Home » News » WACS News » Chefs and the Teamaker : WACS and Dilmah enter into a Global Partnership
Chefs and the Teamaker : WACS and Dilmah enter into a Global Partnership
27-07-2012
Chefs and the Teamaker : WACS and Dilmah enter into a Global Partnership
Dilmah partners with World Association of Chefs Societies
Dilmah Tea and the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) have joined hands in taking tea and culinary art to new heights. The partnership which commences in July this year builds on Dilmah’s Tea Gastronomy programme, a decade long exploration of tea as an ingredient in fine food and as a sensory pairing. WACS involvement in Dilmah Tea Gastronomy initiatives and the pioneering Dilmah School of Tea is envisaged as part of the co-operation.
The Tea Sommelier Competition, the Real High Tea Challenge, the Chefs and the Teamaker are innovations that are a part of Dilmah’s Tea Gastronomy programme. Dilmah has previously partnered with WACS in relation to the Dilmah Tea Sommelier and Tea Gastronomy Challenges in Sri Lanka. The global partnership extends this co-operation whilst aiming to share knowledge of tea and tea gastronomy with chefs around the world.
Dilmah will support WACS Global Chefs’ Challenge, the HANS BUESHKENS Young Chefs Challenge and a new pastry challenge as part of the partnership. WACS will be a partner in the Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge that is due to take place in Australia in August and September this year, building on a successful series of events in 2011. The Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge in Australia in August this year has the objective of enhancing understanding of the use of tea as a key ingredient in cuisine and beverage.
As mentioned by Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando, "Dilmah tea gastronomy brings together the goodness of real tea with culinary art where tea which is normally served in a cup is now being served on a plate. The result is a journey of gastronomical discovery suitable for a 21st century lifestyle. We are pleased to partner with WACS in this regard where we will together take tea gastronomy to the next level."
Gissur Gudmundsson, President of the World Association of Chefs Societies said, "As chefs, we believe in constantly learning and improving our skills. What Dilmah has done for tea and gastronomy has been admirable. Their humanitarian efforts are also strongly aligned with our beliefs. We are, therefore, very proud to partner them and look forward to this collaboration." The partnership will have a humanitarian aspect through the support that Dilmah is offering WACS’ World Chefs without Borders – the charitable arm of WACS. The first such initiative envisages a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the Dilmah Book of Tea Inspired Cuisine and Beverages, benefiting World Chefs without Borders and also the establishment of culinary schools for the differently able and underprivileged in Sri Lanka.
World Chefs without Borders will help the MJF Foundation with guidance and personnel in setting up and managing the culinary schools. The schools are intended to help landmine victims and other differently abled youth acquire hospitality and culinary skills to participate in the growing tourist industry in post-war Sri Lanka.
Dilmah is a family tea company established by Merrill J. Fernando to offer the finest tea on earth to consumers around the world. Dilmah took the lead in bringing innovation to the hospitality sector tea experience with its Tea Gastronomy and Mixology programmes. In a category dominated by commodity tea, Dilmah offers quality and maintains its commitment to garden fresh tea, that is unblended. The Dilmah School of Tea and the Tea Gastronomy programmes are a part of an effort to help tea drinkers and hospitality professionals understand real tea.
For more information please visit www.teagastronomy.com and www.schooloftea.org
About World Association of Chefs Societies www.worldchefs.org
The World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS) is a global network of chefs associations founded in 1928 at the Sorbonne in Paris. Today, this global body has 93 official chefs associations as members that represent over 10 million professional chefs worldwide. WACS is dedicated to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of global cuisines. They accomplish these goals through education, training and professional development of their international membership.
