30 April 2013 – The World Association of Chefs Societies has just announced the theme for International Chefs’ Day 2013: Show Your Culinary Ability.
For over 80 years, members of the World Association of Chefs have committed themselves to dedicating 20 October as a day where they will wear their chef uniforms and unanimously contribute to the community.
In 2009, the association introduced themes so that chefs worldwide can work towards a common goal globally. It started with ‘A Focus on Food Waste and Food Safety’, in response to the statistics that 40 million people have fallen to poverty and hunger in 2008 as a result of the sharp rise in food prices, and the total number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition has reached 963 million worldwide. Following this was ‘Go Green with Chefs’ in 2010, which eventually led to the introduction of the ‘How to Feed the Planet’ declaration and programme introduced in 2012.
The 2013 ‘ Show Your Culinary Ability’ goes back to basics, and encourages chefs to show off their skills in whatever ways they can.
Says Gissur Gudmundsson, President of the World Association of Chefs Societies, “Chefs can make a big difference when they share their skills; as by doing so, you educate people around you. The ways they can contribute is countless: You can also go to a school and teach the kids about food hygiene. Washing your hands before handling food may be taken for granted, but from my travels around the world, it is obvious that humans need to be constantly reminded. Or for example, you can teach a group of cooks the proper way of butchering meat, so this will generally help them to prevent wastage.”
He adds, “If you are good at what you do, you can play your small part in feeding the planet in the future. Chefs can make an impact with people’s lives with their skills, and it goes beyond just pure pleasure on the plate.”
For updates on what chefs have done during the past International Chefs’ Days, please visit www.worldchefs.org and https://www.facebook.com/wacsworldchefs
About International Chefs’ Day
Each year, on the 20th of October, members of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) celebrate International Chefs Day. On this day, chefs around the world celebrate their profession and take the opportunity to not only promote the organization (WACS) but also goodwill and friendship amongst each other, as well as taking the time to help people who are less fortunate. It is also a day, on which to assist the younger chefs, but most importantly, the day when we recognize the very important role that chefs play in our societies, for we have a great responsibility not only to feed, but also to give nourishment.
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World Association of Chefs Societies (Asia Ofice) FoodCult Pte Ltd
words@foodcult.com.sg
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