'Changing the mindset around sustainability is imperative now!' Mr. Sunjeh Raja, CEO & Director, ICCA Dubai
The recent culinary cook-off competition events organized by the Marriott Business Council reached their culmination on Monday at Rang Mahal in JW Marriott Marquis, with the theme centred around sustainable practices and cooking, upheld Marriott's consistent attentiveness to zero wastage and always making a positive and sustainable impact in whatever initiatives they undertake.
ICCA was pleased to associate itself with the semi-finals as well as the finals of this cook-off. These events were a catalyst to reinforce its commitment to initiatives around sustainability and sustainable cooking practices.
The UAE has always been focused on achieving sustainable development goals and has pledged to shift the world to a sustainable and resilient path. Many initiatives, such as its National Food Security strategy, have been planned with a vision to drive the UAE as a global leader in innovation-driven food security within the next three decades.
As the competition heated up, so did the dialogue centred around sustainability and sustainable cooking practices. Fresh On Table, one of the partners for the cook-off, has been on a mission to promote local farms and sustainability and support the UAE's food security mission since it forayed into the UAE in 2019.
Mr Atul Chopra, the Founder and CEO of Fresh on Table, was happy to be part of this competition event and revealed how sustainability has started to percolate well into the hospitality sector in the UAE. "No Chef can resist fresh, wholesome produce. Using freshly harvested ingredients brings a burst of flavour and taste to the dishes with a lot of nutritious goodness. On top of it, there is zero wastage since freshly harvested products like vegetables and fruits can be used fully with nothing to waste".
Michelin-star Chef Vineet Bhatia, the father of modern progressive Indian cuisine, was part of the panel of judges that comprised Chef Andreas Krampl, Senior Director of Culinary, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, and Chef Sergio Freitas, ICCA Chef Instructor.
A champion of sustainability himself and recently nominated as the culinary ambassador of Great Britain and Northern Ireland campaign, he said, "I am a keen advocate of sustainability, and all my dishes are always centred around natural and fresh ingredients, with zero compromises on quality. It was nice to see that the dishes served for the competition were of a high standard and ticked all the boxes related to sustainability."
Sustainability is crucial to the future of hospitality, and there is no better place than a culinary school to shape and develop the mindset of aspiring chefs towards sustainability. Mr Sunjeh Raja, CEO & Director of ICCA Dubai, who attended this event, said, "Initiatives and event competitions like this led by prominent hospitality groups like Marriott help. At ICCA Dubai, as part of the educative learning of the aspiring chefs, we also help students engage with key themes and shape perspectives surrounding food sustainability; after all, it is our responsibility to equip the next generation of Chefs with the best sustainable practices so that they can inspire positive change for the bottom line and also saving the planet at large."
'Changing the mindset around sustainability is imperative now!' Mr. Sunjeh Raja, CEO & Director, ICCA Dubai
The recent culinary cook-off competition events organized by the Marriott Business Council reached their culmination on Monday at Rang Mahal in JW Marriott Marquis, with the theme centred around sustainable practices and cooking, upheld Marriott's consistent attentiveness to zero wastage and always making a positive and sustainable impact in whatever initiatives they undertake.
ICCA was pleased to associate itself with the semi-finals as well as the finals of this cook-off. These events were a catalyst to reinforce its commitment to initiatives around sustainability and sustainable cooking practices.
The UAE has always been focused on achieving sustainable development goals and has pledged to shift the world to a sustainable and resilient path. Many initiatives, such as its National Food Security strategy, have been planned with a vision to drive the UAE as a global leader in innovation-driven food security within the next three decades.
As the competition heated up, so did the dialogue centred around sustainability and sustainable cooking practices. Fresh On Table, one of the partners for the cook-off, has been on a mission to promote local farms and sustainability and support the UAE's food security mission since it forayed into the UAE in 2019.
Mr Atul Chopra, the Founder and CEO of Fresh on Table, was happy to be part of this competition event and revealed how sustainability has started to percolate well into the hospitality sector in the UAE. "No Chef can resist fresh, wholesome produce. Using freshly harvested ingredients brings a burst of flavour and taste to the dishes with a lot of nutritious goodness. On top of it, there is zero wastage since freshly harvested products like vegetables and fruits can be used fully with nothing to waste".
Michelin-star Chef Vineet Bhatia, the father of modern progressive Indian cuisine, was part of the panel of judges that comprised Chef Andreas Krampl, Senior Director of Culinary, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, and Chef Sergio Freitas, ICCA Chef Instructor.
A champion of sustainability himself and recently nominated as the culinary ambassador of Great Britain and Northern Ireland campaign, he said, "I am a keen advocate of sustainability, and all my dishes are always centred around natural and fresh ingredients, with zero compromises on quality. It was nice to see that the dishes served for the competition were of a high standard and ticked all the boxes related to sustainability."
Sustainability is crucial to the future of hospitality, and there is no better place than a culinary school to shape and develop the mindset of aspiring chefs towards sustainability. Mr Sunjeh Raja, CEO & Director of ICCA Dubai, who attended this event, said, "Initiatives and event competitions like this led by prominent hospitality groups like Marriott help. At ICCA Dubai, as part of the educative learning of the aspiring chefs, we also help students engage with key themes and shape perspectives surrounding food sustainability; after all, it is our responsibility to equip the next generation of Chefs with the best sustainable practices so that they can inspire positive change for the bottom line and also saving the planet at large."
