The Future is the Past

In conversation with Domenico Maggi,Worldchefs Honorary Life Member, Member of the Culinary Competition Committee, and Worldchefs Academy Italian Advisor.

The Worldchefs European Grand Prix and the Global Chefs Challenge European Regional Semi-Finals were held this February in Rimini. What was the energy of the event?

It was during the European semi-finals before COVID that developed and proposed, with the support of the Federazione Italiana Cuochi (FIC), the idea of having also the Worldchefs European Grand Prix. This formula has created more interest among the chef competitors because at the same time they compete for two titles: qualification in different categories for their area of Europe and the title of European champion. I have always believed that our task is to give to our members, young chefs, and chefs in general the possibility to improve their professional knowledge. Competitions have an important role in achieving this because when you join a competition you share your experience, but it is also an opportunity to see different techniques and food culture from different countries. It was great to see small countries and new countries such as Azerbaijan join the event.

FIC gave us great support, setting up very professional kitchens, and Rimini as a venue is fantastic. All the judges from different countries had the chance to have a constructive experience, and the wise and professional support of Rick Stephen as Observer was really appreciated. Worldchefs’ sponsors, such as VanDrie, Sterling Halibut, Valrhona, Nestlé Professional, and Koppert Cress also gave us great support. I am convinced that this is a winning formula, having together the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge Semi-Final and the European Grand Prix, to become an important competition in Europe alongside the World Cup and IKA. To see all the enthusiasm, the tension, and the emotion of the competitors—especially the young chefs— it is always a great reward for the immense amount of work done by everyone in organizing this fantastic event.

Looking ahead for the food and beverage industry, what do you think will be some of the key challenges for culinary professionals?

All the world has a big problem in finding chefs, waiters, barmen, and people for the hospitality industry. This problem is more evident emerging after the pandemic. Associations and governments are analyzing and there are a lot of talks about it. My personal opinion is that we need to improve the working conditions for cooks and chefs. To be a chef today is not just having manual skills. Chefs need to have a knowledge about safety and hygiene, nutritional components of the ingredients, knowledge of the different food cultures, trends and new techniques, to achieve all of this we need to strengthen and develop the educational system.

Due also to many cooking programs on TV, a lot of young people would like to enter the profession of chefs, but unfortunately a lot of them, after a few months, change their minds and try to find another job. Why? The answer from most of them is: ‘I love cooking, would love to become a chef, but it is a profession that it doesn’t give the opportunity to have an enjoyable social and family life.’ Therefore, it is from this answer that we need find a solution. We need to improve the working conditions of chefs and people working in the hospitality industry by structuring the work in one shift and not split shifts, mornings and evenings, planned days off, and appropriate and fair wages.

How can competitions help to address and prepare for these challenges? What are some of the most important reasons to get involved in international culinary competitions?

I started competing in 1983 in Osaka at the age of 30, and from my personal experience must say that entering the world of culinary competitions has helped me enormously in improving my career as a chef. To prepare for a competition you need to research, to experiment new recipes, to get updated with the new culinary trends. You need to make a plan for the logistics and the journey, you need to plan all the ingredients and equipment, especially if you are competing as a team. It becomes a great opportunity to improve the way the work should be organized and carried out every day in a kitchen. Good planning avoids food waste and energy. Competitions require discipline! Entering a competition, you bring your best creations and show your best skills but at the same time you have the chance to see new ideas from colleagues from all over the world and engage in great relationships. A very educational moment is also the feedback from the judges.

You are globally known as an ambassador for Mediterranean and Apulian cuisine. We’ve seen you prepare traditional Italian recipes alongside your young grandsons. Has teaching them to cook changed your approach in the kitchen, and would you be happy to see them follow in your footsteps as a chef?

I have been a lecturer in a catering college for 41 years, working almost all my life with young people, and I always tried to encourage, inspire, and be a good example for them. My best reward is that a lot of them had and are having great careers, achieving Michelin stars and working all over the world. My motto is: ‘THE FUTURE IS THE PAST’. Traditional food is part of our history—traditional ways of cooking inspired inventors and engineers to create new technologies. All the world is talking about sustainability, the problem of plastic pollution, food and water waste, healthy food, especially for the young people. We had all this. We can’t go back completely but we need to promote and improve our lifestyle.

I had the chance to promote Apulian food and culture all over the world. I was brought up on a farm and at home we were self-sufficient with all the food, and everything was produced at home. Puglia food culture and lifestyle represent what we call the ‘Mediterranean Diet’, a diet very rich in seasonal vegetables, whole grain pasta, pulses, fish, fruit, and small amounts of meat and dairy. When you have been brought up with all this it comes very easy to promote the ingredients and the traditional recipes because you put all your knowledge, love, and passion in preparing and offering people around the world your produce and tradition. Globalization also affected areas such as southern Italy with fast food, and the young generation are used to—or I would even say addicted—to these commercial flavours and way of eating. This fast food is very often lacking vegetables, legumes, fibres, and fruits.

During the pandemic, we were lucky because our grandchildren were close to us and as we live in the countryside, took the opportunity of cultivating a lot of vegetables which we cooked together nearly every day. always believe that allowing children to get involved while cooking is the best way to improve their diet. Encouraging them to cook becomes like a game and then they are very happy to eat what they prepared. Children learn more about ingredients, and they will never forget these fantastic moments. I definitely would be very happy if they decided to follow in my footsteps and choose to become chefs or work in the hospitality industry, because if you do this profession with passion and dedication you can get a lot of satisfaction and opportunity economically and socially.

Worldchefs is celebrating 95 years of comradery and action. What does this mean to you, and what are you most hopeful about in the future?

Our organization was started, as we know, by the great chef Auguste Escoffier and a few other chefs from different countries—approximately 40. It was basically a friendly association and when think about how difficult it was at that time to travel and communicate, really must say that these people were fantastic and great pioneers of the importance of creating a link among the chefs around the world. They did a fantastic job, and it moves me to think how much they believed in the importance of creating such a big organization to improve our profession and share the different food cultures and knowledge of the new trends and techniques around the world.

In the last, more or less 15 years, our organization, has evolved so much, having now more than 100 countries. It is very well structured. The different Committees are producing a lot of very important and interesting educational activities and are a big support for the improvement of our profession. For me to be part of the biggest professional chefs association in the world gives me serenity, and makes me feel like I am part of a strong family that will always support and take care of chefs around the world, especially in the areas where there is more need of education, and this was highlighted during the pandemic.

For the future, am very confident that we will improve our organization. delivering more guidance on how small associations can get more structured and organized. This will enable them to find and raise economical resources and to have a stronger voice with their governments. The hospitality industry is suffering all over the world and the support of the public administrators is extremely important. We need to balance the economical part with the socialization of the members, because it is also very important to strengthen the friendship and camaraderie of the members.