled an impressive line-up of refreshed buyer programs and rebranded key visuals, to deliver an even stronger focus on business, quality trade deals and networking opportunities. Jointly organized by the world leader in food and food technology events, Koelnmesse, along with the Department of International Trade Promotion and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, THAIFEX-World of Food Asia will return in its 15th edition as the largest satellite show of the world’s foremost F&B exhibition, Anuga, for the Asian market. Apart from featuring an international line-up of exhibitors, the revitalized show will boast an expanded and improved VIP Guest Service to enhance the facilitation of trade and commerce. The program will also be extended to five dedicated trade days – up from three dedicated trade days in 2017 – to devote more time and open up more opportunities for business. Revamped targeted programs and thematic showcases also aim to propel businesses up the value chain.

Read the full story here: http://www.thaifexworldoffoodasia.com/downloads/2018_WOFA/wofa18-press-release-1.pdf

News Press Releases

Welsh chefs and best from across Europe compete for Global Chefs Challenge finals this weekend!

Post author By Anand
Post date October 5, 2017

October 2, 2017, WALES: Two champion Welsh chefs are preparing to represent their country against the best in Europe at the weekend as the search begins to find their successors.

National Chef of Wales winner Simon Crockford, 35, executive restaurant chef at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, will be competing in the European semi-final of the Global Chefs Challenge organised by World Chefs in Prague on October 7.

At the same event, Junior Chef of Wales champion Steffan Davies, 23, from Gidleigh Park near Newton Abbot, Devon, will be competing in the Global Young Chefs Challenge semi-final against the best young chefs in Europe.

Both chefs, who are members of Culinary Team Wales, need to win their competitions to qualify for the global finals next year. They are being mentored by Colin Gray, Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) vice president from Capital Cuisine, Caerphilly.

Simon, who lives in Newport but is originally from Tenby, has been promoted to executive restaurant chef since becoming Welsh champion and is looking forward to competing in Prague.

He has chosen a three-course menu with elements of the dishes that made him Welsh champion. The starter features seared scallops and seabass, main course majors on veal and foie gras and the dessert has chocolate, banana and passion fruit as its made ingredients.

Simon will be accompanied by Darryl Davies, a demi chef de partie at the Celtic Manor Resort who has worked with him on VIP events, including the Ryder Cup.

“It’s quite a different competition to what I have done previously because the commis chef can help in this one,” he said. “I have gone for taste above everything else with my dishes and I want to Wales and myself proud.

“It will be an unbelievable experience, but I don’t think it will be as nerve-wracking as my debut for the Welsh team at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg, which was an unforgettable experience.

“I have to prepare six plates of each dish within three hours, so it’s a real challenge. If I nail the dishes on the day, I am confident about the taste.”

Steffan, who is originally from Llandybie in West Wales, has excelled with the Junior Culinary Team Wales. He is aiming to become European champion to qualify for the world final in Lyon next year.

He has chosen a complex menu for the competition, which opens with yuzu cured seabass, poached oysters, scallop, fresh wasabi and yuzu sorbet. Main course is stuffed veal loin, poached foie gras and black pudding. Dessert is a deconstructed Jaffa cake comprising palenta cake, buckthorn gel, mandarin gel and sorbet and chocolate glass.

“We looked at what was coming into season and wanted to do something with a twist, which explains the deconstructed Jaffa cake idea,” said Steffan, whose commis chef will be Toby Hull from Gidleigh Park. “The taste is ridiculously amazing.

“Competing in Prague against the best young chefs in Europe should be a real eye opener and I can’t wait to see how each country interprets the menu brief.”

Looking ahead to his career development, he plans to work in selected countries around the world to learn about the different cultures before settling down to senior position in the UK.

His ultimate aim is to return to work in Wales where he says the improved standard of restaurants is now being recognised with awards

As Simon and Steffan prepare to compete in Prague, the CAW has launched the hunt for their successors as the next National and Junior Chef of Wales.

Chefs wishing to follow in their footsteps have until October 31 to enter both competitions, the finals of which will be held at the Welsh International Culinary Championships at GrÅµp Llandrillo Menai, Rhos-on-Sea next February.

The entry forms may be downloaded at: http://www.welshculinaryassociation.com/index.php/competitions/

Picture caption:

Simon Crockford (right) and Steffan Davies

Editor’s notes:

Simon Crockford’s menu for the Global Chefs Challenge European semi-final:

Starter: Coriander and lime cured sea bass, seared scallop, sweetcorn, red pepper and shellfish foam with sea herbs.

Main course is: Veal wrapped in Carmarthen Ham with a black garlic mousse, braised sage and onion spelt, red cabbage puree, mushroom espuma and parmesan gnocchi. Dessert is: White chocolate and banana mousse, salted caramel ganache, pistachio and banana tuile, peanut butter parfait and chocolate soil.

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

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