Concocting A Culinary Dream

In an attempt to elevate the culinary standards, identify new trends and develop the art of fine cooking standards, the Western India Culinary Association (WICA), association of chefs in the western region of the country, in association with Nestle recently conducted Culinary Olympics 2002 at IHMCTAN Mumbai. Chef Vernon Coelho, president WICA, who is also the chief instructor of IHMCTAN, Dadar, said that the Olympics was aimed at bringing the latent talents of the young chefs under 25 years of age to the limelight.

The event is the second such Olympics conducted in Mumbai, and the first one in association with WICA. Over 220 contestants took part in the event that had six categories including: fruit and vegetable carving, cake decoration, hot plated starter, Indian main course hot, plated, cold plated dessert and ice carving.

Doors opened to new recipes Salil Fadnis, secretary of the association and banquet chef at the Renaissance, Mumbai, said that all the participants had come prepared with a game plan. “I am sure there has been a lot of thinking that has gone in their creations. For the judges it was a tough call. The Olympics made the budding chefs think differently. As I observed nearly every participant had a plan in mind as to what he/she should achieve. I think this sense of competition and ‘think different’ attitude make the participants ‘create’ new food while keeping the basics intact,” explained Fadnis.

He also opined that the presentations showcased the levels of professionalism within the youngsters and the organisations they represented. “The involvement of WICA and its member chefs has doubled the volume of participation than last year,” said chef Vernon Coelho, president, WICA. “Such events bring all the chefs together, foster the spirit of friendliness and competition in their professional lives. The fact that these events are held in hotel colleges provides exposure to the students which otherwise would have been rare. And don’t forget they are your future chefs. The competition will definitely raise the standard of culinary trade and of the food industry,” he concluded.