SA Chefs’ Successful INFOChef Free State 2023

SA Chefs, through its Free State Regional Committee, hosted a very successful INFOChef Free State, which made its return after 25 years at the beautiful Windmill Casino in Bloemfontein.

Over 300 people attended and participated in various events, activities, and talks which were presented by the local culinary schools, industry leaders, chefs, and suppliers. A special highlight was a visit from Chef Donald and his team from the Lesotho Chefs Academy.

The event was also well supported by SA Chefs directors, Chefs Warren Frantz and Lesley Jacobs, together with the SA Chefs support team, Operations Manager Thandeka Feliti, Membership Coordinator Precious Maseko, and Head of Education Elsu Gericke.

INFOChef Free State brought together culinary students, lecturers, scholars, the larger hospitality industry to share information, gain insight into the industry, learn from leaders in their field, and most importantly connect and network with industry colleagues. The day culminated with a cook off amongst the SA Chefs directors and regional committee members.

The SA Chefs Free State Regional Committee would like to extend a special thanks to the exhibitors for their participation in this event and their continued partnership with SA Chefs in showcasing what the industry has to offer. These exhibitors included Bidfood, Central University of Technology, Chefs Brigade, Clazzique Academy, Culinary & Hospitality Academy, Econo Foods, Events Media, FBI Food & Beverage Institute, Hychem, McCain Foods SA, Olive Chef School, OVC Bloemfontein, Shosholoza Ocean Academy, Sir Fruit Stereo Coffee Roasters, Taylor Made Foods, Unilever Food Solutions, and Vulcan Catering Equipment – Bloemfontein.

Special mention goes to the AHA Hotel Group, Southern Sun, and Windmill Casino for accommodating the visiting chefs, as well as the Azizi team under the leadership of SA Chefs member Chef Angel Mawonga, who hosted the organizing team for dinner.

And finally to all the visitors who made INFOChef Free State an exciting and successful day, many of whom left in anticipation for the 2024 event.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s Biggest Culinary Championship

The Chefs’ Association of Pakistan (CAP), with the endorsement of Worldchefs and the support of the College of Tourism & Hotel Management (COTHM), held the 5th season of the Pakistan International Culinary Championship (PICC), March 14-16 at the Royal Palm Golf & Country Club. With the participation of thousands of professional chefs from Pakistan and abroad, PICC 2023 turned out to be the biggest-ever culinary championship in Pakistan.

Professional chefs from around 100 local hotels, restaurants, cafes, and catering companies participated in culinary competition in different categories. International chefs from Worldchefs’ member associations both competed for the title of Best International Chef and performed the duties of Worldchefs Certified Judges for all the professional competitions.

On the first day of PICC 2023 and for the first time in the history of Pakistan, Worldchefs held a Competition Seminar at the same venue to train the Pakistani chefs about international culinary standards and judging criteria. Worldchefs Certified International Judge and acclaimed chef Domenico Maggi traveled to Pakistan from Italy to upgrade the skills of Pakistani chefs as per the latest standards and practices of Worldchefs.

USA

It’s All About Community

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) earlier this year launched a new grant opportunity for chapters showing leadership in community foodservice projects. To participate, chapters need to post once on social media about a culinary-related community project its members participated in within the last 60 days and use the hashtag #ACFUnitedGrant. Winning chapters receive a $250 grant to assist with future community projects as well a repost of their initial post across ACF social media channels.

The first winner in January was ACF Chef’s Association of Arizona. Members posted about prepping food during Thanksgiving week and on a regular basis for the homeless and families in need through St. Vincent de Paul.

The February winner, ACF Monterey Bay Chefs, posted about posted about its members who teach cooking classes twice a week at the Boys and Girls Club of Merced County, and about volunteering with World Central Kitchen to help feed residents who were forced to evacuate their homes due to recent flooding in the area.

The March winner, ACF Chefs Las Vegas, posted about a group of its members who regularly prepare nutritious morning meals for local school children through the non-profit organization Chefs for Kids’ Cookin’ Up Breakfast program to fight hunger and get kids excited about the culinary arts.

Follow ACF on social to keep up with the latest: #ACFUnitedGrant

UAE

Innovation on the Menu at Emirates Salon Culinaire

The anticipated 2023 Emirates Salon Culinaire (ESC) is back from 29-31 May, bringing the energy to the Expo Centre Sharjah during the Expo Culinaire exhibition. Not to be missed, the ESC will run alongside the prestigious Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge – Africa and Middle East Regional Semi-Finals.

This year the competitions are designed to bring out the best in skills and innovation for competing chefs. The Salon presents an opportunity for them to test themselves against the bounds of their perceived abilities, and to demonstrate the scope of their artistic acumen and practical dexterity. For the Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG), it’s a chance to showcase the creativity and adaptability of chefs as leaders of change.

The hospitality industry is one of the most important sectors of business and commerce in the UAE and the ECG is committed to do its part in its success. This event is just one way they are helping to kickstart the industry along with business leaders and supporters to strengthen the UAE’s postpandemic rebound.

The ECG invites international professional chefs to participate in the biggest culinary competition in the Middle East. Follow Emirates Culinary Guild on Facebook and visit their website for more: emiratesculinaryguild.net

Syria

Syrian Chefs Bring Relief to Earthquake Victims

The Syrian Culinary Guild (SCG), with the support of the UAE Red Crescent and World Chefs Without Borders, has been providing critical support to communities affected by the region’s devastating earthquakes. In Latakia, volunteer chefs set up mobile kitchens, cooking in different locations during a five-day visit. Before their departure, they trained a team onsite to continue providing meals. “It was a very useful trip and we were very happy to see smiles on the tired faces,” says Chef Majid, President of the SCG. So far they have served more than 4,700 meals to those in need.

Uzbekistan

Culinary Diplomacy

The Association of Cooks of Uzbekistan, together with the Bureau for the Service of the Diplomatic Corps under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, rang in the new year with a dinner party under the auspices of the new project—Culinary Diplomacy.

Cooking is one of the ways to strengthen friendly and warm relations. A part of the culture, it reveals the tastes and aromas of the represented country. The guests of the event, the spouses of foreign ambassadors in Uzbekistan, were pleased with the exquisite dishes from ambassador of Uzbek cuisine, Chef Akhmadjon Hamdamov. All the guests were impressed by the national dishes in a modern presentation.

The Association of Chefs of Uzbekistan, together with the Bureau for the Service of the Diplomatic Corps of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, plans to hold a number of events and joint projects throughout the year.

Worldchefs Endorsement

Wales

A Big Year for Wales

The Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) is organizing a 30th birthday celebration dinner at the International Convention Centre Wales on June 20 and is inviting all previous winners of the National and Junior Chef of Wales competitions. This year promises to be a memorable one for the CAW, which ended 2022 by winning the bid to host the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 at the International Convention Centre Wales, Newport.

The CAW held a successful Welsh International Culinary Championships over three days in February, where the National Chef of Wales competition was won by Matthew Smith and the new Junior Chef of Wales is Stephanie Belcher. Both chefs have represented the Senior and Junior Culinary Teams Wales. A popular winner at the championships was Ukrainian refugee Yuliia Batrak, 17, who won the overall award for best live open class competitor after achieving perfect 100% scores in two skills competitions. Originally from Kiev, hospitality student Yuliia received a standing ovation at the awards ceremony.

CAW representatives Sion Hughes and his commis Calum Smith, former Junior Culinary Team Wales teammates, have qualified for the Global Chefs Challenge 2024 final in Singapore.

In Conversation with Rebecca van Bommel, Worldchefs Young Chefs Ambassador