Egyptian Chefs Association

A Winning Team

2011-02-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

Over the past years I have watched the Egyptian Chefs Association grow more successful every year; organizing top notch competitions and training for Chefs who look forward to learning new methods and forms of cooking and challenging themselves as part of their development plans.
Our own InterContinental Citystars Chefs are proud to be part of the Egyptian Chefs Association and to represent not only our hotel, but their country, which instills a sense of national pride and gives them the opportunity to travel and learn about new cultures and their cuisine as well as sharing the best of Egypt.
We are proud to have several ECA Gold medal winners in our Kitchen Team, who are role models and inspiration for the junior ranks.
It has been an honor as InterContinental Cairo Citystars to host some of these workshops, competitions and trainings and we look forward to hosting more successful events with the Association.
Sincerely,
Thierry Perrot
Director of Operations Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) Egypt and Libya & General Manager IHG Citystars Cairo
www.intercontinental.com

What YOU Can Do

2011-01-17T01:45:00.000-08:00

A great philosopher once said: “To be successful, you must surround yourself by people who can understand you.”
After I landed in Egypt five years ago, coming home from the United States, I was at a loss in how to contribute what I had learned and experienced overseas to the chef’s community in Egypt. I didn't know whom to speak to about what I would like to contribute and do until I met up with Chef Markus, Mirjam and the team at the Egyptian Chef Association.

Looking back at how the Association has progressed over the past five years, I must tip my hat to their accomplishments in international competitions such as the Culinary Olympics in Germany, the Gastronomy Festival in Turkey and the Culinary World Cup in Luxemburg. Now we have raised the bar of the international community’s expectation of the Egyptian chefs.

The crowning achievement will be the completion this year of two state-of-the-art culinary schools, the first ever in Egypt. My wish for the young chefs in Egypt is that they also will find the support and encouragement through our Chefs Association in attaining their goals. Remember:
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy (1961)

With all my love and thanks,

Tarek Ibrahim
Senior Consultant Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA)
Trainer Culinary Ambassadors of Egypt
Senior Instructor Egyptian Chefs Association
ECA Board Member

13th National Salon Culinaire of the ECA

2010-04-18T03:11:00.000-07:00

American businesswoman Mary Kay Ash is quoted as saying: “There are two things people want more than luxury and money… recognition and education”. I’m not sure if this is true, but there’s no doubt that recognition and education is an important part of what keeps people striving for excellence and contributing towards making their environment, their workplace and their industry a better place.

Within the chef fraternity, I believe there is a need to recognise the people who consistently and, without any consideration of how much of their personal time they give up, contribute to the betterment of our industry. These are people who go above and beyond the call of duty; people whose commitment to excellence is unwavering; people who can be called upon to provide their expertise and knowledge; people who have helped make the industry what it is today. There are many criteria according to which the great leaders, and great achievers, could be recognised. They may not necessarily be in senior positions – they may simply have achieved great things for our industry or made great strides in setting benchmarks in the culinary arena.

There are many unsung heroes in our industry and I invite you to participate in the 10th ECA Salon Culinaire to become one of them and being recognised. I’d also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to come and learn, network and join in a meeting of great minds at this year’s Salon Culinaire which is scheduled for June 29, 2010.

With this in mind, the ECA is holding its 13th National Salon Culinaire this year and I’m very honoured to be able to join in the activities and pass on some valuable knowledge in the process.

Chef Martin Kobald
Honorary President SA Chefs Association
Chairman WACS Marketing & Communications Committee
"Nestlé Professional" Corporate Executive Chef

Fantastic Hospitality

2010-03-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

<< Thank you for the opportunity to come to Cairo to you recent hot kitchen competition at Hace'09.   From a professional point of view, the competition was well run and organised, offering some great challenges to the competitors. You put together a good judging team that would not be out of place at the IKA.    The hospitality of your team and the chefs in general was nothing short of fantastic, I must say, that I have been to many competitions around the world, and I would say without a doubt in my mind, I have never been hosted so well as I was in Cairo, from the mobile phone to organized dinners every night, I take my hat off to you and your committee!>>

Rick Stephen CMC
Executive Chef
SATS Inflight Catering Center
Singapore

ECA Opens Doors..

2010-03-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

<< ECA has opened many doors for me. They were the first to put myprofile in their bimonthly magazine Chef's Corner, and later nominated me to have myprofile on the WACS website. ECA team has invited me to judge and now Ihave received the accreditation from WACS. Through the Association, networkingwas made easier and possible, and I was introduced and welcomed into the ECA family,which cheered me on through it all. I have great respect, admiration and loyalty to you all, and Iappreciate everything you have done for me. What the ECA does for chefs inEgypt is amazing and the team always strives to help chefs reach heights thatwould never be possible without the Association's backing and support.Thank you ECA from the bottom of my heart.>>

Nermine Hanno
Senior ECA Member
Certified WACS Judge
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ECA is.. Great Management

2010-02-15T01:21:00.000-08:00

<< From when I first met Mirjam van IJssel and Markus Iten, I have been impressed with the management of the Egyptian Chefs Association (ECA) and always look carefully through your wonderful magazine Chef's Corner and show it to all my staff. We get ideas from it and discuss how we can further develop our own magazine.
Through the ECA's efforts, I believe that Egyptian chefs with greater creativity and imagination can invent new dishes, using innovative ingredients, and in turn lead the way for industry to create bran new products on the market.>>

Yousri Tenawy
Executive Director
Chamber of Food Industries