Junior Chef Forum

Honorary President Dr. Bill Gallagher introduced this new section to the WACS Forum to emphasise the importance of the development of the young chefs of the world. He believes that it is important to involve the young chefs in a world event such as this to give them the idea of the global community that is at there feet and there for the taking. The event is an ideal time for the chefs to get to know each other and make networks of professionalism throughout the world. Each day at the conference the junior chefs have their own forum and outings. Topics of the forums include the World Skills competitions, sensory analysis, food hygiene, and technology, and finally a discursive forum based on the learning experiences over the WACS congress. Day trips to Hicks Foods Ltd and Wrights of Howth are used to
enlighten the participants in the uses and tastes of modern Irish Food.

WACS World Culinary Challenge

Each day four teams from different countries consisting of three chefs and one coach compete in the daily competitions of the WACS World Junior Culinary Challenge Competition towards the goal of becoming the overall winning country of the event. The young chefs begin their preparations at 8am in the morning and they have until 12.45 to have their dishes ready for service to the 18 diners and four judges. One plate extra has to be made to be available for photographs. The teams have to create a menu consisting of a starter, main and dessert. Brendan O’Niell, the head of the Junior Chefs Forum, oversees the whole event. The sixteen competing countries are Australia, China, Canada, Emirates, England, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Malta, Norway, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, USA and Wales.

The Team