Gissur Gudmundsson 1st Message – Gissur skrifar til WACS félaga

Dear friends and colleagues,

I am just on my way home to Iceland after a very hot week in Dubai and I am about to start working on the tough job that I have been elected to do by the members of the World Association of Chefs Societies.

It is my pleasant duty and privilege to thank you with all my heart for the great honour you have given me by electing me as your President for the next four years. I am extremely touched by all the congratulations, wishes and messages I received this week from members all over the world and this reminds me, at the same time, of the responsibility that comes with this honourable position.

At the same time, I am completely aware of the difficulty of living up to the standard set by the past Presidium, but I will do my best to try to promote the interests of the WACS members in every way.

Our election, like our meeting for the 80 years of WACS in Dubai, marks an important meeting point of the past with the future. I am aware of my accountability, as President of WACS, to the traditions of the past. And at the same time, I confirm my responsibility to the future of WACS. As in Escoffier’s day, when WACS was formed, we face uncertainties in a world that gives us reason to worry.

Hearing about tragedies like the earthquake in China and the Cyclone in Myanmar, we are reminded how life is fragile but at the same time, how important it is to be there for one another. It is also important that we not only look at the marks of destruction but that we also celebrate the strength of the things that survive and the displays of solidarity that come out of trial like this.

It should help us continue to believe in the purposes and potential of an organisation like WACS and in what it can do for each one of us and for what the culinary world will look like 80 years from now.

It is important to give a BIG thanks to everyone who participated at the WACS Congress and its many events. Without you, there would not be a congress and without your spirit, it would not be a successful one. Now, we can use this positive force to work on the next great congress which will be held in Santiago, Chile in 2010. To do this, I ask for your sincere co-operation in trying to increase, not only the interest in our organisation and participation in our programs, but also in the attendance of our Congresses.

Our Congresses are not only times to listen to official procedures; they are also places for us to gather by solidarity and to celebrate our community and its vision. They are also pledges of support for this great organisation.

As most of you know, I gave up my position as the Continental Director of Northern Europe and it is my great pleasure to welcome Chef Brendan O’Neil to the WACS Board as the new Director for this area.

Brendan has been working in the industry for almost 40 years and is currently the Executive Chef of the Red Cow Moran Hotel. He has served as President of the Panel of Chefs of Ireland and is an honorary Member of WACS. He has competed and won at many National and International Culinary Competitions and is a well known international judge. He is also Chairman of Judges at Irish culinary competitions and Chairman of the Irish Panel of Chefs Culinary Committee.

His past involvement and experience along with his desire to work with us to accomplish our goals for WACS and, more importantly his passion for the culinary industry makes him a wonderful candidate for this position. The newly formed WACS Executive Board will be holding its first meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa in July. Many items are on the agenda and we will be publishing the minutes on the WACS website afterwards so that all the members can know what progress has been made. I look forward to start working with everyone.

I want to end my message with some thoughts on our campaign slogan: Rethinking Tradition.

Customs and passivity constantly threaten our growth and progress as culinarians. The more we let rules, social expectations and fear of the unknown determine our choices and actions, and the more our true potential disappears.

Only when we challenge and question what is around us do we become able to inspire change and growth. Through asking these questions, we become part of something much greater than ourselves. We go beyond our limited time and space to relive the past.

We should also ask new questions. Through asking new questions, we celebrate our power to challenge the status quo and to imagine and build a different and better reality.

Together, let’s take on those responsibilities and possibilities; let’s share them and take up the work with joy, because a mission like this is a great privilege.

Gissur Guðmundsson

Gissur Guðmundsson

www.wacs2000.org

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WACS Mission Statement:

The World Association of Chefs’ Societies (W.A.C.S.) is a non-political professional organization, dedicated to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of global cuisines. We accomplish these goals through education, training and professional development of our international membership. As an authority and opinion leader on food, W.A.C.S represents a global voice on all issues related to the culinary profession. AS AN AUTHORITY AND OPINION LEADER ON FOOD, W.A.C.S. REPRESENTS A GLOBAL VOICE ON ALL ISSUES RELATED TO THE CULINARY PROFESSION.