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Are you ready for the

34th WACS Congress at Santiago, Chile

24 - 28 January, 2010

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NZCA & Joseph Clarke Ready to take on the world!

Taking on the World!!

Joseph Clarke is no stranger to the rigours and demands required to be successful in the furnace of the competitive culinary arena. This young chef demonstrates skills and composure that belies his age (21) He currently is one of New Zealand’s most prolific young culinary warriors and has the Silverware and Gold medals to back up his prowess in the culinary arena. Early on in his career he held the Southern Lights Commis Chef of the Year, The CPIT South Island Commis Chef of the Year and The New Zealand Commis Chef of the Year titles, these all won in back to back competitions during the 2007 New Zealand Salon season and in May 2008 he won Silver in the prestigious Hans Bueschkens World Junior Chefs Challenge Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Currently working at world renowned Blanket Bay Lodge alongside ‘Seasoned’ culinary competitor, Executive Chef, Mark Sycamore, a previous winner of The New Zealand Chef of the Year competition; and currently preparing to represent the New Zealand Chefs Association in the Pacific Regional Final of the World Association of Chefs Societies Global Chefs Challenge; Joseph is in good company as he prepares to step back into the furnace of international culinary competition.

At the recent Wellington Culinary Fare Joseph fought off strong competition from 7 other talented young professional New Zealand Chefs to win the Silver Fern Farms NZ National Final of the WACS 2010 Hans Bueschkens Junior Chefs Challenge. Joseph will once again represent The New Zealand Chefs Association (NZCA) at next year’s Hans Bueschkens World Junior Chefs Challenge being held at the CasaPiedra Events Center as part of the 2010 World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) bi-annual Congress being held from Jan 24th – 28th in Santiago, Chile.

NZCA Vice-President and Culinary Team Business Manager Gary Miller said “the competition in Wellington was strong, 8 very focused and determined young professional chefs battled throughout the weekend to earn the right to represent their association and country at the highest level of competition there is for individual young chefs. “Not only did we (NZCA) find our candidate but we also found a wealth of emerging young professional talent from around the country that we can offer other opportunities too in the future”.

At the Wellington Culinary Fare the competitors had to compete in two competitions, The Akaroa Salmon Hot Entrée Presented Cold, a static showpiece event and then on Sunday afternoon they competed in the Nestle Professional Live Main Course and Dessert Class, where they had to prepare a main course and dessert from scratch for 6 covers in two hours, utilising products from Silver Fern Farms and Nestle Professional. They were judged on their kitchen skills, workflow, set up and preparation, then they were judged on presentation, taste, texture and flavours of their dishes. Their combined results from the two days were then added together with Joseph coming out on top.

Joseph will now prepare to pit his culinary skills against other young chefs from around the world during the World Congress. He will have to prepare a 3 course meal for 8 people from a mystery box of ingredients that he will get to study for one hour the day before the cook-off. During that time he will have to study the ingredients and then design his menu and present to the judges his written recipes and methods.

On the day of the competition he will have 3.5 hours to cook and prepare his menu and then he will serve his three courses, Entrée, Main and Dessert at times pre-determined by the chief judge on the day of the competition.

Gary says of Joseph, “I am looking forward to working with Joseph once again to help him prepare for the Hans Bueschkens competition, Joseph knows what is required to compete at this level and with only seven months to go before the competition; having previously competed in Dubai, our preparations will pick up where we left off in 2008”.

Last Day Gourmet Team Pictures HOFEX 2009

On the last day of HOFEX the two past Champions went head-to-head in the Gourmet Team Challenge. 2004 Winners the Hong Kong International Convention Centre Team were up against the Defending Champions and Winners from 2006 Gourmet Team from the Philippines.

Overall winners of Gourmet Team Chellenge for 2009 is the HKICC Team - see all the dishes from both teams below.

HKICC 2009, The competition that consistently pushes the envelope

Words by: Chtistopher Gallaga
Photos by: Marco Veringa
Reporting live from HOFEX 2009

As we your trusty news team pace the massive competition arena, from gourmet team buffets, to exciting ice carving rounds; through Chinese and Western hot food heats, and The Global Chef Asia Tournament; into patsry, bakery and display work; we are overwhelmed by the continuing creativity and high ambition of the competitors.

Certainly it is true that some young chefs have focused too much on fasion versus function and gotten lost trying to create the latest trend. But others just as able but perhaps slightly more rounded have shown us that indeed the up-and-coming chefs are taking good care to preserve the legacy of excellence handed down from competitions past.

Overall we give very high marks to everyone for participating and certainly HKICC and the Hong Kong Chefs Association are very thankful to all involved. You continue to make this one of the most interesting and well attended culinary competitions in the world.

Again for images please go here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/hkicchofex2009/

HOFEX Day 4 May 8th

Another action-packed day at HOFEX 2009



Gourmet Teams put on another amazing display



Chocolate Sculpture

Global Chef Asian Final HOFEX 2009

In a hotly contested event between Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, The Philippines & the host Hong Kong, the Global Chef Asian Final presented 5 hours of LIVE Hot Cooking where a team of two have created a menu from a blackbox of ingredients for 12 PAX consisting of appetiser, fish course from Norwegian Salmon, a main course of beef and a dessert.

We will update you of the winning team a little later, here's pictures of the event... LIVE at HOFEX 2009!

UPDATE:

Congratulations!!!!

First - Indonesia Team of Bvlgari Hotel, Bali

Second - Singapore Team

Third - Hong Kong Team

Gourmet Team Challenge HOFEX 2009

The Gourmet Team Challenge kicked off today with the Singapore Team and the Intercontinental Hong Kong.
WACS Junior was there and here are the pictures for you LIVE from HOFEX 2009.

Ice Carving Day 3 HOFEX 2009

Ice Carving again took centerstage of the afternoon's event. See all the Action as it took place just a few minuites ago. WACS Junior LIVE from HOFEX

Wedding Cakes

HOFEX May 6th Day 2

Apprentice Hot Cooking for under-25s


A full day's program of individual hot cooking, ice carving, individual cake-making and bakery got under way from as early as 7am. Almost a hundred competitors for the day took part in what was an exciting and well executed culinary competitive spirit throughout the venue.

In the hot cooking category, the main competition for the day covered beef, salmon, herring, and pork shoulder. While there were some interesting and creative dishes executed by the competitors, the judges' comments were that more attention to basic skills need to be focussed upon.

When asked to elaborate on this, Chief Judge for Hot Cooking, Marco Brueschweiler had this to say, "competitors are focussing too much on the final product and not enough on the journey to get to the final product". Judge Alan Orreal added to this by saying "as junior chefs, we expect the competitors to show basic skills in knife handling, hygiene, sauté and other fundamental cooking skills, not on artisan alone.

The following pictures are from WACS Junior, LIVE from HOFEX 2009

HOFEX May 5th Day 1

Salmon Chanted Morning

Words By: Christopher Gallaga
Photos By: Marco Veringa
Reporting live from HOFEX 2009

The Hong Kong International Culinary Classics Competition kicked off with an exciting start on Tuesday, May 5 (Cinco de Mayo, Olé!); a full day before the 2009 Hong Kong Hotel and Food Expo (HOFEX) actually began. As an astute reporter I immediately noted something fishy going on, and using my highly trained investigative skills found what it was, in short order. Norge Seafood, the proud vendor of a large variety of premium Norwegian seafood, was also the proud sponsor of the first individual apprentice competition, featuring an exciting and apparently delicious round of salmon entrées prepared by the young chefs attending from around the world. The apprentices certainly challenged the judges with their incredible culinary technique and modern preparations of the most classic of all fish, Norwegian salmon. The energy of this first round created a momentum that will carry us all through this exciting week of business and culinary adventure.
To see all images, please go to this link: http://www.flickr.com/groups/hkicchofex2009/


May 5th,
WACS Junior HOFEX Hong Kong,
Due to overwhelming response from competitors the Hong Kong Chefs association has run an extra day of competition in order for everyone to have the opportunity to compete.
Here are a few photos of the Junior Chefs cooking Salmon for four pax. There are Junior competitors in this set of pictures from Taiwan, KL and Hong Kong.
These pictures below from WACS Junior with more to come every day.

HOFEX Welcome Dinner May 5th

A Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel Safari
Words By: Christopher Gallaga
Photos By: Marco Veringa
Reporting live from HOFEX 2009

The breeze was cool and fresh on the front lawn of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, as the international judges and honored guest congregated to begin the welcome dinner for HOFEX and the HKICC, sponsored by Nestle.

Our gracious host Hong Kong Chefs Association President, Rudolph Muller with the abundant help of the outstanding cast of Hong Kong Disneyland, guided us on a wonderful journey. The format of the evening was a table service dinner, but with every course, we the guests were uprooted from one venue and gently carried in “Disney Magic” fashion, to another. In this way, during one delightful evening we were able to sample every area of the fairytale inspired hotel. This clever arrangement not only allowed for an interesting and exciting time, but also allowed us to mingle more than usual, recombining at each new table into new configurations of dining companions. This method of service stimulated conversation and strengthened old friendships while also generating many new ones.

The food, 7 courses in all, was impeccably prepared, featuring such dishes as a cold seafood plate with crab mille-feulle, seared scallop and Batik-style salmon (a favorite among yesterdays judges, I am sure); as well as roast veal chop with Portobello risotto. We were also delighted by with a huge variety of Australian wines that changed with every course.
Well sated, and basked in the warm glow of friendship the dinner was concluded by 11pm, when the judges were sent to their hotels for rest, and we honored guests made our separate ways across Hong Kong for a bit of kip before the exciting days to follow. While the official opening ceremony would come in the morning we certainly started the festivities in high fashion.

Please for all the pictures follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/groups/hkicchofex2009/

More Pictures from WACS Junior below

This was an amazing dinner thanks Chef Rudy and all the team at Disney

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Penang Junior Chefs Swear in new Committee

Our Penang Junior Chefs Club general committee took the swearing-in ceremony! In line with our commitment toward our profession, the newly elected general committee plead their loyalty and dedication towards their Association led by Chef Audee Cheah recently during a swearing-in ceremony dinner hosted by Chef Darren Tan at Sweet Cherry Thai Restaurant.