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Visit the WACS website
The World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) was founded in 1928 as the governing body for chefs organisations across the world. It brings together associations from over 74 member countries to date and provides a possible networking link with thousands of affiliated chefs and companies. Its primary objective is the education of chefs and is dedicated to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of global cuisine.
The British Culinary Federation’s membership of WACS is through the Chefs and Cooks Circle and gives members automatic membership of this prestigious worldwide organisation. WACS membership gives the sole right to select officially recognised national culinary teams to compete in international events.
Team success is important! It inspires future generations of chefs to strive for the highest standards and take pride in their chosen profession. Consequently we fully support our national teams as they compete throughout the world, demonstrating the artistry and creativity of culinary skills in our country.
We have enjoyed outstanding success over the years, winning many awards in international competitions including the World Culinary Olympics.
The WACS (World Association of Chefs Societies) 2008 biennial congress will see a coming together of over 1,000 of the world’s leading leisure-industry professionals.
The congress will be held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from May 12-15, 2008 in the centre’s magnificent Sheik Rashid Hall.
The main thrust of the congress will showcase the exotic lifestyle of United Arab Emirates residents, featuring Arabian culture and the myriad cuisines and cultures that have gone into the making of Dubai.
Delegates will be informed and entertained by the customs and philosophy of societies other than their own. There will be practical illustrations of the culinary sophistication and refinement achieved by nations that, in some cases, they have never encountered before.
Two major international competitions will be held during the congress: The Global Chefs Challenge and the Hans Bueschkens Memorial Trophy.
This practical cookery competition is a new WACS 2008 initiative. It will be inaugurated in Dubai during the 2008 Congress. Seven senior finalists, all named best chefs of their regions through a series of competitions, will be eligible to join compete for the title Global Chef 2008.
This event will be a permanent fixture on the WACS competition calendar. And the winner of this biennial battle can truthfully boast of holding a verifiable world-class culinary title.
The WACS Northern European Global Chefs Challenge will be held in Tallinn, Estonia, at the end of October. All the WACS member countries in the area are eligible to send a contestant.
The chef chosen to represent Great Britain is Simon Hulstone, chef patron of the Michelin-starred restaurant The Elephant in Torquay.
Simon is a very experienced competitor with numerous successes in international competition. The competition allows a competitors a commis chef and accompanying Simon is Daniel Morris. We wish them luck and hope they reach the final.
Oct 31 Opening night of Global Chef Competition.
Nov 1 Estonian Chef of the Year and Mystery Box presentation to competitors.
Nov 2 First day of competition.
Nov 3 Second day of competition and gala dinner .
Nov 4 Depart or free day.
We are hoping to take a small delegation to support Simon. Contact Brian Cotterill, 020 8368 3237 for details.
The Hans Bueschkens Memorial Trophy
Twenty young chefs will represent their respective countries, vying to be judged best young chef in the world. In just six hours, each junior is challenged to prove their culinary and organisational skills from the composition of the menu to the service of the meals.
Kitchen arena
A permanent kitchen arena will be provided at the Congress. Eight fully-equipped kitchens will be constructed in an arena setting with lighting, back-projection screens, cameras and sound system. A culinary MC will provide a running commentary every day.
The arena will host both competitions, seminars and workshops and will be open for viewing to everybody: delegates, the public and VIPs.
These will include:
Thai cuisine and food decoration as practised at royal Thai palaces.
Barbados conch and crab preparation.
Iranian grills and breads.
Lebanese cuisine and culture.
South Indian specialties.
Cuisine from the maharaja’s palaces.
Arabic khahwa customs.
Camel meat and camel milk preparations.
Fugu; the deadly and delicious fish.
Inaugurated by WACS honorary life president Dr Bill Gallagher, the Junior Chefs’ Forum will be conducted at the same time as the main congress and offer juniors some elements of the main congress programme.
The forum, a platform for young chefs to air their views, is designed to converge with the main congress occasionally so juniors may associate with senior delegates as much as possible.
The encouragement and development of junior chefs is an important part of the WACS 2008 philosophy.
The event will also offer workshops and visits. It is open to all member countries of WACS 2008, each of whom can send one junior member to participate in the Hans Bueschkens Memorial Trophy competition at no cost. Junior chefs from around the world will be encouraged to attend to build international goodwill and extend their knowledge.
A special dining facility will be part of the Hans Bueschkens Memorial Trophy competition and the young chefs will be able to sample the meals produced by their colleagues at the competition.
y. Lavish buffets featured delicious, traditional dishes and a gipsy group, the Devils Violin Orchestra, played popular sing-along songs from different countries so we all joined in the singing in many different languages! It was certainly memorable to hear Roll out the Barrel on violins and sung in English, followed by Zorba’s Dance with the Greek delegate showing us how to dance!
Our hosts deserve congratulations for an efficient conference with lots of fun, excellent food and outstanding hospitality.
The next meeting is in the Czech Republic, April 2008, so why not come along? Dates and details will be published in Culinary News and on our website as soon as we have them and John and I will be pleased to tell you more if you are interested.
And don’t forget, the World Congress is in Dubai in May next year. We’d love to take a BCF party and make it a holiday as well. Details will be available soon – so start saving!
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