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September, 19, 2007

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HKCA Team wins Gold Medal in Bangkok

Wow!... This was intoxicating for our team. I am for the first times responsible manage the Culinary Team, and it was the first time that all team member were local and from Hong Kong and it was the first time we compete in Thailand “The 13th Culinary of Cooks & Chefs 2007”

After two long, grueling months of preparation, testing and tasting, HKCA gourmet team presented their Fruit & Food themed buffet to a panel of international acclaimed Judges on 7-Sept 2007. Armed with a stunningly elegant acrylic display peppered with rainbow of exotic fruit on the nice green satin-lined table; we were ready to compete with 7 international teams our table was up against the national teams of Germany, Switzerland, Malaysia, Korean, Thailand, and Taiwan. We clinched the only gold medal in that class and boasting rights of the “Best Gourmet Team”

For this category at culinary competition; “the Gourmet team challenge” requires six member teams to produce a completely edible cold buffet for 40 portions in less than 24 hours. Each team prepares cold soup, three appetizers, four salads, six tapes, two meat platters, two seafood platters, four free-styles, two cakes and selection bread. Judging is based on presentation, creativity, food ingredient and most importantly taste.

Under the enthusiastic come from different Hotel and catering company:

Team Manager: Mak Kam Kui

Hong Kong Disneyland Hollywood hotel

Chef de Cuisine

Team Captain: Chan Wai Kit (Ricky)

Encore Catering Limited

Executive chef

Team Member 1: Leung Chi Hang (Danny)

Hong Kong Disneyland Hollywood hotel

Specialty Chef

Team Member 2: Chui Wai Sum

"Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre"

Chef de Parie

Team Member 3: Ho Wai Kee

Hong Kong Intercontinental hotel

Team pastry chef: Ricky Ho Chak Kong

Hong Kong Disneyland hotel

Team Helper :

Im Vanessa

Hong Kong Disneyland Hollywood hotel

Cook 2

Hong Kong Disneyland Hollywood hotel

Tam Hiu Wan (Hilda)

Cook 2

Hong Kong Disneyland hotel

Ling Kwok Kei (Kei)

Cook 1

Hong Kong Disneyland hotel

Yeung Man Kin (Joe)

Cook 1

This time has been exceptionally encouraging as the whole hearted support came from the entire HKCA, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Encore Catering Limited, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and Hong Kong Intercontinental Hotel

It was always encouraging to see our younger members come together as well as one unit, one team work for this we are extremely proud as it demonstrates Hong Kong’s belief in supporting one and another in pursuit of a common goal. They are the future to represent us on a world class stage

On behalf of the entire of Gourmet Team member; we thank you HKCA for your assistance, perseverance and opportunity to showcase our team’s talents on this competition. Special thanks our team helper (Kin, Kei, Vanessa and Hilda)

They did a fantastic job.

Mak Kam Kui

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Invitation for the German Beer Fest 2007

HKCA members are invited along with HKHA members to join the German Beer Fest Industry Night on 21st October 2007, entrance is free to members, but you will have to send e-mail to rudolf.muller@disney.com and state with how many people you join the Beer fest!

World Chefs Day 18 Oct 2007 (2 days earlier due to Public Holiday)

“To create widespread awareness and recognition for all chefs, the WACS (World Association of Chefs Society) has declared October 20 as International Chefs_ Day.”

Bill Gallagher, WACS Congress in Dublin 2004

“To celebrate this event, the Hong Kong Chefs Association, in conjunction with our sponsors, will be organizing a charity lunch buffet in aid of the Hong Chi Association.”

Hong Kong Chefs Association, August 2004

*Click here to read up on last years charity event story*

Hong Kong September 14. 07

Dear Member,

The 4^th International Chefs Day 2007 is upon us, and we need your generous help once again

The Hong Chi Association, which supports the mentally handicapped and their families, runs a school for the mentally handicapped in Pine Hill Village, Tai Po.

This Time we also support the Fu Hong society for mentally challenges Adults in Pokfulam

This will be the fourth year already that the HKCA will be raising funds for the Hong Chi Association, and we would like to invite you to support us by offering your help in making the lunch buffet possible.

We require your assistance in the following areas and this time in Doubles:

1. Transportation

2. Outside catering equipment (chafing dishes, utensils, skirting)

3. Food & Drinks ( see attached proposed menu, can be changed)

4. Production (Manpower)

5. Preparation (Manpower)

6. Final set-up(Manpower)

7. Service on location (Manpower)

Other details:

We will assemble; divide the food leave from HKCEC around 9 am

The buffet will be served in two stages, at 2 locations, one in Pokfulam, and one in Pine hill Village, at 12 noon and 1:15pm

Number of guests: approximately 2 X 600 persons

The HKCA will arrange buses to pick up participants at 8am from Middle Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and bring them to their respective location

Minibuses will transport HITDC students from Tai Po KCR Station to Pine Hill Village and Pokfulam at 9am

We need your support for this event, and we will feature the list of sponsors, a write-up of the event and photographs in our website and news letter after the event has been conducted.

If you would like to be part of this wonderful community event, please help us and any support appreciated. Please contact Rudy: rudolf.muller@disney.com

The Hong Chi Association and the Fu Hong Society is dedicated to serving people with mental handicap and their families.

We believe:

That people with mental handicap have the same rights and freedoms as other members of the community

That they should be given every opportunity to develop physically, intellectually, socially and emotionally.

That they should be encouraged and helped to participate fully in family and community life

That all forms of discrimination against people with mental handicaps are wrong

We will...

Listen to the needs and wishes of people with mental handicaps, as well as their families

Educate and train them so that they can develop to their full potential Assist them to find jobs and to live as independently as possible Promote understanding and acceptance of people with mental handicaps

Rudy Muller

President HKCA

Sponsorship drive for Charity events and International Chefs Day

Hong Kong, September 14, 2007

Dear Sponsor

Greetings from the Hong Kong Chefs Association and we need your help on the 18 October 07 at noon at the Hong Chi Training Center for mentally challenged children and the Fu Hong Society at Pokfulam

The World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS) had declared October 20. as the International Chef’s Day. This event was called into life at the last WACS conference in Dublin, Ireland April 2004 and is the brain child of our honorary WACS president Bill Gallagher.

On that day, chefs from every corner of the world organize and participated in some special event in order to the recognition of our trade. And to celebrate and promote our colorful profession.

Also here in Hong Kong; the Chefs Association is a member of WACS; was contributing to this event for the 4^rt time already in a special and rewarding way.

The committee had decided that we the chefs from different hotels, restaurant, clubs and caterings come together and would cook for about 600 to 700 mentally challenged children of the Hong Chi Association, which runs the Hong Chi Pine Hill Advanced Training center and relays mainly on donation to run and maintain its facilities.

Since the response in the last 3 years was over whelming, we decided also to sponsor a Lunch to the 600 mentally challenged adults of the Fu Hong Society in Pokfulam.

We will again create two buffets simultaneously and we asked all the professional chefs and supplier for help.

The response over the years from our friends in the industry is beyond our dreams and resounding.

It was a great pleasure to had received so much help from everyone in the hospitality industry in the past,

Now we would like to ask you for your help in 2007 on that special day.

This can be done trough cash or food donation, please have a look at the attached list and quantity. If you some of those items or something in comparison we would very much appreciated. Please send e-mail to rudolf.muller@disney.com

I return we will have your company’s logo on our website and give you due recognition for you deed

This will be again a very rewarding and heartwarming experience for all of us, if we are able to make a small difference in the everyday lives of those children’s.

We the Hong Kong Chefs Association hope; that you can confirm your help and attendance.

A big thank you from the bottom of the heart. We shall count our blessings everyday.

Rudy Muller

President of the Hong Kong Chefs Association

*Click here to read up on last years charity event story*

Hong Chi Climbathon 27 October 2007

The HKCA is participating this year again in this charity event, and wishes to have two teams, one from the HKCA and one from the HKYCC. If you wish to join the HKCA team, please e-mail to rudolf.muller@disney.com if you wish to join the HKYCC team, please e-mail to francis.lo@hkycc.hk

French dairy products Cooking Competition for Young Chefs

24 October 2007

At the Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre of the VTC

with visiting Chef Mr.Siôn Evans

Official Venue Sponsor:

Sopexa Hong Kong is organising the 2^nd edition of the French Dairy Products Cooking Competition for Young Chefs with a special focus on creativity this year. Show us your culinary skills and creativity in using Dairy Products from France by joining our recipe contest to win a grand prize study trip to the Le Cordon Bleu® School in Paris including round-trip air tickets and accommodation!

Modern French Cuisine Cooking - French Dairy Products

Ingredients Basket

For a hot main course and a dessert – 4 servings each

* Participant must be aged between 18 and 25 and must be a working chef in the industry

Dairy Products	Fruits / Vegetables	Meat / spices	Others
200g Munster	4 carrots	600g of pork fillet	100g honey
1liter milk	200g Peas	Nutmeg	1 kg flour T45 (pastry)
200g Comté	3 pears (Williams variety)	Average local hot – medium chili	1 liter apple juice
1 liter of cream	3 Granny Smith apples	6 sheets of gelatin	Hazelnut oil
300 g unsalted butter	300g celery	12 eggs	Cider Vinegar + unlimited salt and pepper

Participant information:

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Sex : _____ Age: ______ I.D. Number: ______________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________

Contact Number: ______________________ Fax: ______________________________

E-mail address: _________________________________________________________

Rules:

Participating Specifications:

1) Please type or write your recipes on an A4 paper, enclose a photograph of the completed dishes together with your completed entry form and submit to:

Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre

6^th Floor, Pokfulam Training Centre Complex

145 Pokfulam Road

Hong Kong

Sopexa French Dairy Products Cooking Competition for Young Chefs

You are not required to use all the ingredients in the basket; however you will have to use at least 4 out of the 5 Dairy Products available in the basket with a minimum of one dairy product in each dish.

2) On the day of competition, participants must, within a 2-hour period prepare and serve 4 servings of a hot main course and 4 servings of a dessert using only the products from the basket.

3) Upon receipt of your entry form, the rules and regulations of the competition will be sent to the participant within 24 hours by mail, fax or e-mail. All participants must follow the rules and regulations and submit their recipes to the “Sopexa French Dairy Competition” before the deadline.

4) The selection of finalists will be conducted by members of the Hong Kong Chefs Association. The most creative participants will be invited to participate in the contest and they shall be informed on or before October 16.2007 of the judges’ decision.

5) Closing Date for recipe contest submission: 12th October 2007.

Final Contest: October 24, 2007 (Wednesday)

Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre of the

Vocational Training Council

1^st floor Demonstration Kitchen

145 Pokfulam Training Centre, Hong Kong

Prizes

Champion

Grand Prize: A Study Trip in Paris:

Le Cordon Bleu® continuing education program for 4-5 days

with round trip air ticket

and accommodation.

This grand prize is sponsored by Le Cordon Bleu® and Dairy Products from France.

1^stRunner-up & 2^nd Runner-up prizes

will be confirmed later

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

For information on rules and regulations please contact Mr. Andreas Muller at: 2538 2227 or Mr. Boris Leung at 2538 2232.

To download the English form click here, to download the Chinese form, click here

青年廚師法式奶類產品烹飪比賽

2007年10月24日

職業訓練局旅遊服務業培訓發展中心

特邀廚師嘉賓Mr.Siôn Evans

大會場地贊助：

為了讓本地消費者進一步了解各種法國奶類製品的益處和入饌的技巧，香港法國食品協會(Sopexa HongKong) 將舉辦第二屆《青年廚師法式奶類產品烹飪比賽》，並著重讓年輕廚師發揮創意。請不要埋沒自己的廚藝技術和創作天分，參加是次烹飪比賽；冠軍可得巴黎Le Cordon Bleu® 學院短期課程連來回機票及住宿！

比賽詳情

現代法國烹飪 ─ 法式奶類產品 (熱主菜 + 甜品)

* 參賽者必須年齡為18至25歲的現職廚師。

材料籃子

主菜和甜品的材料配合有：(每項4份)

奶類產品	蔬果類	肉類 / 調味料	其他
門斯特乾酪(200克)	胡蘿蔔(4個)	豬柳（600克）	蜂蜜 (100克)
牛奶（1升）	豌豆（200克）	肉豆蔻	麵粉（麵糰）T45 (1公斤)
200gComte(法式乳酪)	梨子Williams Variety（3個）	本地辣椒（適中大小、微辣）	蘋果汁（1升）
奶油（1升）	青蘋果（3個）	明膠（6片）	榛子油
無鹽黃油（300克）	芹菜（300克）	雞蛋（12個）	蘋果醋以及不限量鹽及胡椒粉

參賽者資料

姓名：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

性別：　　　年齡：　　　身份證號碼：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

地址：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

聯絡電話：　　　　　　　　　　傳真號碼：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

電郵地址：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

參賽守則：

參賽詳情：

(一) 請將食譜列印或寫在A4紙上，並連同製成品的照片及報名表格交到/郵遞至以下地址：

　　　職業訓練局旅遊服務業培訓發展中心

　　　香港薄扶林道一四五號薄扶林訓練中心綜合大樓六字樓

　　　信封面請註明： Sopexa《青年廚師法式奶類產品烹飪比賽》

不要求使用選定的所有材料，但至少須選用所提供的5種奶製品中的4種（每盤菜不少於其中一種）。

(二) 比賽當日：參賽者必須利用大會選定的食材烹調熱菜和甜品各一款(四人份量)，限時為兩小時。

(三) 收到閣下的申請表後，我們會在24小時內將比賽守則以郵寄、傳真或電郵的方式傳送。所有參賽者必須遵從比賽的規則指令，在截止日期前遞交參賽食譜。

(四) 決賽名單由香港廚師協會選出，最具創意的參賽者將會在2007年10月16日或以前接到參賽通知。

(五) 截止申請日期為：2007年10月12日

總決賽：2007年10月24日　(星期三)

　　　　職業訓練局旅遊服務業培訓發展中心

香港薄扶林道一四五號薄扶林訓練中心綜合大樓一字樓

示範廚房「名殿堂」

獎品

冠軍

免費到巴黎Le Cordon Bleu® 進行為期4至5天的短期訓練課程

(包括來回機票及住宿)

冠軍大獎由Le Cordon Bleu®和香港法國食品協會提供贊助

亞軍、季軍獎品待定

如有任何疑問，可致電2538 2227聯絡旅遊服務業培訓發展中心梅納安先生或2538 2232聯絡梁義忠先生

The Basics of Wine Tasting

By Dominique Grandjean

Wine is for drinking, not for worshipping, but there is a world of difference between drinking without thinking and making the most of every mouthful. Knowing how to taste wine to appreciate all its flavours and nuances, knowing about serving temperatures, wine friendly glasses and the purpose of decanting, being confident about which wine to lay down and which to drink tomorrow are the keys to a lifetime’s fun and appreciation.

Unless you have aspirations to become a wine taster by trade, you will know that you wouldn’t want to be seen dead going through that extraordinary contortionist tasting ritual of ‘’sipping’’ (or slurping), ‘’sucking in air’’, ‘’ chewing as if battling with a piece of tough steak’’, then ‘’spitting’’.

To keep it simple, tasting wine is not only ‘’tasting it’’. You can get a lot of information just by looking, swirling, smelling and finally tasting. Spitting is not a pretty sight, but essential at a large tasting, if you want to keep a clear head.

Look – Begin by looking at the wine, preferably in a reasonably good, but not phosphorescent light, and against a plain, pale background (a sheet of white paper will do). If you are doing the pouring, don't fill the glass too full: it makes the tasting process far easier if you don’t.

Hold the glass by the base or the stem and tip it away from you at an angle of 45 degrees. Look down on it and you should be able to see how clear the wine is, whether it has any minute bubbles or foreign bodies, how deep the colour is, what sort of hue it is, and how much the colour graduates from the center to the rim.

Swirl – Now for the first swirl. Either put the glass on the table, or continue to hold it by the stem or base (the base is more difficult), then swirl it round to get the wine moving. The main point of doing this is to aerate the wine so that it releases its volatile smells or aromas. But before you plunge your nose into the glass, have a look. The way the wine clings to the glass and then trickles down may tell you something! Look to see if they are ‘’legs’’ or ‘’ tears’’ of wine down the inside of the glass: these can be a clue to the wine’s alcohol and sugar content.

Nose – Put your nose down to the glass and sniff. Then give your glass its second twirl, put your nose further into it and sniff more deeply. Most people find one deep sniff more rewarding than several short sharp ones, but the important thing is to do what is most effective for you.

Taste – Take a sip, a generous sip, but not a mouth so full that the reflex is to swallow immediately. Savour the flavour, rolling the wine gently around your mouth so that it reaches every taste bud. Then, if you are on your own, or feeling brave in sympathetic company, open your lips and draw in some air. This aerates the wine, just as the earlier twirl of the glass you did, and helps send the volatile compounds up from the back of your mouth to your olfactory bulb, the all important organ at the top and back of your nose.

Swallow (or spit) only when you have really got a sense of the flavour and feel of the wine. Then pay attention to the taste that is left; known as the finish or aftertaste. It should be pleasant.

Tasting terms

The following terms are in common usage and are mostly fairly self-explanatory:

Aggressive – said of young wine of older wine that hasn’t mellowed has it should have done.

Aromatic – plenty of aromas and flavours; often the spicy flowery grape varieties.

Astringent – mouth puckering tannin.

Austere – rather tough and ungiving; maybe because the wine is too young.

Baked – as if the wines or grapes have been baked in the sun; so there is a lack of freshness.

Beefy – full bodied, strapping, flavoursome; usually red wine.

Coarse – rough and read, so should be cheap.

Creamy – wines of quality, especially champagne, and can develop a creamy richness, which is half flavour and half texture.

Crisp – fresh and positively refreshing, especially whites.

Dense – solid colour and/or densely packed with flavour, usually positive.

Dried out – a wine that is over the hill because the fruits flavours have faded away.

Earthy – an earthy, gravelly, minerally smell that seems to come straight from the soil.

Elegant – self-explanatory, and much used.

Fat – full bodied, with high glycerol, maybe sweet.

Finesse – high quality, self-explanatory.

Firm – good tannin and/or acid.

Flabby – lacking acidity.

Flat – lacking freshness and acid.

Fleshy – generously flavoured, round with no edges.

Forward – more nature than you would expect.

Fragrant – attractive, usually flowery.

Green – young and raw, maybe develop or the grapes may simply have been unripe.

Grip – a young wine with the grip has the tannin and/or acid potential to develop.

Hard – too mush tannin or acid, but can be a question of youth and time.

Heavy- full bodied and alcoholic, usually used to indicate imperfect balance, although not in the case of fortified wines.

Herbaceous or herby – reminiscent of grass, herbs and leaves.

Hollow – wine that has an initial taste and an end taste, but a disappointing lack of flavours in between.

Hot – high, out of balance alcohol, usually wines from warm climates.

Jammy – jam rather than fresh fruits flavours, from hot climates.

Lean – lacking breadth of flavours.

Long – wine of the taste which lasts, a very positive feature.

Meaty – richly flavoured, full bodies wine, sometimes literally meat flavours.

Mouth-filling – wine with a satisfying richness of texture and flavours that fill the whole mouth.

Neutral – short on aroma and flavour, very common among inexpensive dry whites.

Oily – some grapes have an oily character in the mouth: Gewürztraminer or Sauternes as example. Otherwise, not always a sign of quality.

Penetrating - intense aromas and flavours.

Perfumed- fragrant, scented and often flowery.

Rich – having depth and breadth of flavour.

Robust – full bodied, sturdy wine, usually red.

Rough – coarse, basic wine.

Round – no hard edges, ready to drink.

Scented – fragrant, perfumed and often floral.

Sharp – a sharp, acid flavour that may simply need time to soften; mostly whites.

Short – no aftertaste can’t be a high quality wine.

Silky – smooth texture, high quality.

Simple – sound, drinkable wine with no great distinction.

Smooth – applies to texture, no tannin or acid getting in the way.

Soft – sometimes interchangeable with smooth, but often refers to soft, mellow flavours rather than texture.

Solid – plenty of substance, usually full bodied.

Sour – irredeemably acidic or vinegary.

Spritz – prickle on the tongue of carbon dioxide in young, light bodied whites.

Stalky – bitter aroma and taste of stalks and stems.

Steely – hard to describe: firm, sinewy character, usually allied to quite high acid, found in ‘’Chablis’’ and some other good quality young French whites.

Stewed – coarse, cooked flavours from overripe grapes and/or over-hot fermentation.

Stringy – thin, mean wine.

Structure – as in good, firm structure or poor, weak structure: the balance of strength of the basic components, ie acid, tannin, fruit, alcohol and maybe sugar.

Supple – round and smooth.

Tangy – a lively aftertaste, in white wines, sherry and madeira.

Thin – lacking flavour and body.

Tough – too much tannin.

Vegetal – brassica, rather than leafy and herbaceous; often in mature burgundy, red and white.

Velvety – similar to silky, but richer.

Watery – feeble, thin, weak.

Woody – smell of old, dirty casks instead of clean, young ones.

Zesty – fresh, crisp and lively; usually young white wine.