Posted by Admin on 2016
A great learning opportunity for Young Chefs and Culinary Students
National Young Chefs Convention was planned and organized by Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) on the 29th& 30th August 2016, at Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza, New Delhi. The purpose of the Convention was mainly to educate the young i and also provide them an opportunity to hear National and International level Chefs of high repute speaking on essential culinary topics and also to meet them to interact and learn from them the nuances in the profession. The event thus focused on providing an opportunity for enabling transformational change in the professional lives of Young i including the culinary students. The event was also the first one happening after the launch of the National Young Chefs Association, in December, 2015.
1st National Young Chefs Convention was an overwhelming success with more than 430 young i taking part as delegates in the 2-day event. The delegates also included culinary students who were either studying or who had just finished their Courses.
Delegates who totally numbered as 430 young Chefs participated from across different parts of the country giving the event a National colour. Matching with the delegate participation which was a grandeur, the program for the 2 days provided great education to the young i and the culinary students who took time to reach Delhi and spend their valuable time for a purpose which would have a say in their careers with an aim to achieve long term goals that they had set for themselves.
Faculty of Hotel Management & Catering Technology
Faculty of Hotel Management & Catering Technology of Dr. MGR Educational & Research Institute University took a very active part in the event rendering participation in all the major activities. While IFCA Presidium officials led by Dr. Chef Soundararajan and the Executive Officer, Mr. Prabu of IFCA led the entire team of volunteers – Faculty members, students and service providers of HMCT who actively participated and supported the event, there was a good Student participation in the event from the department as delegates registered for the event.
HMCT volunteers worked for completion of the pre-event activities, such as Delegate Registrations, Award processes and all other event related activities. They also travelled to Delhi to shoulder the responsibilities related to PRE-EVENT, ON-THE-EVENT-DAY & ALSO POST-EVENT-ACTIVITIES.
The other IFCA Presidium members – President of IFCA – Chef Manjit Singh Gill; Vice President – Chef Vijaya Bhaskaran and Chef Saby of National Young Chefs Association and Chef Manisha Bhasin, National Women Chefs Forum were present all through to guide and also support in the organization of the event. The highly interest-generating-two-day event had several programs which helped the young i to learn in regard to Professional expertise, attitude, values in culinary, economics, ethics, etiquettes and several more. Speeches, discussions, demonstrations, panel discussions, Skype interviews, Question & Answer Sessions, etc. made the Convention a highly valuable event. The program highlights of the event were as follows:
National Sushi Championship
One of the highlights of the 2 day event was National Sushi Championship. With the active co-operation of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Chennai, Sushi National level Competition was organized on the sidelines of the event. There were 15 Chefs who contested for the National Honours. JETRO and IFCA organized the infrastructure, utilities, ingredients and other consumables for the Competitioin. The professional expertise of Master Chef Hirotoshi Ogawa who conducted the competition, the Juries who judged the performances of the contests and the arrangements made for the Competition were a lesson for the organizers of such competitions. The HMCT students who took certain responsibilities in the Competition preparations gained good experience.
The Director General of JETRO Mr. Hidehiro Ishiura, their director, Mr. Noritada Hayashi and the Assistant Director, Ms. ShizukaIsozaki and Ms. Aruna, their Manager Incharge were all there to drive the activities related to the Competition
IFCA’s National Educational Awards – The event concluded with the Award Ceremony, during which Awardees were selected for various categories and the Award certificates, Citations and Gifts were presented on the stage. The winners in the Sushi Competition were also honoured on the stage with medals, certificates and citations.
Honours for Faculty of HMCT & University
It was a proud moment since Dr. MGR Educational & Research Institute University was awarded “Best Culoinary Campaigner” in the category of Community Outreach; Chef Kotiswara Rao of HMCT was awarded IFCA’s Special Culinary Award, and The HMCT 3rd Year student Aloysius Adharsh was awarded Best Young Chef with Vision and Skills.
Continuous interest, dedication and the efforts being put forth by the department – the HOD, Faculty members and the Students, underthe guidance of the University, have won these National laurels to the department.
2020
