Asian taster as Malaysia prepares to host Worldchefs Congress 2018

Malaysia’s international image as a creative culinary powerhouse has been boosted by Kuala Lumpur landing the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2018. Chefs from more than 100 countries will convene in the capital next year to address food trends and share on emerging food culture from around the world. Organisers, the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs), expect the four-day event, scheduled 11–14 July 2018, to attract 1,000 attendees. The congress was landed due to a successful bid by Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, working in close strategic collaboration with local organiser, Chefs Association of Malaysia. The congress is expected to generate around RM11m (US$2.57m) in economic impact. Datuk Zulkefli Hj. Sharif, CEO of MyCEB, described the congress as an ideal platform for Malaysia to showcase its unique cuisine influences and expertise to the world. “Worldchefs Congress & Expo perfectly highlights Malaysia’s exceptional appeal as a global food destination. We hope our local chefs will take this enticing opportunity to network with like-minded industry players, gain insights and ideas on the latest food technology and trends, as well as share best practices with their counterparts from all over the world,” said Datuk Zulkefli. “We are proud to bring the Worldchefs Congress & Expo back to Asia, as it has been hosted by European and Nordic regions in the past. Asia boasts the fastest growing number of members in Worldchefs, and is a very dynamic area,” said Thomas Gulger, president of Worldchefs. Being Asia’s representative, Malaysia secured the event bid at 2014 Worldchefs Congress held at Stavanger, Norway, where it showcased selected delicacies including satay, roti jala and chikuteh, as well information meeting the conference brief. Besides Norway, the biennial event had previously been hosted by Chile, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, South Korea and Ireland. For the past seven years, MyCEB together with its strategic partners have secured 807 international business events comprising of international conference, corporate meetings, incentive travel and trade exhibition events which will essentially add an estimated RM5.2bn into Malaysia’s economy.