News for the Hospitality Executive |
(NEW YORK, NY) – April 12, 2013 – A highlight of the IACC-Americas annual conference for the last ten years has been the gathering of IACC conference centre chefs from around the world to compete for the prestigious culinary award – the Copper Skillet – and the distinction of becoming the IACC Conference Centre Chef of the Year. This year’s winner of the coveted Copper Skillet award is Chef Pascal Marcin of Dolce LaHulpe in Belgium. The competing IACC conference centre chefs included: Pascal Marcin (Belgium - Dolce La Hulpe Brussels) – Champion Shane Brassel (USA - Charles F. Knight Executive Education & Conference Center) – Silver Medal Jason Palermo (Australia - MGSM Executive Hotel & Conference Centre) – Bronze Medal Murray Hall (Canada - BMO Financial Group Institute for Learning) Flemming Enkebølle (Denmark - Kobæk Strand Konferencecenter) Kalle Eriksson (Sweden - Sigtunahöjden Hotell & konferens) Iain Miller (UK - Woodside Conference Centre) Three judges included Christopher Thielman CEC, CCE, Coordinator - Culinary & Hospitality Management College of DuPage in Chicago, IL; Rik Kiessling, Corporate Executive Chef for ARAMARK, Philadelphia, PA; and Sally Braley, Senior Editor at Meetings+Conventions magazine in Secaucus, NJ. Chefs were presented a mystery basket filled with fresh produce, grains and protein ingredients to use in their preparation. Each chef was given 15 minutes to review the items and plan their dish, and then 30 minutes for the cook-off. Judging criteria included originality of the creation, presentation, texture, flavour combinations and hygiene standard of the work area. In the end, the three judges awarded the Copper Skillet to Chef Pascal Marcin of Dolce La Hulpe in Brussels, Belgium. Chef Marcin described his winning dish as sweet lamb with basil and diced blue beef. Fondue of leeks in chicken stock. Red pepper seared with lemon and coriander. Potato and purple asparagus tips in virgin olive oil with thyme. Fresh garnish, celery leaf, dill, basil leaf, olive oil and sea salt. Chef Pascal credits much of his success to his early years helping his father in the family’s catering business. He attended hotel school in Ciney and advanced his culinary talents while continuing to work in the family business. During his studies, he completed internships at the Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Vivier d’Oies’ at Dorinne as well as at ‘Alban Chambon’, the restaurant of the Metropole Hotel in Brussels. In 2006, was named Executive Chef as part of the opening team of the spectacular Dolce La Hulpe Brussels. Chef Pascal (who took fourth place in IACC’s 2010 Copper Skillet Competition) feels strongly about fresh, seasonal, and high-quality produce and prepares refined dishes respecting the product as much as possible in order to maximize its flavour. He also prefers to work with local producers and is actively involved in the committee of chefs that promote the use of local artisanal quality products. According to Chef Pascal, “The provenance of products is very important and need to be organic or free range and none intensively reared. Seasonal, locally produced fruit and vegetables have better flavors, contain more nutrients and are a lot better for the environment.” Chef Pascal is a member of Eurotoques, the association of Master Chefs of Belgium, la chaîne des Rôtisseurs in Belgium and the Académie Culinaire de France, he is actively involved in a group of chefs who want to promote high quality local products. Pascal has taken part in various competitions including the Belgian-Luxembourgian finale of the Taittinger Prize which he won in September for the second year in a row. He finished fourth in the international finale of the Taittinger Prize in Paris. IACC’s popular Copper Skillet competition was introduced in 2004 to highlight the artistry and skill of the best chefs from IACC-member conference centres around the world and to honour their contributions to the shared goal of providing an outstanding conference centre experience. The IACC Mission Statement: The International Association of Conference Centres is the thought leader on the meeting experience. IACC represents its members by defining and promoting the IACC Meeting Concept and providing learning opportunities. The IACC Vision: “IACC is a community of passionate people and organizations delivering innovative and exceptional meeting experiences.” Founded in 1981, the International Association of Conference Centres is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference centre industry and to giving member properties the tools necessary to provide an exceptional IACC meeting experience. Active members meet a set of stringent Quality Standards and agree to a Code of Ethics. Currently, the association includes approximately 400 members from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France, England, Scotland, The Netherlands, Germany and Japan. For more information, visit the website at www.iacconline.org. “There are meetings and then there are IACC meetings.” |
Contact: UK: Mark Cooper [email protected] US: James M. Mahon [email protected] |