Culinary Congress seen to boost quality of "backroom" services

The upcoming International Culinary Congress (ICCON) 2005 in Cebu scheduled on September this year is expected to uplift the quality of "backroom" services in Cebu's booming food industry.

Organized by Cebu Visitors and Convention Bureau (CVCB), the two-day congress set on September 22-23, 2005 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, will not only showcase the best Cebu culinary expertise from renowned restaurants, hotels, and resorts, but its highlight will be the educational sessions from culinary experts around the world to "raise the bar" of standard in the food service industry.

CVCB, which is coordinating with professional event organizer TourKonsult expects to attract at least a thousand participants in this International Culinary Congress.

"This congress will stress more on the educational side, like the 'how to's' in the food service operation, that will tune in Cebu's culinary industry, and be internationally competitive," said Bernadette Jingco, project director.

This is the first culinary event embarked by CVCB, she said the organization has recognized the need for Cebu to professionally standardize the kitchen or "backroom" operations especially in restaurants, hotels, among others.

While, Cebu is desperately bidding to be the preferred tourism destination in Asia, Jingco said.

She added that this effort could also boost Cebu's positioning as a hub for culinary experts and enthusiasts.

Jingco reiterated that ICCON is mostly an educational undertaking that will provide delegates a refresher about culinary rudiments, updates on effective strategies to improve food service profession and other beneficial topics that allow a room for standardization, efficiency and real professionalism-from the kitchen to the actual dining spot.

She mentioned that the Department of Tourism (DOT) and ABS-CBN TV Network are also backing up the materialization of this unprecedented convergence of culinary experts and enthusiasts.

The congress' "Restaurant Business Row", "Gallery of Culinary Icons" and "Chef's Table", the "Kitchen Party" is one exciting segment that features themed bistros that establish authenticity of each cuisine specialty. It culminates the whole event on Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Casino Espanol where establishments like Café Laguna, Casino Espanol, Cebu Hilton Resort, Creative Cuisine, Plantation Bay Resort & Spa, Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort and the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel are featured.

Add-on attraction is the bartender's showdown coupled with the showcase of new chef's uniforms by Clothes for Life, a cause-oriented organization composed of top designers in Cebu.