Chef's Corner Issue 62 English

Become a Certified Chef

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Become a Certified Chef

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Chef’s CornerIssue 62

September - October 2010

C o n t e n t s{ C o n t e n t s }

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editorialmarkus J. Iten 3Ahmed el nahas 4

trainingCulinary training Centers egypt 5eCA bookstore at hace’10 24Quiz 29eCA Workshop Certifications 36

Interviews & profilesChef robert oppeneder Judging Across the Globe 6Antoine Carême, father of the Grand Cuisine 22Jamie oliver, “the naked Chef” 23

featuresChocolate - food of the Gods 8Japanese Cuisine, ipod Cuisine of the far east 12halloumi Cheese of the Island of Cyprus 18egypt to patent its famous Dishes 27the Art of making Cheese 28

recipesWilliams 20blackberry Cake 21

meeting pointChef’s Corner news 31Welcome eCA members 34Calendar 37 8

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Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Culinary Profession,

I'd like to share with you an encounter with a very special person that I had the opportunity to listen to just a few days ago. The person is not only a woman, it is Miss USA herself, freshly nominated in 2010. I know what you're thinking. Let me give you the answers up-front: her name is Rima Fakih and yes she is beautiful, yes she is smart, yes she is young (24), yes she has a Masters degree, yes she is born in Lebanon, yes she is a Moslem, and yes she can talk!

Now let’s talk about what she had to say. Her main points during her speech, were about how to help other people in need, especially the ones afflicted with cancer. What really struck me though was what she started with, stating “Now I have a Voice”! Well, you might say, everybody has a voice. I have to agree, but a voice should also be heard.

Let me explain. Miss USA, Ramia Fakih, born in Lebanon, went to school, like all of us. She started in her early years to care for other people, like many of us. She became Miss USA in 2010. Right.

What does this have to do with “Now I have a voice”?It is rather simple, the big word here is education, determination to get what she

wanted, work hard to get to the top and now she has a VOICE. She is Miss USA, she gets invited all over the world, people listen to her, agree or disagree, but she has a voice. A voice which will span the world many times over to make people aware of issues of importance in this world, beyond their own problems.

Let’s go back into our domain, the KITCHEN. We did all the things Miss USA did, not in the USA but in Egypt. But there is just one thing missing and that is to get a VOICE. You can argue that if you stand in the street and start shouting about any topic you have a voice. But how many people will stop and listen to you? Who would actually follow and implement your ideas? We have to agree, less than one, if any.

Our only way out of not having a voice is to get to the top of our profession, never mind our age. To get to the top needs hard work, education, training, learning and implementing all of this information in our way of life as a chef here in Egypt. Before the Master Chef title, there is a long and steep mountain to climb, but every step will bring you closer to having a voice. From the basic training as an apprentice, to further educating yourself to become a certified Chef, then certified Sous Chef, then certified Executive Chef, all the way to the top of the chef’s world, the Master Chef.

Is everyone able to get to the top? YES, it is solely and entirely up to you.

The Culinary Training Centres in Luxor and 6th of October will give you the jumping board to achieve your goal and get a voice heard loud and clear in Egypt and beyond.

Markus J. ItenPresident, Egyptian Chefs Association

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Publication of theEgyptian Chefs Association

Registration number: 447620 Salem Salem Street,

Agouza, GizaTelephone / Fax 02 376 22 116 / 7 / 8E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.egyptchefs.com

Executive DirectorMirjam van IJssel

Membership DepartmentMarwa Said

Amr Abdel Salam

Business DevelopmentAshraf GamalAnet Gunter

Website & PublicationSamira Mahmoud

Marwa SaidVioleta D. Salama

Production & Graphic DesignAshraf Shukri / Lunar Graphics

Hany Kamal

Receptionist / SecretaryMaria Samir

TranslationHussein SayedAmal Bassaly

Publication of theEgyptian Chefs Association

Registration number: 447620 Salem Salem Street,

Agouza, GizaTelephone / Fax 02 376 22 116 / 7 / 8E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.egyptchefs.com

Executive Committee

Honorary PresidentHussein Badran

ChairmanAhmed El Nahas

PresidentMarkus J. Iten

TreasurerHossam El Din Mohamed

Training & CompetitionsHossam El Din Mohamed

Markus J. ItenTarek Ibrahim

Restaurant RelationsYuphadee Sawamiwast

Public Relations JuniorsMohamed El Saadawy

Representative North CoastMohamed El Saadany

Assistant Representative North CoastMohamed El Bedwhi

Representative Red Sea CoastSamir Abdel Azim

Representative Upper EgyptIbrahim Rashed

Dear Hospitality Wizards,

At the Association’s headquarters it is once again full steam ahead with the Hace exhibition just a few days away, the Culinary World Cup coming up in November and the Culinary Training Centers of Egypt starting the first classes in professional cooking in January’11. The ECA team also expanded with some extra hands and minds on board to cope with the extra workload due to all the activities and new services added to the Association’s scope of work.

Hace’10, the largest trade fair for the hospitality industry in Egypt, is set to take place from 24 till 27 October at the Cairo International Conference Center. This year's edition is sure to bring you something new, as chefs show off their skills in ECA’s live cooking competitions including: Best Female Chef of the Year, Best Junior Chef of the Year, Mystery Basket Competitions and the Chef’s Grand Prix Team Competition, among many others. Join our International Judging Team of eight to get their valuable feedback on culinary performance and share in the competition excitement.

Also present at Hace’10 will be the ten chefs currently in training to become internationally certified culinary instructors. They will be available at the booth of the Egyptian Chefs Association to give information on all the ins and outs of the professional chef’s training program for anyone interested to enroll. Whether you're a young chef starting out in the profession or unemployed and looking to learn a specialized skill to start a career as chef, you are all welcome to study on part-time or full-time basis at the newly established Culinary Training Centers. The study, including the final international certification, is affordable for everyone due to the generous financial subsidy of the Ministry of Tourism.

The training centers will also offer a solution for hotels and catering establishments who wish to train their existing workforce. While we all realize the importance of training, when you work in hotels, the guests of course are priority number one, and training sometimes gets shifted down the priority list due to the hectic work environment which is inherent to our industry. Well, the good news is that now you can enroll your staff to get trained on part-time basis at the Culinary Training Centers, where they can learn and get skilled without any disruption of the operation. Information on the International Chef’s Apprenticeship Program will be available from the ECA booth at Hace’10 and through special briefing sessions throughout the four days of the exhibition.

Another challenge lies ahead for our Culinary Ambassadors of Egypt, the chefs who already excel in their profession and have the sole responsibility of representing Egypt at International competitions. They will compete for Egypt for the first time in Luxembourg at the World Cup of Chefs from 20 till 24 November. The Association once again started a special donation campaign to cover the high expenses involved in our participation overseas. You can support your colleagues by donating LE 100, and receive a special Culinary Ambassador pin in recognition of your kind donation.

So in ending, wishing you a good time participating in one or more of the Association’s activities, and looking forward to seeing you all at Hace’10.

Ahmed El NahasChairman, Egyptian Chefs Association

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Learn the specialized skills of professional cooking to become a certified chef, a profession with excellent job opportunities! The recently established Culinary Training Centers in Egypt offer a dynamic intensive chef’s training program with international certification.

The Culinary Training Centers are open for student enrollments to all Egyptians whether currently employed in the industry or the unemployed who wish to start a career in the fast growing tourism sector in Egypt. Those who wish to upgrade their professional skills or hospitality management teams who wish to enroll their kitchen staff are also welcome to apply.

The International Chef’s Apprenticeship Program is a high quality chef’s training program that meets international standards of professional cookery and provides international recognition and certification. The program enables chef trainees to meet professional challenges with a systematic approach to quality and quantity of food production, as practiced today in hotels, fine dining establishment, institutional catering facilities and other food service operations.

The Culinary Training Centers of Egypt offer study opportunities with:

• Student manuals in food preparation and food safety of international standards, bilingual in English and Arabic

• 2/3 of study time practical skills training and 1/3 theoretical education

• Internationally Certified Egyptian Culinary Instructors• State-of-the-art training kitchens located at Akhbar Al Youm

Academy in 6th of October, Cairo and at Faculty of Tourism & Hotels Luxor, South Valley University.

• Programs on full-time basis (half year) or part-time basis (one year)

• Affordable study fees for establishments and individuals, due to the financial subsidy of the Ministry of Tourism

• Special discounts for first semester enrollments, starting January’11

• Opportunities to be placed in the industry as chef’s trainee during the study

• International accreditation as chef

Establishments enrolling chefs into the International Chef’s Apprenticeship Program will have the opportunity to hire young chef trainees studying at the Culinary Training Centers. This will assist the establishment in reducing their shortage in kitchen staff. A great opportunity to educate and certify your chefs against affordable fees! Simultaneously, the Ministry of Tourism is subsidizing the tuition fees of the unemployed who wish to learn a skill and whom the establishments can hire as chef’s trainees.

The Culinary Training Centers of Egypt project is financially funded by the Ministry of Tourism, and managed by the Egyptian Tourism Federation with the technical assistance of the Egyptian Chefs Association (ECA) and the knowhow of European senior specialists provided by the EU funded project TVET. The International Chefs Apprenticeship Program has been developed by the Egyptian Chefs Association, already renowned for its quality kitchen training programs.

Training is Your Key towards:´ A promising career´ Motivated staff´ Loyal staff´ Good food´ Safe food´ Happy guests´ Repeated business´ Prosperous tourism´ Reduced unemployment´ Prosperous economy

To learn more about the International Chef’s Apprenticeship Program and how to enroll, visit Hace’10 from 24 to 27 October at the Cairo International Conference Center (CICC).

The information booth will be at the Egyptian Chefs Association in Hall H.Presentations on the program will take place daily at:13.00hrs and 17.00hrs in the Mezzanine room at the CICC

For more information call the ECA on 016 5527567 / 016 8807854 or visit www.egyptchefs.com or email [email protected] or [email protected]

T r a i n i n g

Investment in training is investment in prosperity. See you at Hace’10!

International Chef’s Certification Now in Egypt

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Judging Across the Globe

I n t e r v i e w

Chairman of WACS International

Culinary Committee, Robert

Oppeneder attended the National

Salon Culinaire’10 in Cairo.

Samira Mahmoud spoke to Chef

Oppeneder about the challenges

and opportunities WACS faces in

monitoring the level and standards

of the International Chef’s

competition scene. How has the international culinary competition scene changed over the past years?

We have some older shows like the Expogast Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg and the IKA/Culinary Olympics in Germany, some of which have been going on for 120 years! Over the past years, however, many new WACS country members have come up with events and competitions. Most had never competed before on the international scene; countries like Turkey and Azerbaijan, etc. They all want to be part of the family.

The new places were coming up with fancy rules and ideas which had to be counted in. The challenge was how to combine the national character and aspirations of every participating nation, while still implementing our own WACS rulings. After many meetings and discussions, we have now successfully established four different types of categories of WACS competitions to endorse all those national, continental, international and global shows. In this way they can operate under the umbrella of WACS; and that's good for both sides, they benefit and we benefit.

What do you wish to see happen as Chairman of the International WACS Culinary committee?

I judged in Dubai twelve years ago and the competition there was on a very basic standard. Now they have brought in international standards and Egypt also has done that. It gets a message out to the neighboring countries that they are going for a higher standard of food and competition; and the next country may be Sudan or Libya. Even if they don't get a gold medal at every competition, next year the standard is going to be better, because someone is behind all along pushing for higher standards. Without that it wouldn't happen. In other words, WACS acts like a supporting partner and through the WACS rulings the benchmark is achieved.

How are different cuisines judged on equal footing?

At first you must learn a cuisine. So for example, the first time I got acquainted with Arabian cuisine was 15 years ago. The first time chefs compete with a new cuisine they go in full of ideas and not knowing exactly how they will measure up by the standards of international judges. Then you can begin to discern what is good Lebanese, say, and what is better.

What are the best qualities that you look for in a winning exhibit?Most competitors believe that they must think of something

extraordinary, something fancy. That is a common mistake. They should approach the competing entry much like any other dish they would present at their restaurant. They can look in books for inspiration and try to practice a dish over and over to achieve perfection.

They can try variations on themes that have been done over the years. How can a variation be created that is appealing and yet retains the original authenticity of the dish? Just with a little touch, by adding new ingredients such as raisins and nuts in some dishes, for example. You can also slice a food item differently and suddenly it will become a very different dish. As long as it fits with the authenticity of the cuisine.

What is most challenging or rewarding as international judge?To comment on dishes. Every chef who enters a competition

thinks he made the best dish imaginable. For instance I was at a pastry competition in Dubai and there was a gentleman participating that was over 60. It was clear that he was very proud of his work. How to tell him that he has to improve a certain point? He was getting very aggressive. Then suddenly he was crying like a child. You have to be diplomatic, even more than diplomatic. The reward is when you manage to strike the balance between criticism and hope, and are able to give the chefs the needed encouragement to improve and participate again over the next years.

What was a memorable chef’s competition you judged and why?This year in Chile at the Global Chefs Challenge, held in

conjunction with the WACS Congress. All the continents were competing, each one having one participant to represent their continent. Their level was of the same standards as three-star Michelin chefs and they presented work that was absolutely outstanding! As Chairman of the WACS Culinary Competition Committee that is rewarding to see. It means you are on the right track.

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F e a t u r eChocolateFood of the Gods

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The history of chocolate begins more than 2,000 years ago during the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, where cocoa beans were regarded in very high esteem. The Mayas and Aztecs grew cocoa trees in their backyards, where they harvested, fermented, roasted and ground the seeds into a paste. When mixed with water, chili peppers, cornmeal and

other ingredients, this paste made a frothy, spicy chocolate drink. Chocolate was a beverage particularly favored by royalty and religious dignitaries, though it was also at rare times served to the masses during festive occasions. Montezuma, the mighty ruler of the Aztec empire was rumored to have consumed over 50 cups of the potent liquid a day, served in a golden goblet. Cocoa beans, however, were not only used for consumption but they were also used as a form of currency. According to ancient records, one turkey was worth one hundred cocoa beans and one avocado was three cocoa beans!

The first cacao beans made a transatlantic voyage on board of Christopher Columbus’ ship as part of the unique discoveries which the Conquistador was bringing back to Spain. However, they remained unnoticed by the Royal court for a few more decades, until another Spanish explorer, Hernando Cortes, introduced the usually bitter chocolate drink to the Court mixed with cane sugar. Chocolate became an instant success and in order to keep up with the growing demand for the drink, the enslavement of Mesoamericans began! Back in Spain, the new version of chocolate continued to undergo flavor refinements. Newly imported spices, such as cinnamon and vanilla were added to the drink. Ultimately, a creative genius thought of serving the drink hot, creating the first hot chocolate and making a path for even more dedicated followers among the Spanish aristocracy. Remarkably, regardless of its popularity, drinking chocolate remained a well-guarded secret among the Spanish for almost a century. Then, in the late 16th century, “the secret” crossed the border into neighboring France, where the French nobility was fast to indulge in the delicious flavor of hot chocolate. The popularity of chocolate kept spreading and soon it had crossed over the English Channel, where the first Chocolate house was established in London by a Frenchman.

The development of chocolate continued through the next centuries, enhanced by Industrial Revolution breakthroughs, when new machines made the mass production of chocolate possible and improved the quality of the final product. Until then, chocolate was a gritty, rather oily paste usually dissolved in water or milk and made into a beverage. The invention of new machinery made it possible to create smoother, creamier chocolate, culminating in the manufacture of the first solid eating chocolate by the English company of J.S. Fry and Sons. Yet another notable development occurred in 1876 in Vevey, Switzerland, when Daniel Peter devised a way of adding milk to the chocolate manufacturing process, creating the product we enjoy today known as milk chocolate.

In the years to follow, chocolate went on becoming one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world. Chocolate bars, chocolate cookies, chocolate milk shakes and candies, the decadent existence of chocolate is ever present in delicacies savored daily by some, and only on special occasions by others. Chocolate gifts are

Written by: Violeta D. Salama

“Forget love! I would rather fall

into chocolate!” exclaims an

anonymous 18th century poet, so

obviously enticed by the marvelous

taste of the most decadent of all

earthly pleasures. Just how did

chocolate come into our lives to be

savored in the form we adore today

is a journey to be discovered…

bestowed on holidays, in the form of Easter bunnies or Chocolate Santa Claus; and what is more romantic on Valentine's Day than a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a red rose to enhance it?

Chocolate is not only delicious, but eaten in its purest, darker form, it can be beneficial for the health too. Recent studies have shown that certain compounds found in the cocoa bean act as antioxidants, which help fight heart disease, lower cholesterol and decrease blood pressure. Chocolate is also a powerful mood booster since it stimulates the production of endorphins, the feel-good hormones which we associate with experiencing pleasure. It also contains serotonin, a neurotransmitter capable of combating depression, as well as theobromine and caffeine, both of which act as stimulants. In other words, if you feel sad, depressed or low on energy, a small bar of dark chocolate can do wonders to uplift your mood. The secret to enjoying chocolate while preserving its benefits is to keep the portions small and the chocolate dark. The menace in chocolate is not the cocoa it contains, but the milk and sugar added to increase its sweetness and velvety texture.

Ever since the benefits of dark chocolate were officially published, chocolate manufacturers have placed on the market some very tempting and creative dark chocolate options: Lindt has produced the dark chocolate and chili, and dark chocolate and orange rind bars, while Italian ice cream producers offer dark chocolate and black peppercorn ice cream. Belgian Chocolatiers, on other hand, have been exploring the world of “Chocolate Chemistry”, where molecules found in certain types of chocolate are matched with molecules found in other ingredients. Some puzzling, yet fascinating examples include: from Costa Rica, milk chocolate with cumin seeds and salted almonds; white chocolate from Dominican Republic, paired with either lemon or fresh basil, or Gorgonzola cheese and raspberry! And in Japan, a chocolate-loving sushi fanatic invented the Chocolate Sushi phenomenon, where dark and white chocolate, fruit-flavored butter cream and rice biscuits are artfully molded to resemble sushi!

In the kitchen, inventive chefs are leaving the secure area of the pastry as chocolate’s prime domain, and are beginning to experiment with chocolate as an ingredient to salads, sauces and pastas! Some chefs love to grind up bittersweet chocolate and then sprinkle it on top of specialty salads, apparently a great taste enhancer for salads that have beets. Chocolate is added to creamy pasta sauces and some brave chefs have even placed it in lasagna! Whether as a chocolate rice and grain dish, or a chocolate sandwich with raspberry cream cheese filling, in the end, the world of creative chocolate use is only restricted by one’s imagination!

Tips on Working with Chocolate in Savory Dishes

When working with chocolate in a savory dish, it is important to acquire high quality unsweetened chocolate. Stay away from milk chocolate or sweetened chocolates, which may have an unpleasant impact on your dish. You may also want to experiment on your own before serving savory dishes made with chocolate to guests.

One of the most classic savory dishes made with chocolate is mole, a Mexican sauce classically served with chicken. Mole uses a base of tomatoes and spices mixed with chilies and chocolate. The interaction of flavors between chilies and chocolate is used in

Southwestern cuisine as well. Mole can come in a variety of colors and with different concentrations of chocolate, but the sauce tends to be rich and thick as a result of the introduction of chocolate.

Salads with sweet ingredients like beets and creamy cheeses can benefit from a sprinkling of cocoa or a chocolate vinaigrette. In addition to using cocoa in these savory dishes made with chocolate, you could also use cocoa nibs. Cocoa nibs are the pure source of chocolate, and they have a rich, nutty, slightly bitter flavor which can go well with many dishes. Cocoa nibs can be broken into chunks and mixed with goat cheese for a unique cheese spread, or sprinkled on top of foods for an injection of chocolate flavor. You can also shave unsweetened chocolate onto dishes such as salads and roasts.

Cocoa can act as a thickener, and is a great addition to sauces and glazes. A small amount of cocoa can go a long way in savory dishes made with chocolate: try making beans with chocolate and chipotle chilies for a Tex-mex feel. Decorate onion tarts with a drizzle of unsweetened chocolate sauce. You can also integrate chocolate products into seared seafood, creating a crust with cocoa and other ingredients which will complement it, such as chilies. Chocolate can also be integrated into fillings for savory tarts, filled pasta, or stuffed roasts.

As can be seen, savory dishes made with chocolate are limited only by the imagination of the chef. Start out by using chocolate in small amounts, so that it is not overwhelming, and take notes when you make mistakes or create an unusually delicious dish. Try not to bore frequent visitors with savory dishes made with chocolate, and use chocolate as a rare and fun ingredient, rather than a frequent one.

For recipes with chocolate check www.cacaoweb.net or www.allchocolate.com

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F e a t u r e

The history of modern day Japanese cuisine dates far back with Korea and China playing major roles in influencing the at-that-time emerging food culture. Rice is the base of many Japanese dishes. Brought from Korea during 400 B.C., rice quickly became the staple food of Japan. It was so valuable, indeed, that the feudal (country lord)

wealth was measured in how many fields of rice he possessed. Peasants paid their taxes with rice and rice festivals were celebrated throughout the year! Sake, the fermented rice drink was thought to be sacred and to cleanse evil. Today, though rice is not used any more as currency, it still is as essential to the Japanese soul as it was thousands of years ago.

Religion also played an important part in developing Japanese cuisine. Both Buddhism and Shinto prohibited killing, and so the Japanese have refrained from consuming meat for hundreds of years. There were times, during the 7th and 8th century that even fishing was prohibited by Emperor’s decree! Luckily for the seafood loving nation of Japan that ban did not last long and the island soon resumed its enjoyment of the sea delicacies.

Soybeans, chopsticks and tea are China’s contribution to the Japanese diet. Soybeans are consumed fresh, as "edamame", enjoyed with a beer at restaurants. Fermented soybeans are served over rice for a traditional Japanese breakfast. Dried soybeans are used as coating on Japanese sweets. Soybeans are also the foundation of soya milk and tofu.

Other important ingredients in the Japanese cuisine are the various sea kelps and sea weeds used to create soup stocks, as side dishes or to form sushi rolls. Noodles are almost as popular as rice, with varieties being made from buckwheat ("soba"), wheat ("somen" and "udon") or egg and wheat noodles universally known as "ramen". Noodles are served hot and cold, as soup or dry, with toppings varying from a mixture of vegetables, seafood, or just simply soaked in a ginger infused broth. The Japanese are a vegetable-crazed nation, serving vegetables at all meals. Well-liked choices include many types of root vegetables such as "daikon" (white radish), "yamaimo" (mountain potato), "kabo" (turnip), lotus and lily roots etc. Others include bamboo shoots, wasabi, Chinese cabbage and white scallions to name but a few. Mushrooms, in all their forms and sizes are consumed, and so is an array of fruits and seeds, such as persimmon, sesame and tangerine seeds.

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Written by: Violeta D. Salama

iPod Cuisineof the Far East

From the land of “beefy” looking Sumo wrestlers, paradoxically a delicate and healthy cuisine has sprung!

“The Japanese diet is the iPod of

food,” says celebrated Japanese

food writer Naomi Moriyama,

“it concentrates the magnificent

energy of food into a compact

and pleasurable size.” Thanks to

their healthy diet, the Japanese

people hold the world record for

long life. The secret lies in using

seasonal, thus fresh ingredients,

plenty of fruits and vegetables, an

abundance of seafood and very

little sugar and oil.

Whether you sample a home-style cooking known as "obanzai" or take part in an elaborate “kaiseki” ceremony (the Japanese version of Haute-cuisine), the foods offered would be a conscious celebration of the number five: five are the senses with which one enjoys the food, five are the colors gracing the dish, five are the tastes present in a meal and five are the cooking methods brought into play.

Food should be savored with all five of the senses: taste and smell are obvious, but sight figures predominately in Japanese cuisine, therefore food is forever artfully presented in beautiful tableware. Touch is also important, not only for the texture of the food itself, which should be varied, but also for crockery and cutlery. Eating sushi with freshly cut bamboo chopsticks on a porcelain plate does have a nice ring to it! Hearing, though a bit more esoteric, is also considered important since the Japanese believe that the quieter the restaurant, the more profound their culinary experience. But then again aren’t the top restaurants usually the most quiet ones?

The prevalence of the five colors – white, black, red, green and yellow – has been a tradition in Japan since Buddhism arrived from China in the 6th century. This tradition has also been kept in serving a meal; white rice is offered in a black bento box, adorned with red and green vegetables and a yellow Japanese omelet.

And the five tastes to correspond to any meal are: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and savory to tantalize the palate and to best enhance the ingredients carefully bonded in creating well balanced and nutritious meals.

The preparation of the dishes is also important, and here, there are also five methods: raw, simmered, fried, steamed and roasted or grilled. “Kaiseki” cuisine makes use of these various ways of preparation, which add up to a complete experience. Kaiseki cuisine is an elaborate celebration of traditional Japanese cuisine. Dishes are small, served in pretty decorative plates. Originally rice, miso soup, and three side dishes were served. However, Kaiseki has since evolved to include an appetizer, sashimi, plus a simmered dish, a grilled dish and a steamed course.

In comparison to its sophisticated counterpart “obanzai” is simple and unpretentious. This Japanese grandma-style cooking, revolves around fresh seasonal vegetables often cooked in “dashi”(most fundamental Japanese cooking stock, made from edible kelp and fermented tuna shavings), tofu (coagulated soya milk curd), some type of fresh fish and rice. Those subtly flavored yet delicious dishes are extremely healthy. Of course traditionally, Japanese home cooks would always use what was on offer fresh at the markets.

Fresh and sushi go hand in hand. At least they do now, in the modern era, though the original form of sushi is fermented fish and rice, preserved in salty water. The contemporary sushi, however, created in its present form during the late 18th century, consists of a block of rice with a fresh slice of fish on top, known as "nigiri" sushi. Maki rolls (rice rolls, covered in sea weed with a specific ingredient incorporated) are also popular. And where sushi goes, sashimi follows! Sashimi is a Japanese

delicacy. It consists of very fresh seafood, served raw with only wasabi paste and a soya sauce. Traditionally in Japanese cuisine, sashimi was served as a first course, followed by other more distinctive tasting appetizers, such as “tempura”. Introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in early 16th century, tempura has become an inseparable part of Japanese cuisine; slices of seafood or vegetables are lightly battered and then deep fried. Deep frying is not a common cooking method, in the stay-close-to-nature island, though there are a few popular dishes such as "gyoza" (meat dumplings), "onigiri" and "tonkatsu" (fried pork cutlets) which are deep fried. "Onigiri" is the Japanese answer to fast food; leftover rice is made into small balls, then wrapped in seaweed and deep fried. Onigiri often has a small, meat or vegetable filling inside and is served for lunch on-the-run.

Meat has only been allowed in Japanese cuisine since the mid 19th century, and only after a military leader noticed that a beef-eating army was a stronger and more victorious one! A hundred years later, the Japanese now serve the most tender, succulent pieces of meat, with marbling so fine that it looks like the meat has been dipped in salt. Often referred to as the Fois Gras or Caviar of meat, “wagyu” meat (the word literally means Japanese cattle) is sold for sky-rocketing prices at some of the most fashionable restaurants worldwide.

From the simplicity of home-style “obanzai” cooking, to the complexity of “Haute-kaiseki-cuisine”; from the straightforwardness of a bowl of Japanese rice and miso soup, to the sophistication of delicious slices of wagyu beef; this healthy cuisine is bound to leave you with a lasting and marvelous impression!

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F e a t u r e

I’ve spent many years honing my technique for making vinegared rice, or sumeshi. I buy the best rice, mill it myself, and cook it so that each grain is perfect. I spread the rice in a wood basin called a hangiri, so that when I add a painstakingly proportioned mixture of high quality rice vinegar, salt, and sugar, it will distribute evenly, coating each grain with a cloak of sweet acidity. I form

each finger of rice with my hands so that it’s packed neither too densely nor too loosely, so it bursts apart in your mouth. I’ve also spent years building relationships with distributors and working on my technique for preparing fish. I learned how to skillfully cut tuna in order to make beautiful, jewel-like pieces of sushi, how to score squid so it’s just barely chewy, and how to lightly cure certain fish, like kohada (shad).

I don’t believe strict rules should govern how you eat every bite of food, yet I do hope customers will appreciate the efforts I‘ve taken to create balanced, delicious sushi by considering the following advice:

Don’t dunk your sushi rice first into soy sauce.This spoils the texture of the rice that I’ve worked so hard to

create and overwhelms the delicately seasoned rice. At my sushi bar, I add just the right amount and type of soy sauce to the fish in each piece of sushi, so there is no need to add more. This small blast of heady saltiness snaps your palate to attention, getting it ready for the subtle flavors of the fish and rice. If you must add more, however, please invert your sushi and let the fish graze the sauce.

And, please, don’t mix wasabi into your soy sauce.I’ve noticed that many diners practice an identical ritual when

their sushi arrives. I’ve watched them nab a wad of wasabi with their chopsticks and plunge it into their dish of soy sauce. Ideally, the sweet bite of the wasabi tucked under the fish and the rich, salty slick of soy on top should meet each other in the mouth, not before. This creates an exciting friction that’s lost when they are combined into a murky sauce. And it’s up to the skilled sushi chef to add the appropriate amount of wasabi for the strength of the fish.

Eat the pickled ginger between bites of sushi, not with bites of sushi. The pickled ginger (gari) that accompanies sushi is especially tasty when it’s homemade. Yet it does not belong draped over sushi, where it overshadows the other flavors. Instead, it’s meant to be eaten between pieces of sushi- its pleasant astringency and sweet-tart tang rejuvenates your palate, preparing you for the next exciting sensation.

Like all Japanese food, sushi is meant to be experienced with all the senses. You see the vivid red of tuna next to stark white squid and bright orange sea urchin; you smell the soy; you hear the snap of your teeth biting through crisp nori. So why shouldn’t you eat each piece of sushi with your hands, to feel the warm, sticky rice and weight of the fish? It is perfectly acceptable, though personally, since I’m usually watching, I prefer the elegance of chopsticks.

Finally, don’t nible my sushi. I’ve carefully determined the proportions of fish, rice and wasabi in each piece of sushi to create the perfect mouthful, so o want my customers to eat it in just one bite. Many of my customers are reluctant to do this, and ask whether I can cut each piece in half. I say “Sure, as long as you put both pieces in your mouth at once!”

Source: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto

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How to Eat Sushi

Written by: Masaharu Morimoto

To the sushi novice, nothing seems

simpler than sushi- a morsel of fish,

often uncooked, on top of a fat

finger of rice. The sushi chef forms

nigiri sushi so quickly, so effortlessly

that you’d be forgiven for assuming

that there is not much to the craft.

But these are deliberate gestures,

developed over years of practice.

And preparing rice and fish that

will make my customers swoon is

anything but simple.

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ta i C h a z u k eRecipe by Masaharu Morimoto

Ocha means “tea” in Japanese and zuke means “marinated”-traditionally, this dish was made with tea, today, however, most restaurants use their own broth, as we do here. The rice is crowned with slices of red snapper (tai) sashimi that have been coated with a toasted sesame sauce, so that the dish is called tai chazuke.

IngredientsYields 4 servings

275 g sashimi quality red snapper; skinned and cut neatly into 16 slices5 tbsp sake1 tbsp regular soy sauce1 tbsp light-colored soy sauce, plus 2 tsp sesame sauce (recipe follows)1¼ cup short grain rice3 cups Dashi (recipe follows)1 cup shredded yaki nori and sprigs of mitsuba for garnishFreshly grated wasabi or a dab of prepared wasabi for garnish

1. Combine the snapper with 2 tbsp of the sake and the regular and light-colored soy sauces in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.2. Meanwhile, make the Sesame Sauce and cook the rice. Rinse the rice well in a bowl of cold water, draining in a wire sieve and changing the water until it is clear. Put the rice in a small saucepan. Add 1¼ cups water and the remaining 3 tbsp sake. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

3. To assemble the Tai Chazuke, bring the Dashi to a bare simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tsp light-colored soy sauce. 4. Divide the rice among 4 soup bowls. Drain the snapper and toss it with the Sesame Sauce. Ladle the hot Dashi over the rice. Top with the sesame-sauced snapper and garnish with the nori, mitsuba, and wasabi. Serve immediately.

s e s a m e s a u c eIngredientsYields about ¼ cup

¼ cup sake3 tbsp sesame seed1 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a small saucepan, boil the sake over high heat until reduced to 2 tbsp, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely.2. Heat a small dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook stirring often, until they are lightly browned and fragnant about 3 minutes. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a dish and let cool.3. In a blender, grind the sesame seeds well. Add the reduced sake and soy sauce and process to a smooth paste.

D a s h iThis is the most common of all Japanese stocks, but it doesn’t have to be mundane. There is a wide range of quality in kombu and bonito, and for the best dashi, you simply use the best ingredients. In fact, because dashi usually only has three components. I strongly believe that they must be of the highest quality, beginning with filtered water. Start the night before to soak the kombu, but do not make more dashi than you need, as it does not refrigerate or freeze well.

IngredientsYields 1 liter

1 piece of dashi kombu, 10 to 15 cm4 cups filtered springwater½ cup loosely packed bonito flakes

1. The night before using the dashi, wipe the kombu clean with a wet kitchen towel to remove any grit, but do not rub off the white powder; much of the flavor lies in its natural MSG. Place in a medium saucepan and add the springwater. Let stand at room temperature overnight.2. The next day, remove the kombu and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. When it reaches a boil, remove from heat and add the bonito flakes. Let stand until the bonito flakes sink to the bottom of the saucepan, about 15 minutes.3. Line a wire sieve with moistered, squeezed-dry cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Strain the dashi through the sieve. Use the dashi within a couple of hours of making.

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f i v e - f l a v o r n o o d l e sThe Japanese name for this dish is Gomaku Yakisoba, meaning five different ingredients; however, you can add as many different ingredients as you wish to make an exciting and tasty noodle stir-fry.


300g dried Chinese thin egg noodles or 500g fresh yakisoba noodles 200g lean boneless chicken, thinly sliced22.5 ml sunflower oil 10g grated fresh root ginger 1 garlic clove, crushed 200g green cabbage, roughly chopped 115g beansprouts1 green pepper, seeded and cut into fine strips 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into fine strips 20ml ao-nori seaweed, to garnish (optional)Salt and ground black pepper

For the seasoning mix60ml Worcestershire sauce15ml Japanese soy sauce15ml oyster sauce 15ml sugar2.5ml salt Ground white pepper 1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain well and set aside. 2. Cut the chicken into 3-4cm in strips and season with salt and pepper. 3. Heat 7.5ml of the oil in a large wok or frying pan. Stir-fry the chicken until just cooked, then remove it from the pan. 4. Wipe the wok with kitchen paper, and heat the remaining oil in it. Add the ginger, garlic and cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute.

5. Add the beansprouts, stir until softened, then add the peppers and stir-fry for 1 minute more.6. Return the chicken to the pan and add the noodles. Stir in all the ingredients for the seasoning mix and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with ao-nori seaweed (if using).

Recipe Source: Taste of Asia

s q u i d s t r a w b e r r y I c e C a n d yThis is one of the recipes Masaharu Morimoto created in his guise as Iron Chef, turning a savory squid into a surprisingly delicate, sweet dessert.


225 g cleaned fresh squid fillets, no tentacles1 egg white1 cup simple syrup (¾ cup sugar and ¾ cup water)4 strawberries¼ cup raspberry liquor (or raspberry syrup)

1. Purée the squid in a food processor. Add the egg white and simple syrup. 2. Fill a CO2 canister with the squid mixture. Mound 3 tbsp of the squid mixture in the center of a 15 cm square of plastic wrap. Pull the sides up and insert the strawberry into the center. Then completely wrap forming a ball, Twist the ends to seal. Repeat to make 4 desserts.3. Freeze the Squid Strawberry Ice Candy until solid. Cut each in half and serve in a small dish, with 1 tbsp raspberry liquor or syrup poured over as a sauce.

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A s s o r t e d te m p u r aTempura is one of Japan’s most famous and delicious dishes. Fish, rather than meat, is traditionally used, but choose any vegetable you like. The essence of good tempura is that it should be cooked and served immediately.

IngredientsServes 4 to 6

1 small sweet potato, about 115g8 large tiger prawns1 small squid, cleaned 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks 4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed 50g French beans, trimmed 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced into 2cm thick stripsvegetable oil, for deep fryingflour, for coating

For the dip 200ml water 45ml mirin (sweet rice wine) 10g bonito flakes45ml Japanese soy sauce

For the batter1 egg 90ml iced water75 g plain flour 2.5ml baking powder 2 ice cubes

1. Mix the dip ingredients in a pan. Bring to a boil, cool, then strain. Divide among 4 to 6 bowls. Slice the unpeeled sweet potato thinly. Put in a bowl with cold water to cover.

2. Peel the prawns, leaving the tail shells intact, and de-vein. Lay a prawn on its side. Make three or four diagonal slits, about two-thirds of the way in towards the spine, leaving all the pieces attached. Repeat with the rest. Flatten with your fingers. Cut the body of the squid into 3cm strips.

3. Put the egg in a large bowl, stir without beating and set half aside. Add the water, flour and baking powder. Stir two or three times, leaving some flour unblended. Add the ice cubes.4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 185ºC. Dust the prawns lightly with flour. Holding each in turn by the tail, dip them into the batter, then carefully lower them into the hot oil; cook until golden. Fry the remaining prawns and the squid in the same way. Keep warm.

5. Reduce the temperature of the oil to 170ºC. Drain the sweet potato and pat dry. Dip the vegetables into the batter and deep fry (see chef’s tip). Drain well, then keep warm. As soon as all the tempura are ready, serve with dip.

Chef’s TipBatter and deep-fry the carrots and beans in small bunches. The mushrooms look best if only the undersides are dipped. Cut a cross in the upper side of the mushroom cap, if you like.

Recipe Source: Taste of Asia

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Say Cheeeese….Think Cyprus Halloumi Cheese!

A d v e r t o r i a l

A most versatile cheese…Halloumi is officially recognized worldwide as a distinctive

cheese indigenous to Cyprus. Halloumi is an unripe, semi hard white cheese with a distinctive layered texture, which may be eaten as it is or cooked, fried or grilled. Whichever the method of cooking, halloumi retains its shape, while its outward appearance turns into a crispy golden brown color, and its interior texture softens significantly, but does not melt.

The flagship of Cyprus’ gastronomy…Halloumi, fresh or mature, has always been the flagship of

Cyprus’ authentic cuisine. For centuries, this product is a key constituent of the local diet and has been closely associated with the culture and traditions of the Cypriots. Furthermore, halloumi is not simply a product of Cyprus but constitutes a part of its cultural heritage, its traditional rural life, and is linked to the social solidarity that characterizes, even today, the towns and villages of the island.

With a deep-rooted history…Historical reports dating from the period of Venetian

domination in 1554 confirm that halloumi was produced in Cyprus at the time. Well-known writer, Flurio Bustron notes in his writings that Cyprus produces, using sheep and goat milk, a cheese that was named ‘caloumi’ in Venetian language. This special cheese was always prepared in March, the period of the year when there was an abundance of best quality, full fat milk.

Halloumi was also renowned overseas as described by writer and traveler Richard Pococke in 1738. “They make (halloumi) cheese from goats, which is famous all over the Levant, and it is the only good cheese to obtain in this region; the cheeses are small and thick, much in the shape of ancient weights…’’.In those old times, halloumi in brine was essential part of the people’s diet, especially as the brine functioned as good preservation method in the absence of any refrigeration facilities at the time.

The traditional process of making halloumi played a particular role in the lives of rural people. The cheese apart from covering their basic food requirements also constituted a social activity between village families. Gradually, along with the domestic production of halloumi, small cottage dairy units were beginning to make their presence, producing halloumi and other traditional dairy products.

Using a few pure ingredients…The key ingredient in making halloumi is fresh milk which,

according to the Cyprus Standard CYS 94/1985, is either sheep or goat’s milk or a mixture of these two with or without cow’s milk. Other ingredients include rennet, mint (fresh or dried) and salt. Milk used for making halloumi should be of the highest quality, especially with regard to its chemical and microbiological composition. Milk delivered to dairy industries is analyzed on a daily basis, both at the point of collection from the farm and at the point of delivery.

And still made the old, traditional way.According to the national compulsory standard, the salt

content is 3% for fresh and 6% for matured halloumi. The use of mint, apart from taste, must have played a role in the past as a preserving agent due to its antibacterial action. Whilst halloumi is still warm, it is hand-folded into its final form, which gives the product its distinctive bell-shaped appearance.

Produced and packed in Cyprus…Halloumi is nowadays produced in technologically advanced

dairy industries approved and registered according to EU regulations. Dairy industries are also certified with the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and enforce the ISO, a quality system ensuring maximum quality and hygiene.

Halloumi is usually marketed in vacuum packed pieces of 230-280 grams. It may also be left to mature in brine and can be found in the market in plastic food grade containers.

Marked and consumed worldwide…Today halloumi is consumed in about 40 countries, in all 5

continents. Consumers appreciate its unique character in flavor, aroma and texture, as well as its versatile character; a perfect grilling cheese, a necessary accompaniment for a nutritious breakfast, a truly traditional dessert and a unique ingredient in sandwiches.

With the opening up of new international markets and its steady penetration in existing markets, Halloumi exports are steadily growing.

Ways of servingThe versatility of halloumi allows for its presence in a broad

range of dishes. The special characteristic of halloumi cheese that distinguishes it from all other cheeses, is its ability not to melt or spread under high temperatures.

Halloumi can be eaten raw/fresh, grilled or fried. Fresh halloumi may be consumed in salads or sandwiches, grated over pasta dishes or as a stuffing in ravioli and cheese puffs.

Halloumi & Vegetables Kebabs Ingredients12 ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 2.5 cm cubes 1 bell pepper, any color 1 red onion some mushroom

Marinade2-3 tablespoons olive oil 1-2 tablespoon fresh finely chopped herbs (like, thyme, oregano, parsley, mint or any combination that you like or what is available.) crushed garlic lime juice or lemon juice black pepper skewers (Wooden or metal)

Directions• Cut the bell pepper and the red onion matching the size of

the cheese cubes.• To make the marinade, combine the herbs, garlic, oil, black

pepper and add lime juice to taste.• Add the cheese, pepper, onion and mushrooms to the

marinade, mix all together, cover and place in the fridge for 24 hours, give them a stir now and then.

• Next day, thread the marinated halloumi onto skewers, barbecue or grill until the cheese is tinged brown on the edges, using the left over marinade for basting.

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A l m o n d b i s c u i t Ingredients90g Almond powder 90g Icing sugar25g Flour 3 Whole eggs3 Egg white 15g Sugar15g Butter

PreparationMix the almond powder, icing sugar, flour and whole eggs together until white and light. Make a meringue with the egg white and the sugar. Mix the meringue with the first mixture, and then add the butter. Spread on silicon sheets and bake in hot oven at 220Cº for 10 minutes.

pe a r m o u s s eIngredients1kg Pear purée (La Fruitiere) 25g Gelatin150g Egg whites 200g Sugar30g Lemon juice 600g Whipped cream 35, 5% (Elle&Vire)

PreparationMake Italian meringue with egg white and sugar. Add the gelatin softened in cold water and melted to the pear purée and lemon juice. Last, add the meringue and whipped cream.

b a v a r o i s C a r a m e lIngredients110g Milk 60g Caramel (Carma)40g Sugar 60g Egg yolks10g Gelatin 350g Whipped cream 35.5 % (Elle&Vire)

PreparationBring the milk to a boil with the caramel. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar, and then pour the hot milk over the eggs, while whisking constantly. Cook to 85Cº and add the soaked gelatin while still hot. Let the mixture cool to 18Cº and then add the whipped cream.

Finishing and PresentationTake a stainless steel ring of 24 cm diameter and place the almond biscuit around the ring. Add a bottom layer of pear mousse of approximately 2 cm thick. Cover with caramel bavarois and freeze. Finish with gel and decorate the top with chocolate and fresh pear.

These pages are kindly sponsored by:

Telephone: 2794 1378 / 2796 1027

L a d y f i n g e r s s p o n g eIngredients350g Egg whites 150g Caster sugar200g Egg yolks 100g Caster sugar140g Corn flour 140g FlourVanilla

PreparationMix egg yolks with 100g sugar. Beat egg whites with 150g sugar. Mix the two egg and sugar preparations gently, then add the vanilla, sifted flour and corn flour.Shape into lady fingers and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 190 Cº for about 10 minutes.

C h e e s e m o u s s eIngredients500g Cream cheese (Elle&Vire) 450g Italian meringue800g Whipping cream 35% (Elle&Vire)Sheets of gelatinVanilla

PreparationSoften the cream cheese and then add dissolved gelatin, vanilla, Italian meringue and whipped cream.

b l a c k b e r r y Co m p o t eIngredients500g Blackberry purée 12g Gelatin60g Sugar

PreparationSoften the gelatin in cold water and melt in microwave oven, then add to the blackberry purée. Add the sugar and mix. Pour the mixture into a ring of approximately 16 cm up to a height of about 1 cm and freeze.

Finishing and PresentationIn a spiral mould, place a layer of cheese mousse about 2 cm thick. Place the frozen disk of blackberry compote onto it and add another layer of cheese mousse. Then cover with lady fingers sponge and freeze. Finish with sprayed black cocoa butter. Decorate with chocolate stick, gold leaves and macaroons.

R e c i p e s by: C h e f M o k ht a r A b d e l A z i z

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Antoine Carême,the First

Celebrity Chef

Marie Antoine Carême (1783-1833) was one of the most dynamic of the culinary practitioners, authors

and gastronomes of his time. He was the founder and architect of French haute cuisine. Carême is

often considered as one of the first internationally renowned celebrity chefs. His story is one out of a

Dickens novel!

Antoine Carême overcame a most traumatic start in the world when at the age of eleven, his father, a handyman, told him "Go my boy! In the world there are excellent callings. Leave us to languish! This is the day of splendid fortunes. It only needs wit - and you have it - to make one. Perhaps this evening or tomorrow some fine house will open its door to you. Go with what God has given you!" Later, in his memoirs Carême would write "Although born into one of the poorest families in France, a family of 25 children, and although my father literally threw me out into the street to save me, fortune smiled very soon upon me..."

He was taken in by the manager of a low-class eating establishment, where he worked for several years. At the age of 16 he became an apprentice to Bailly, who was one of the finest pastry cooks in Paris, and the most celebrated caterer of his time. Bailly encouraged him to develop an innate ability to draw, and Carême studied at night in the print room at the National Library. He copies architectural drawings, and from this experience designated confectionery as a form of architecture.

One cannot overestimate Carême's role in raising the culinary craft to a higher level of artistic creation. He gained fame in Paris for his pièces montées, elaborate constructions used as centerpieces, which Bailly displayed in the pâtisserie window. These confections, which were sometimes several feet high, he made entirely out of foodstuffs such as sugar, marzipan and pastry. His creative pieces have influenced centuries of pâtissiers. He is also credited with creating the standard chef's hat, the toque.

Carême’s stated goal was to achieve "lightness", "grace", "order" and "perspicuity" in the preparation and presentation of food. As a pâtissier, he designed and prepared elaborate and elegant pastry and confectionery creations, many of which were based

on architectural designs. He wrote that the "the fine arts are five in number: painting, sculpture, poetry, music and architecture, whose main branch is confectionery." As a showman, he garnished his dishes with ornamental skewers threaded with colorful ingredients such as crayfish and intricately carved vegetables and presented his creations on elaborate bases that he specially designed for this purpose. As a saucier, he standardized the use of roux as a thickening agent, and classified the sauces of his time into four families- Espagnole, Veloutée, Allemande, and Béchamel- each being the basic (or leading) sauce, from which dozens of derivations could be produced. This was the first structure of categorizing sauces, which would later evolve into what became known as "The French Sauce System". As a garde manger, he popularized cold cuisine, emphasizing molds and aspic dishes.

Among Carême's employers were Talleyrand (where he baked Napoleon's wedding cake), England's Prince Regent (future King George 4th), Isar Alexander I (from this experience he introduced many Russian dishes into the French cuisine), the Viennese Court, the British Embassy, Princess Bagration, and during his last years, Baron de Rothschild. Carême's published works include L'Art de la Cuisine Française (5 volumes, 1833-34), Le Pâtissier Pittoresque (1815) and Le Pâtissier Royal Parisien (1825), in which he analyzed cooking, old and new, emphasizing procedure and order and covering every aspect of the art known as Grande Cuisine.

As father of the Grande Cuisine, Carême's writings refined and summarized five hundred years of culinary revolution. He died at age 48 "burnt out by the flame of his genius and the coal and heat of the ovens".

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P r o f i l e

Compiled by: Amal Bassaly

Jamie Oliver is an English chef , restaurateur, and an established star of TV cookery programmes. As a media personality he is well known for his growing

list of food-focused television shows. Jamie Oliver has wowed all generations of food lovers with his fresh

cooking style and his inspiring recipes.

Jamie grew up surrounded by good food: his parents ran the Cricketers pub in Essex and, from the age of eight, he started cooking and helping the chefs, by 11, he could julienne vegetables as fast as any of them. After an undistinguished school career, he decided he wanted to cook for a living and went on to study catering at Westminster Kingsway College in London.

As an apprentice Jamie Oliver worked for some of the best chefs in London. To begin with, he was a pastry chef for Antonio Carluccio at the Neal Street Restaurant, then he moved on to the River Café under Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. He has been strongly influenced by Italian cuisine using fresh herbs and simple, full-flavoured recipes. When Jamie was working at the River Café he was spotted by a TV producer, which changed his life completely.

The first series featuring Jamie cooking was the Naked Chef (reference to the simplicity of Oliver's recipes, in his own words; "cooking should be as normal to you and me as it was to our mums and nans"). Viewers were treated to a glimpse into his world, zipping about London on a scooter, his hands full of fresh herbs and olive oil, presenting hearty dishes with natural ingredients. It was an overnight success, attracting an audience that wouldn't normally watch food programmes. The book that accompanied the series became a bestseller and the young chef, always fully clothed, was catapulted into the limelight. The second show "Return of the Naked Chef" was also an immediate success, forcing Jamie into a whirlwind schedule of travelling around the world.

Jamie's cooking is even in demand by the British government: In 1999, Jamie was invited to 10 Downing Street to prepare a lunch for the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who was entertaining the Italian Prime Minister. After taking some time off to marry, Jamie worked on his third series, Happy Days with the Naked Chef.

In 2000, Oliver was the public face of the Sainsbury's supermarket chain in the UK. While in 2002, he embarked on his most ambitious project yet. He took 15 under-privileged youngsters who had never been anywhere near a restaurant kitchen and turned (most of ) them into professional chefs to work under him at his new charity restaurant "Fifteen" in London. The restaurant and its accompanying TV series, Jamie's Kitchen, have both been huge successes. There are now three more "Fifteen" restaurants, in Amsterdam, Melbourne and Cornwall. Eventually, his passion for Italian cooking culminated in opening his first Jamie's Italian restaurant in Oxford in 2008, followed by more restaurants, all over England.

His television career has continued to thrive, with programmes such as Jamie's Great Escape, in which he brought his Italian-inspired cooking to audiences in Italy, and Jamie's Chef, in which he helped one of his top trainees at Fifteen to set up his own pub. Now, Oliver's programmes are shown in over 40 countries, including a show on USA's Food Network.

Jamie Oliver’s more recent roles in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change unhealthy diets and poor cooking habits for the better made him one of the celebrity chefs known around the world.

Jamie has written numerous cookery books, such as Jamie's Italy and Cook with Jamie*, and has also written for The Times newspaper and Delicious magazine. In 2008, he launched his own food publication, Jamie Magazine. His next cookbook, Jamie's America, will accompany his newest television series, Jamie's American Roadtrip.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver continues to use his fame to promote social causes. He has been credited with getting the British Government to increase funding for school meals, and he helped many under-privileged young people gain valuable experience in the restaurant business through his project "Fifteen".

* Above mentioned books for Jamie Oliver are available at the ECA Bookstore

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Compiled by: Amal Bassaly

Jamie Oliver…

The Naked Chef

P r o f i l e

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rE C A B o o k s t o r e


The ECA Bookstore at the Hace'10 exhibition will feature some great books on offer to suit everyone's taste. From general interest titles to complete training books on the culinary fundamentals of cooking for professionals, the bookstore will be a pleasure to browse around for hobby cooks, students and novice chefs. There will be over 300 titles available, including some new arrivals and some all time favorites. So visit the ECA stand at the Hace'10 exhibition, open every day from 11.00 till 20.00 hrs from 24 to 27 October at the Cairo International Conference Center, CICC. As usual there will be a 5% discount on all books for ECA Members.

Asian One Step at a TimeJody VassaloPublished by HamlynLE 120

With clear instructions and step-by-step photographs that offer a chef’s-eye-view of the dish at each stage of the recipe, this invaluable cookbook makes cooking authentic Asian food easy. Asian One Step at a Time provides all the information you need to prepare 80 irresistible recipes. Choose from simple starters like miso soup and fish cakes, classic main courses including beef in black bean sauce and steamed fish with ginger, or delicious desserts such as green tea panna cotta. From making your own teriyaki sauce to cooking a perfect green chicken curry, this book will help you build your repertoire of Asian dishes.

The Complete Mediterranean CookbookTess MallosPublished by Tuttle PublishingLE 180

The important features of Mediterranean diets are the high intakes of cereals, grains, vegetables, dried beans, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, seafood and fresh fruit. Meat is used in moderation, with poultry, particularly chicken served more frequently than red meat. Animal fats, in the form of butter and cream are also not used excessively.

The recipes listed in this book cover the range of foods used most frequently in Mediterranean cuisine. There is some emphasis on vegetarian cooking throughout the book, as with Mediterranean cooking you can easily produce vegetarian dishes using natural products rather than rely on manufactured foods that emulate meat. Mediterranean food and cooking is a multi-layered experience. This book will guide you in the use of ingredients typical for the Mediterranean cuisine to embark on your voyage of discovery into the fascinating world of Mediterranean food.

The Accidental FoodieNeale WhitakerPublished by Murdoch BooksLE 225

In his career as a food magazine editor in both the UK and Australia, Neale Whitaker has met and has been inspired by some of the food world’s best-known and most influential people. This book features 23 of his food heroes, amongst them chefs, cooks, restaurateurs and food writers. From Jamie Oliver to Joan Campbell, the people featured in this book might live on opposite sides of the world, but all share a common passion, the love of good food. In a profile of each, based on personal interviews, Neale Whitaker examines what has influenced them and the impact they have had on their industry. Each person has contributed several of their favourite recipes, many of which are introduced in their own words. The Accidental Foodie combines delectable recipes and fascinating insights into the world of food, and will appeal to the foodie in all of us.

ECA Bookstore at HACE 2010

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The Flavours of ArabiaFlorian Harms & Lutz JäkelPublished by Thames & HudsonWinner of the Gourmand World Cookbook AwardLE 315

The Flavours of Arabia is far more than just a cookery book. This richly illustrated volume not only features nearly ninety recipes from many top chefs across the Middle East, but also customs, traditions, historical background and culinary tales from eight countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Dubai, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The diversity of these different countries displays the richness of Middle Eastern cookery. Insights into everyday eating habits, the uses of spices and herbs, coffee houses, restaurants and bazaars, and the famous hospitality of Arabia make this book a pleasure, both for those who already love the Middle East and for those who are keen to know more. From the Arabic-European fusion cuisine of Dubai to bread baked in the sand of the Libyan dessert, from Lebanon’s top TV chef to the favourite dishes of Moroccan housewives and from exclusive haute-cuisine recipes to hearty country fare, here is the entire, enticing range of Middle Eastern culinary culture. Photographs are by Lutz Jäkel, already well-known for his exquisite photography in the previously published Dubai New Arabian Cuisine.

Advanced Professional CookingWayne GisslenPublished by WileyLE 580

The foundation of professional training in the culinary arts is the classical cuisine passed down by generations of chefs. This book furthers chef’s knowledge of the fundamental cooking techniques which were previously covered in Professional Cooking, the first book by the author. Advanced Professional Cooking also introduces a more extensive range of techniques,

ingredients, and recipes, including some that are relatively more elaborate and challenging. Wayne Gisslen is also the author of On Cooking, the popular textbook for apprentice chefs.

Starting with IngredientsAliza GreenPublished by Running PressLE 240

With each of its 100 chapters focusing on a single ingredient, Starting with Ingredients brings an entirely new concept to cooking books. Here the recipes are built around one ingredient, a different ingredient 100 different times! This culinary masterpiece brings together Green’s in-depth knowledge of ingredients with the clear and imaginative recipes she’s developed. A very practical book to use especially when creating menus based on seasonal foods.

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SaucesJames PetersonPublished by Wiley, 3rd editionLE 325

Since its publication in 1991, Sauces has proven itself a landmark work, winning The James Beard Foundation's Cookbook of the Year award. More than just a compendium of recipes, Sauces explains how and why the ingredients of a sauce are combined. Structured around the framework of classical French cooking, it provides in thorough detail explanations and instructions for preparing both traditional and contemporary versions of almost every sauce imaginable. Peterson also addresses the growing popularity of Asian cuisine, and serves up an overview of both ingredients and techniques for a collection of favorite Asian recipes. Also pasta sauces and salsas get a wide coverage in this edition.

SaucesMichel RouxPublished by Quadrille, revised editionLE 145

With his wealth of culinary knowledge, Michel Roux is recognized as a master at the art of sauce-making and his original Sauces, published over a decade ago is revered as a classic. Here, in this modern user-friendly format, Michel takes a fresh new look at sauces, updating great classics from his original volume and presenting an enticing range of new recipes, which are especially designed to suit today’s fresher, lighter dishes. Sauces is an essential reference in every chef’s kitchen. It covers sweet and savory sauces based on the classical sauce classification, but reworked for health and ease of preparation. The book has superb photography with many step-by-step photographs for a better understanding of preparation methods. A special index suggesting a sauce to accompany any ingredient is included.

The Sauce BibleDavid Paul LaroussePublished by WileyLE 374

The hallmark of an accomplished chef is a thorough knowledge of the sauces great and small. Here's a guide that will put this knowledge at your fingertips. The Sauce Bible is the most comprehensive guide available on one of the most basic yet complex areas of culinary art. The book contains over 600 recipes for preparing sauces, stocks and other accompaniments, presented in clear step-by-step detail, from classic recipes to current innovations, plus over 50 recipes for dishes to serve them with. You'll even find other accompaniments such as chutney, compote, coulis, salsa, flavored vinegar, relish and dessert sauce. A chapter on decorative technique gives instructions on sauce painting, the use of two or more sauces to create a beautiful pattern on the plate.

Wild East, Recipes & Stories from VietnamBobby ChinnPublished by Conran OctopusLE 220

Half-Chinese, half-Egyptian, raised in England, having lived in San Francisco and New York and now based in Hanoi, Bobby Chinn is one of the most respected chefs in Asia who owns his own restaurant in Hanoi. Chinn describes Vietnamese food as being as near to Nirvana as he can imagine, fresh clean flavors, light and healthy and incredibly diverse. From simple grilled chicken wings to Imperial spring rolls and his own fusion-style dishes this is not just a recipe book but an authentic guide to Vietnamese food as it is eaten today. Special photography by award-winning photographer Jason Lowe and stories about every dish related to Bobby make this a true culinary tour.

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Egypt will patent many of its famous dishes including koshary reports Safaa

Abdoun in Daily News Egypt last August.

The Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality announced that it agreed with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to place international standards for traditional/local Egyptian dishes and give it a patent in order to export them to international markets with certified standards. “Having a patent will prevent any

country from reproducing the dishes and labeling them as their own,” said Hany Barakat, head of the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality, in a statement. “This move has come late as some countries are already producing Egyptian dishes without getting back to us and selling them internationally despite of our intellectual property rights over them,” he explained, citing Denmark and its production of Damietta Cheese.

The Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality is the body responsible for standardization activities, quality and industrial metrology aiming at increasing the competitiveness of the Egyptian products in the international and regional markets while protecting consumers and the environment.

The patents will start with famous Egyptian dishes such as molasses and halva. The koshary, a popular dish made up of lentils, macaroni, rice and chickpeas, will also be among the first dishes to be patented.

“I have been working in this koshary shop for years and during this time I have seen fellow Arabs, Europeans, Americans, Indians and every other nationality you can think of eat it and love it,” said Mohamed Abdou, who works at Koshary Hind, which started out as a small shop and expanded into a nationwide chain. “It is only fair that we are attributed with it,” he continued, “Imagine if other countries around the world set up koshary restaurants, it will be hard to determine where this dish originated.” Other popular foods to be patented are cottage cheese, the ‘feteer’ or pie, and the falafel made with fava beans.Falafel is already causing controversy between Israelis and Palestinians as each party is claiming it to be part of their national dishes. However, the falafel made out of fava beans, or fuul, is known to be an Egyptian creation.

What makes up the Egyptian cuisine has been a question often raised. Malak Rouchdy, assistant professor of sociology at the American University in Cairo, has explored the subject in her article “Food Recipes and the Kitchen Space: The Construction of Social Identities and New Frontiers."

"I started to ask myself, 'what is Egyptian food?' Molokheya also exists in Sudan, taameya (or falafel) is served all over the region and fuul is found worldwide," said Rouchdy in a statement. "Everyone knows Lebanese dishes, Syrian food, Turkish pastries, and we borrow from all over the region. But it's as though food culture stopped at the borders. I want to know why, through the years, Egyptians haven’t developed a cuisine," she continued.

Egyptian households have also welcomed the decision. “When we sit with Syrians and Lebanese their dishes are known to everyone but when it comes to Egyptian dishes sometimes it’s ambiguous as some people may claim that a certain dish has been ‘Egyptianized’ but was not originally Egyptian,” explained Soraya Ahmed, a housewife.

“So now with international certificates no one can refute that,” she added.

Source Daily News Egypt 5 August 2010

C o m p e t i t i o n

Egypt to Patentits Famous

Dishes

The production of an 80 kilos wheel of Emmental cheese requires 1,000 liters of milk, representing the

daily yield of approximately 80 dairy cows. The high quantity of raw ingredients needed and the time

and effort it takes to make a good quality semi-hard cheese explains the high price we pay when we want

to indulge ourselves. Chef’s Corner gives you an insight in what it takes to make good cheese.

CoagulationThe milk is constantly stirred in a large cheese vat and heated to

a temperature of 32ºC, which represent the melting point of milk fat. Rennet and bacterial flora are then added. Rennet is obtained from the stomach wall of calves and causes the milk to coagulate and to form a mass of curd within 30 minutes. The bacterial flora affects the fermentation and maturing processes of the cheese.

GranulationAs soon as the curd has reached the desired consistency,

depending on the type of cheese, it is cut by means of the cheese-harp into granules the size of wheat grains, the so-called “cheese grains”. The watery by-product known as the ”whey” separates from the cheese mass (the curd).

Cheese Heating and SeparationThe mixture of whey and cheese grains is then heated to

about 53ºC whilst being continuously stirred by the stirring mechanism until the cheese grains have obtained the desired consistency. (The more you cut or granule the curd and the more you heat up the milk, the harder will become the cheese, because more liquid or “whey” will be released from the curd).

Lifting OutApproximately 2½ hours after adding the rennet the mass is

lifted out of the cheese vat by slipping a large piece of cheese

cloth under the clotted mass and pulling the corners together to make a sack. The dripping curds are then hauled by a pulled block. Industrially, this is done by machines through a pipe.

PressingOn the pressing table, the curd is placed in a circular wooden

form and pressed. The moisture, or whey, is squeezed out and the cheese is then formed into its round shape. In the course of the day the cheese is turned several times, repacked in a fresh cheese cloth on each occasion and pressed again.

Brine Bath and Salt CellarThe cheese is placed in the salt cellar to cool for one day. There

the wooden form is removed and the cheese is put to float in vat brine for 1 or 2 days, where it gives off water and absorbs salt, gradually developing a rind. Thereafter, the cheese is stored in the salt cellar for about 10 days, where it is salted, washed and turned twice a day.

Fermentation CellarThe next stage is the storage in the warm fermentation cellar

at 20 to 23ºC and a relative humidity of 75 to 78% during a period of 6 to 8 weeks. During the fermentation carbon dioxide gas develops, which account the holes in the cheese. (The warmer the fermentation cellar is, the more carbon dioxide gas develops and the bigger will be the holes).

Quality CheckAfter four months, experts will grade of cheese as 1st, 2nd or 3rd

choice, according to the quality of the product. Then the maturation will continue, since taste and flavor will continue to develop.

Maturing ProcessThe length and the type of maturation play an important part.

The maturing process of harder cheeses progresses slowly from the centre towards the rind, while mold cheeses mature from the rind to the centre of the cheese. In certain cheeses, herbs or even ashes will be added to increase the flavor.

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F e a t u r eThe Artof Making Cheese

The Mayas and Aztecs made a frothy, spicy chocolate drink using:❏ Milk and sugar cane syrup❏ Chili peppers, cornmeal and other ingredients❏ Highly fermented yeast

Which explorer introduced bitter chocolate mixed with sugar to the Spanish courts?❏ Hernando Cortes ❏ Christopher Columbus❏ Amerigo Vespucci

What is one of the most popular food flavors in the world?❏ Strawberry❏ Chocolate❏ Banana

What is the most commonly used stock in Japanese cuisine?❏ Miso❏ Wasabi❏ Dashi

Somen and udon are Japanese noodles made of:❏ Wheat❏ Eggs❏ Rice

Which number plays a symbolic role in Japanese cuisine?❏ 3❏ 5❏ 7

Which of the following Japanese dishes is deep-fried?❏ Nigiri sushi❏ Teppanyaki rice❏ Tempura

Which cheese keeps it's shape when grilled?❏ Parmesan❏ Halloumi❏ Feta

Antoine Carême was the founder of which cuisine?❏ Grande cuisine❏ Nouvelle cuisine❏ Fusion cuisine

Which celebrity chef is very well known for his charity work?❏ Gordon Ramsay❏ Jamie Oliver❏ Charlie Trotter

Which hotel won the ECA Culinary Trophy 2010?✔ Hurghada Marriott Beach ResortHow many junior chefs competed at the National Salon Culinaire’10?✔ 14What, according to WACS President Gissur Gudmundsson, is the strength of Chefs Associations?✔ NetworkingWhich meat is traditionally very popular in the Nordic countries?✔ GameWhich breads are popular in the Nordic diet?✔ Whole meal and ryeWhat is 'gravlaks'?✔ Salt and sugar cured salmon with dill

To thicken a sauce with the starch of potatoes I should not:✔ Rinse the potatoesWhich fruits contain the highest amount of vitamin C?✔ Guava and papayaWhat is the healthiest way to consume fruits?✔ On an empty stomachIn which year was the Chaine des Rotisseurs founded?✔ 1950

The right answers to the Chef’s Corner quiz of issue No. 61 are:

Congratulations to the lucky winner of issue 61 quiz:

Sherif Mahmoud AbdallahExecutive Chef

APS for Aviation & Petroleum Services Company

Circle the correct answer

✁

Here's your chance to win LE 250! All ECA members are eligible to win an ECA voucher worth LE 250 towards the purchase of any ECA merchandise, and all non-members have a chance to win a one-year ECA Membership. Simply send in the correct answers to the questions in the Culinary Quiz. Also, with 7 or more correct answers, you gain 5 ECA Member Mileage Points, your way to a free membership renewal. Fax your answers before Sunday, 14 November, 2010 to the ECA Office at 02 37622116 / 7 / 8, or fill out the quiz online by visiting the ECA website at www.egyptchefs.com

Name:

Company:

Tel/Fax:

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It's that time of the year again when all come together for the Hace Exhibition along with the International Exhibition of Food and Beverages, INTERFOOD at the Cairo International Conference Center. This year's edition will be held from 24 to 27 October 2010. www.hace.com.eg

Hace Celebrates its Thirty YearsThe International Exhibition of Food and Beverages

INTERFOOD (Accompanying Hace Exhibition) is in its thirtieth session – the grand session in its history – will occupy an area of 3,000 square meters, with the participation of 700 Egyptian and foreign companies at the Cairo International Conference Center from 24 to 27 October 2010.

With Egypt's special position as the gateway of Africa, INTERFOOD-Hace – which is the largest gathering in the Middle East food and beverage sector and food service and hospitality – is expected to attract more than 12,000 visitors among traders, specialists and experts.

The exhibition has distinguished itself in previous years and developed a good reputation as an important trade gateway for the opportunities emerging in the region, with a strong surpassing presence and a major participation from 700 companies and brand names to take part this year.

Mr. Yousry Abul Naga, Chief Executive of Egyptian Group for Marketing, the organizer of the event, said that there are tremendous opportunities available to the food supplier companies and the manufacturers of machinery and equipment, to enhance their work on a large scale at INTERFOOD – Hace. At a time when most Middle Eastern countries depend on food importing, this is indeed an ideal time to be present in force at this important trade gathering.

He pointed out that the high population growth in the region and the availability of high-quality raw materials, as well as the increase in the income levels of consumers, are all factors which will contribute effectively to strengthening the sector's performance.

Among the highlights of the exhibition are the live culinary arts competitions organized by the Egyptian Chefs Association. These take place every day and attract the most elite chefs in Egypt as well as judges from around the globe who are flown in for the occasion. In cooperation with the Egyptian judges, they contribute to making the competition events highly popular and successful dates on every chef's calendar.

For their part, the Hace exhibition for food and beverages and Salon Culinaire events add more interesting flavors and enthusiasm fueled by more than 400 professional chefs competing to win medals and financial rewards.

Exhibition News Cyprian Presence at INTERFOOD

For the second consecutive year, more than 15 Cyprian companies operating in the food & beverage, packaging and packing fields, are participating in the exhibition, in search of professional agents in Egypt.

Strong Presence for American companies through SUSTA, Southern United Sates Trade Association

More than 12 American companies working in the food sector will be present in search of business deals and professional agents in Egypt.

This year's exhibition witnesses the participation of 95 foreign companies from Italy, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, United States, Spain, United Arab Emirates and France.

Live Culinary Competition Sponsors:More than 13 live cooking competitions will take place, sponsored

by 12 different companies among them Unilever, Makro, Red Sea World, Dreem SAE, AM Foods, EEIO V. Fayez Guindi, Hana Food, EgySwiss, El Nour for Fruits & Vegetables, Röfi Chicken, Al Ansary and Juhayna.

Hace Food and Beverages Exhibition from 24 till 27 October 2010 at the Cairo International Conference Center is the place where the Professionals meet.

E x h i b i t i o n

Meet the Professionals

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Appointments & Promotions

Markus Roeder, previously Operation Manager at the JW Marriott Mirage City Hotel in Cairo, has recently been promoted to Regional Director of Operations of JW Marriott Hotels Middle East & Africa region Markus Roeder has moved from Cairo to Dubai to start working in JW Marriott’s regional head office The ECA wishes to congratulate him on his promotion and looks forward to a continuous good cooperation between the JW Marriott Hotels and the Association

Chef member, Hossam Hassan Abdel Fattah, previously working at InterContinenal Citystars as 1st Commis has recently been promoted within the same company to Demi Chef de Partie for Staybridge Suites Cairo Citystars The ECA wishes to congratulate him on his promotion and keep up the good work!

Senior chef member, Yasser Mohamed Mosaad, previously Executive Sous Chef at Jaz Azur Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, has moved and started working at the Caribbean World Resort in Soma Bay as Senior Executive Sous Chef The ECA congratulates him on his promotion and wishes him all the best in his new work location

Chef member, Ismail Salah El Din Masaud, previously working as Pastry Chef at T-Club Marsa Alam Hotel, has moved and started working in the same position at the Stella Makadi Beach Resort in Hurghada The ECA wishes him all the best in his new job

Chef member, Sherif Ibrahim Mohamed, previously working as Sous Chef Technical Food Preparation for Golden State Food company (GSF), has moved and started working in the same position for International Company for Food Industries (ICFI) The ECA wishes him all the best in his new work location and specialized field of work

Chef member, Ahmed Mohamed Taha previously working in the United Arab Emirates as Demi chef de Partie for Southern Sun Hotel in Dubai, has left the Emirates and moved to Saudi Arabia, where he started working as Chef de Partie for Shaza El Madinah Hotel The ECA congratulates him on his promotion and wishes him all the best with settling in Saudi Arabia

Junior chef member, Mohamed Hassan Afify Kotb, working at Concorde El Salam Cairo Hotel as 1st Commis, has recently been promoted to Demi Chef de Partie The ECA wishes to congratulate him on his promotion and keep up the good work!

Senior chef member, Ayman Mohamed Mansour, previously working as Executive Sous Chef at Grand Azur LTI Resort Tropicana Sharm, has moved and started working in the same position at Rihana Royal Resort in Sharm El Sheikh The ECA wishes him all the best in his new work location

Senior chef member, Mohamed Kamal El Sayed, previously working as Executive Sous Chef at Trianon, has left the restaurant business and started working as Executive Chef at Grand Hotel Cairo The ECA congratulates him on his promotion and wishes him all the best with the change of work environment

Senior chef member, Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa El Kady, previously working as Sous Chef for the First Arabian Hotels Company in Cairo, has moved to Saudi Arabia where he started working as Executive Chef for Le Meridien Medina Hotel The ECA congratulates him on his promotion and wishes him all the best with settling in Saudi Arabia

Chef member, Ibrahim Abdel Wahab Abdallah, previously working as Chef de Partie at the Grand Makadi Resort in Hurghada, has crossed the sea and started working as Senior Chef de Partie at the Grand Plaza Resort in Sharm El Sheikh The ECA wishes to congratulate him on his promotion

Chef member, Gerges Fathy Kamel, previously working as Pastry Chef in Sands Taba Hotel, has moved closer to town and started working at the Wadi Degla Hotel in 6th of October City in the same position The ECA wishes him all the best in his new work location

Chef member, Hassan Sobhy Hassan Zidan, previously working as Pastry Chef at Akassia Swiss Resort in El Quseir, has moved and started working at the Sofitel Taba Heights Resort in the same position The ECA wishes him all the best in his new job

Senior chef member, Ahmed Ali Abdel Meguid, previously working as Sous Chef at the JW Marriot Hotel Mirage City, has moved and started working as Executive Sous Chef at the Renaissance Golden View Beach Resort in Sharm El Sheikh The ECA wishes to congratulate him on his promotion

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Chef member, Said Mohamed Abdel Kader, working at Gafy Land Resort in Sharm El Sheikh as Chef de Partie has recently been promoted to Sous Chef The ECA wishes to congratulate him on his promotion and keep up the good work!

New Restaurant Emad El Din OrientChef member, Mohamed Hassab El Sayed

Gouda is the Executive Chef of the recently opened Emad El Din Orient Restaurant located on El Nasr Street in Nasr City The General Manager is Emad El Din Mohamed Abdel Wahab The ECA wishes the team prosperous business

Family News

Senior chef member, Adel Shalaby, Executive Chef at Shams Safaga Resort recently became the proud father of baby girl Malak The ECA wishes him and his family enduring health and happiness

Awards

Senior chef member, Abdallah Gouda El Sayed, Pastry Chef at the Palace of Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, was awarded with two bronze medals for his participation in culinary competitions held in Jeddah The competitions were organized by the Saudi Arabian Chefs Association Chef Abdallah scored his medals in the showpiece bread dough and plated dessert categories In total, 140 chefs from many different hotels and restaurants in Saudi Arabia participated to the culinary challenge The ECA wishes to congratulate Chef Abdallah on his great results at the competition

Senior chef members, Amr Said Aly Mahmoud working as Executive Sous Chef in Porto Sukhna and Emad El Din Moustafa Abdel Latif working as Sous Chef Garde Manger at Maritime Jolie Ville Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, have recently completed successfully a three-week Culinary Arts program held at the Higher Hotel Institute in Cyprus The ECA wishes to congratulate them both on their achievements

The Chamber of Tourist Establishments has recently honored Khan El Khalily Restaurant as one of the best restaurants in Cairo for the year 2010, along with 18 other restaurants The nominations were awarded on the occasion of Tourism Day in Egypt The ECA wishes to congratulate the management of Khan El Khalily Restaurants and especially its two members, Executive Chef Maged Aiad Farag and Senior Chef de Partie Magdy Zaki Fahmy, on their noteworthy achievements and keep up the good work!

Roger Kacou Senior Vice President Africa of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Roger Kacou joins Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts’ Executive Committee to head up Africa based at the company’s area office in Cairo Roger will drive the continuing success of Mövenpick’s existing portfolio in Africa, comprising 16 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers spanning 5 countries, in addition to developing new destinations across the region With this appointment Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts puts further emphasis on its strategic growth plans in Africa

Roger Kacou has a significant experience in Africa, where he has held regional roles for almost 20 years with the InterContinental Hotels Group He has also held prominent General Manager appointments in West and East Africa Roger has a strong network on the continent and has held leading appointments in several industry organizations, including the Africa Travel Association

Roger joins Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts from the executive team of Blue City Company Oman, where he was in charge of the development of all resort, hotel, spa and golf facilities in the largest ever real estate and infrastructure project in the Sultanate of Oman

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Roger, who is French, has a Master of Professional Studies from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

Jean Gabriel Pérès, President & CEO of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts says: “With Mövenpick’s current expansion of exclusive resorts and upscale city hotels from Tunisia to Ghana to the West Bank, and with several new projects in the pipeline, we are delighted to have appointed such a recognized professional in Roger His experience and skills are ideal to drive both quality and operational results across this diverse portfolio, as well as to further grow our presence strategically across the African continent ”

Housekeeping Week at Ramses HiltonIn recognition of the vital role of the

Housekeeping Team members, the Ramses Hilton Management has celebrated the International housekeeping week Haitham Nassar, Ramses Hilton General Manager started the celebration by thanking all the Housekeeping team for their dedication and emphasized the important role of the housekeeping department in guest satisfaction Rawia Sherif, the hotel’s Executive Housekeeper, had carefully prepared a complete program full of fun and games for all the Housekeeping team such as room inspection race, towel and extra bed folding competitions, as well as a big talent show The celebration was concluded with a Felucca sailing trip on the River Nile, which was very much appreciated by the Team Members

Refreshed Hilton Hotels & Resorts Brand Identity

Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly Hilton Hotels), the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, has just introduced a refreshed brand name and logo The new name and stylish logo holistically represent the brand’s extensive global portfolio, which includes more than 70 resorts with more than 32,600 guest rooms in key leisure markets around the world

The logo change continues an enhanced leisure marketing strategy for the brand A global consumer research study conducted as part of the logo refresh indicated strong awareness of the signature “Hilton cartouche” and association of the symbol with highly positive brand attributes The contemporary design is the first change to the iconic brand’s logo since 1998

Design features of the refreshed logo include:• Addition of “Hotels & Resorts” to create

a clearer distinction between Hilton Worldwide, the corporation, and the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand

• Introduction of a sophisticated blue logo color

• Use of a new, contemporary font named “Hilton,” which was custom-designed for the brand

• A smaller cartouche that provides a modern look and places more emphasis on the Hilton name

The Hilton brand logo has evolved to reflect design trends and notable steps in the brand’s journey for more than 90 years For example, in 1977 the brand’s logo featured a rainbow icon, while an icon of a globe appeared atop the logo in the 1950s after the brand opened its first international property, the Caribe Hilton The refreshed Hilton Hotels & Resorts logo will initially be used in brand activities and communications, and will be introduced at the property level in 2011 Hilton Worldwide’s logos and imagery will remain unchanged

There are currently more than 70 Hilton branded resorts in 25 countries around the world Furthermore, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts development pipeline currently includes more than 11 resort properties from Argentina to Ras Al Khaimah, U A E and Hangzhou, China

To view a gallery of previous Hilton brand logos, visit www hiltonglobalmediacenter com Learn more about Hilton resorts at www hilton com

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مرحباً بأعضائنا اجلدد

S e n i o r C h e f M e m b e r s

أعضاء من قدامى الشيفات

محمد على صابرمساعد شيف عمومى

مطعم جيانوال بورسعيد

Mohamed Ali SaberAssistant Executive ChefGianola Restaurant Port Said

Sameh Talaat MohamedSous Chef Italian CuisineAkassia Swiss Resort El Quseir

سامح طلعت محمدسو شيف المطبخ اإليطالى

منتجع أكاسيا سويس ريزورت القصير

طارق أحمد لطفىشيف تنفيذى

نادى وادى دجلة المعادى

Tarek Ahmed LotfyExecutive ChefWadi Degla Club Maadi

Tawfik Abdel Maseh AminSenior Sous ChefOman Air

توفيق عبد المسيح أمينسنيور سو شيفالطيران العمانى

Welcomeon board to all our new

members

عبد الحميد التحيوىشيف

شركة المطاعم الشرقية

Abdel Hamid El TehewyChefOriental Restaurants Company

Mohamed Gamal FawzyHead ChefAlf Hana Restaurant Kafr El Sheikh

محمد جمال فوزىشيف تنفيذى

مطعم ألف هنا كفر الشيخ

أسامة محمد سعدشيف حلوانى

مطعم جيانوال بورسعيد

Osama Mohamed SaadPastry ChefGianola Restaurant Port Said

Sabry Ibrahim BeheirySous Chef

صبرى إبراهيم بحيرىسو شيف

C h e f M e m b e r s

أعضاء من الشيفات


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وائل محمد عبد المطلبشيف دى بارتى حلوانى

شمس علم بيتش ريوزرت مرسى علم

Wael Mohamed A. MotalebChef de Partie PastryShams Alam Beach Resort Marsa Alam

Wahba Mahfouz AmerExecutive ChefSahab School for Hotel & Tourism Cairo

وهبه محفوظ عامرشيف تنفيذى

مدرسة سحاب للسياحة و الفنادق القاهرة

عبد الهادى خضر عوضطباخ اول

فندق بيتش الباتروس شرم الشيخ

Abdel Hady Khedr Awad1st CommisBeach Albatros Hotel Sharm El Sheikh

Kamal Amir Said1st CommisCoffee Roastery Alexandria

كمال أمير سعيدطباخ أول

كافيه روسترى االسكندرية

محمود إبراهيم محمدطباخ ثالث

انتركونتننتال طابا هايتس

Mahmoud Ibrahim Mohamed3rd CommisInterContinental Taba Heights

Mohamed Abdel Salam Hamed1st CommisLouran Hospital Alexandria

محمد عبد السالم حامدطباخ أول

مستشفى لوران االسكندرية

محمد أبوشفيع عبد الحليمطباخ أول خباز

منتجع بدوية شرم الشيخ

Mohamed Abu Shafei A. Halim1st Commis BakerBadawia Resort Sharm El Sheikh

Mohamed Gharib A. Rahman3rd CommisKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo

محمد غريب عبد الرحمنطباخ ثالث

فندق كمبينسكى نايل القاهرة

طلعت إبراهيم سامىطباخ أول

لو باشا 1901

Talaat Ibrahim Samy1st Commis Le Pacha 1901

حازم مصطفى أحمدمستشار موارد بشرية

برايس وترهاوس كوبرز القاهرة

Hazem Moustafa AhmedConsultant Human ResourcePrice Water House Coopers Cairo

Jozef OseliFood & Beverage Manager(retired)

جوزيف أوسيلىمدير أغذية و مشروبات

Ju n i o r C h e f M e m b e r s

أعضاء من شباب الشيفات

A s s o c i a t e d M e m b e r s

أعضاء مساهمين

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Ahmed Helmy Mohamed Sous Chef Butcher InterContinental CityStars Cairo

Amr Salah Abdel Meguid Sous Chef The Egyptian Italian Co. for Restaurants

El Sayed Abdel Fattah Sous Chef Desert Rose Resort Hurghada

Khaled Gamal Abdallah Commis Holiday Inn CityStars

Mohamed Abdel Aziz Ibrahim Sous Chef Desert Rose Resort Hurghada

Mohamed Awad Staff Kitchen Chef Desert Rose Resort Hurghada

Mohamed Gharib Abdel Rahman 3rd Commis Kempiniski Hotel Cairo

Mohamed Mohamed Mehasseb Sous Chef The Egyptian Italian Co. for Restaurants

Wael Mohamed Abdel Rahman Service Manager Desert Rose Resort Hurghada

Wael Wageih Mohamed Quality Assurance Supervisor Arzak Company

Zakaria Abul Azm Training Manager Desert Rose Resort Hurghada

Adel Boushra Garas Sorial Executive Chef / Owner Kimo Restaurant for Fast Food

Hazem Mustafa Ahmed Consultant Human Resource Price Water House Coopers

Mahmoud Rabie Mohamedy Chef IKEA Co. for Trade & Design

Mohamed Alaa Mohamed Student Egoth Hotel & Tourism Institute Alexandria

Mohamed Sayed Yaakoub Chef de Partie Cairo Zamalek Hotel

Sally Ahmed El Guindi

Certified Participants of HACCP Food Safety Training Workshop held from 26 till 28 July, kindly hosted by Holiday Inn CityStars Cairo. Congratulations!

Certified Participants of Flavors & Flavorings Training Workshop held from 28 till 29 September, kindly hosted by Cairo Zamalek Residence Hotel. Congratulations!

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October’10

HACE'10, the 30th International Hotel Supplies & Catering

Equipment exhibition, will take place from 24 to 27 October

at the Cairo International Convention Center. In addition to the

annual live cooking competitions such as fruit and vegetable

carving, Asian cuisine, pasta dishes and mystery baskets contests

the Egyptian Chefs Association will once again organize a Female

Chef of the Year contest. The Culinary Ambassadors of Egypt will

also show their talents, just before their departure scheduled

the following month to compete at the Culinary World Cup in

Luxembourg. For more information on the exhibition, contact

the Egyptian Group for Marketing (EGM) on 0020 2 2635215 /

2619160 or email [email protected] For more information on

the culinary shows and competitions contact the ECA on

0020 2 37622116 / 7 / 8 or email [email protected]

The 10th IHF, International Hospitality Forum, the annual

trade show for the hospitality and foodservice sector of Jordan

and the region will be held from 25 till 27 October at Amman

Exhibition Park, Jordan. It promises to be an excellent event that

offers great business opportunities in a country where tourism

and hospitality services contribute to over 13% of GDP. Last year

more than 60 exhibitors received around 30,000 trade visitors

from a number of countries including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan,

Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. For more

information contact the organizers Events Unlimited on mobile

00962 795742492 or fax 00962 65656550 or email

[email protected] or visit

www.eventsunlimited.com.jo. To download an updated post

show review, kindly log on to

http://ihfjordan.com/reviews/IHF.pdf

November'10

Expogast 2010, the Culinary World Cup, "Salon de la

Gastronomie, de l'Art Culinaire et de la Pâtisserie", organized

by the Vatel-Club Luxembourg, will take place from 20 to 24

November in Luxembourg. The Culinary World Cup for chefs

is, after the IKA Culinary Olympics, one of the largest and most

prestigious international competitions. Many youth, military

and national teams will compete for medals and the prestigious

World Cup title in Luxembourg. Egypt plans to participate

individual competitors. For more information visit

www.vatel-club.lu

Sia Guest 60 Anniversary, the 60th International Hospitality

Exhibition SIA Guest will be held from 20 till 23 November

at Rimini Expo Center Italy. Sia Guest will feature the latest

in cooking equipment, furnishing, supplies, technology,

bathroom and wellness equipment, lighting, surfaces and

general hospitality services. For more information contact Giula

Pantane on 0039 0541744612 or email g.patane@riminifiera.

it or visit www.siarimini.com for request for free VIP cards email

[email protected] or call 0039 0541744632

January’11

SIGEP, the 32nd International Exhibition of Artisan Ice-

Cream, Pastry, Confectionery and Bakery Production, will take

place from 22 to 26 January in Italy. Several competitions such

as The Gelato Served, Delicious & Famous and SIGEP Bread Cup

will be held in conjunction with the trade fair. Special event

at this year's show will be the "Sicily Days", which will feature

Master Confectioner Luciano Pennati presenting the legendary

taste of Sicily's confectionery. For more information contact the

organizers Rimini Fiera on 0039 0541744 262 / 479 or fax

0039 0541744 772 or email Roberta Masini at

[email protected] or visit www.riminifiera.it

February’11

SAPORE Tasting Experience will take place from 19 till 22 February at the Rimini Fiera, Italy. The exhibition combines 41 years experience with a showcase of the most innovative products on the food & beverage market eating out, a world that pays close attention to tastes, rites and trends. Last year, the new expo format attracted over 76,000 visitors, 25% of whom were from aborad.

MIA is the section of SAPORE dedicated to products for catering, Italian and foreign food and beverage specialties. Also organic and gluten-free products are featured, which are attracting increasing attention on behalf of both collective and commercial food service. A specific area is dedicated to pizza, with contests, demos and lessons on alternative flours and products for those suffering from celiac disease. For more information contact 0039 0541744267 or visit www.saporerimini.it

Mark Your Calendar

Chef's Corner Issue 62 English

Documents

Transcript of Chef's Corner Issue 62 English