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This is a historic time for the Midlands Association of Chefs and the Chefs and Cooks Circle. The coming together of the two organisations to form the new British Culinary Federation is a great step forward for all our members and ensures we can face the future with strength and confidence.Both halves of our new association share a commitment to achievement, training and quality and a rich tradition of competition. We can now pursue those goals with even more vigour than before.
We hope you enjoy your new magazine and share our pride in our new organisation and image.
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Andreas Antona
MAC vice-president Andreas Antona has an impressive CV that also includes a milestone in culinary history – earlier this year, his new restaurant Simpsons was one of Birmingham’s first to get a Michelin star.
Andreas has been busy with the venture for well over a year but he hasn’t forgotten the original Simpsons in Kenilworth – that has been refurbished as a bistro called Simply Simpsons and was honoured with a Bib Gourmand.
Andreas was actually born in Cuckfield, Sussex, into a family of Greek Cypriot restaurateurs but he was the first to receive formal catering training.
He worked in Switzerland and Germany before returning to the UK to work at the Dorchester under Anton Mosimann and at the Ritz under Michael Quinn.
Then the Midlands beckoned, with spells at the Elms at Abberley in Worcestershire and the Plough and Harrow in Birmingham before he set up the Kenilworth Simpsons 13 years ago.
Andreas has been actively involved in the MAC and on its executive committee for many years. |
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Brian Cotterill
Married with a son and daughter, Brian Cotterill has been life president of the Chefs and Cooks Circle UK since 1981. He was also until recently the European continental director for the World Association of Cooks’ Societies (WACS), representing 34 countries in Europe.
Brian has been a CCC member since he was an apprentice chef and his active work with the association began in 1976, first as a committee member, then as chairman and later as president.
He has long held the view that chefs should have a strong, unified voice within the industry and is delighted that the formation of the British Culinary Federation promises to be an exciting step in this direction.
Chef Cotterill hit the headlines in the 1960s when he was promoted to head chef of the world-famous Caprice restaurant. He was the youngest and only British head chef of a top establishment at a time when most top chefs were French or Italian.
He then moved to Lloyd’s of London where he was responsible for five kitchens and a brigade of 96 chefs. A most enjoyable part of their remit was the provision of special luncheons and dinners for royalty, ambassadors and visiting dignitaries, served in a beautiful original Adam-designed dining room.
In 1986, Brian became the first British chef to be awarded the prestigious Catey Chef award for outstanding talent and service to the industry.
He then moved to Marks and Spencer to develop their food range and worked there for 18 years overseeing the expansion of food sales to more than 40 per cent of the business.
Brian is passionate about training young chefs to the highest possible standards and giving them opportunities to widen their horizons and improve their skills.
He has been involved in raising sponsorship and seeking opportunities to send young chefs overseas to compete and train. Himself a competitor, having won many gold medals for the UK, including two gold medals in one year at the Culinary Olympics, Brian has also captained and managed the British teams in the Culinary Olympics and other world class competitions. He now devotes much of his spare time to the training of young chefs and raising sponsorship for the British Culinary Team.
Brian Cotterill is currently a freelance food and training consultant, including work for Albert Roux, and has been responsible for the running of the Culinary Skills Theatre at the Restaurant show for many years. He is also an experienced world-class judge who has judged many national and international competitions all over the world. |
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Peter Griffiths MBE
Peter Griffiths, a founder member of MAC, was its chairman for five years and has been its president since 2002.
He is executive chef at the Manor Hotel, Meriden and since 1992, has held the position of salon director at Le Salon Culinaire International de Londres, Hotelympia.
He was also director of the Heart of England Salon Culinaire, Hospitality Week, from 1987 to 2001 and is a judge at many leading competitions and salons within the industry, both in the UK and abroad.
In addition, Peter is a governor and director of Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies and was appointed UK Skills chef coach and judge at the World Youth Skill Olympics 1993 in Taiwan resulting in a second place silver medal for the UK entrant.
He accepted the same appointment to take a UK competitor to International Youth Skill Olympics in Lyon, France in 1995, resulting in the gold medal for the UK entrant.
Peter is also a national Committee member and team co-ordinator for Hospitality Skills and was presented with honorary membership of Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises in 1992 and Le Conseil Culinaire Francais de Grand Bretagne in 1994.
In 1994, he was awarded the Craft Guild of Chefs Special Award for commitment to the industry and salons culinaire.
Peter remains totally committed to MAC’s beliefs and traditions and the future success of the British Culinary Federation.
Peter was also awarded an MBE for his services to the hospitality industry
in 2008. |
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Ken Fraser MBE
Ken Fraser’s began his 50 plus-year career in catering by training as a baker before joining the Navy as a junior cook and progressing to the rank of warrant officer. His 30 years in the forces included postings to South Africa and the USA.
After he left, Ken joined Westminster College in London, where he was senior lecturer until he retired.
He was awarded the MBE in 1978 for services to catering and in 1982, won three grand prix at Hotelympia. He also won the Craft Guild award for services to catering education in 1995.
Ken is a former captain and member of the British National Culinary Team and has competed seven times at the Culinary Olympics.
He also participated in the design and making of the officical wedding cake for Prince Charles’ marriage to Lady Diana.
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