Top Chef event draws big participation

JEDDAH: The Top Chef event and Art de Table competition, organized by the Saudi Arabian Chefs Association (SARCA) as part of the annual food/hotel/Arabia event staged by Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd. in Jeddah recently, attracted dozens of chefs and culinary experts. “Some of them were so good that they not only came up with innovative cuisines but won the praise of the audience and became eligible for medals and certificates,” SARCA President Yasser Jad said. The event and live cooking contests had chefs and other participants coming from 20 different countries, including a new generation of Saudi chefs, who vied with each other to prepare best delicacies and cuisines in 22 different categories. They included plated starters, tapas and finger foods, show platter meat, and fish, plated main course and Middle Eastern cuisine, three-course menu, vegetarian platter, plated desert with showpiece, petit four with showpiece, novelty cake, wedding cake, decorative showpiece (chocolate Arabic pastry tray), and live cooking competition (Asian, Indian and pasta). Table set-up (Art de Table), barista, mocktail, live sandwiches, Hors d’Ouvres and mezzeh, and carving competitions were also separately held. Hygiene and food safety were among the many considerations for a team of international judges who gave their verdict under the umbrella of World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), which is globally recognized in the food and hospitality service industry. Jad, who is also the senior manager-production department at Saudi Arabian Airlines Catering, said winners won special SARCA medals in gold silver and bronze, as well as certificates and other prizes. “Many expatriate chefs with their expertise in culinary art were among the participants who belong to some of the local hotels and restaurants as well as coffee and pastry shops,” he said. In fact, the event served some of its objectives like discovering talented chefs and cuisine experts, and also for providing training to potential chefs and help them develop their culinary skills, he said, adding that one of the future aims is to organize international cooking competitions here and establish a Saudi national cooking team to represent the country in culinary culture by participating in overseas competitions.

Gulf Air completes IATA’s safety audit

MANAMA: Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has successfully completed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and renewed its place on the IOSA Registry until 2011. “Gulf Air places safety as its top most priority and is fully committed to carry out its operations in line with the industry’s best safety and quality practices,” says Gulf Air CEO Bjorn Naf. “The IOSA has become a benchmark for global aviation companies and I am delighted that we have successfully met with IOSA safety audit requirement and renewed our place in its registry. Considering the fact that IOSA is now a prerequisite for airlines to be an IATA member, it confirms that Gulf Air continues its commitment to operate to the highest level of operational safety. Besides the operational safety aspect, it also helps airlines in significant cost savings by reducing the number of redundant codeshare audits, provides continuous update on regulatory revisions and best practices,” Naf added. In order to renew its registration, Gulf Air has to conform to more than 900 standards in eight operational areas, including flight operations, operational control and flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin operations, ground handling, cargo operations and operational security. “The IOSA standards exceed the already stringent regulatory requirements that we have to meet. Our continued conformity with IOSA requirements is a clear message to our customers that operational safety and quality are our primary concern,” says Gulf Air Head of Quality Assurance Captain Donald D. Broadfoot.

Qatar Airways, US Airways seal deal

DOHA: Qatar Airways has implemented a codeshare agreement with American carrier US Airways offering passengers even greater access to the US market via Europe. Following approval from the US Department of Transportation, both carriers can place their respective flight codes on selected services. Under the agreement, Qatar Airways’ QR flight code is placed on selected European flights operated by US Airways to its American hubs of Charlotte and Philadelphia. As part of the agreement, Qatar Airways applies its QR flight code for the first phase of the codeshare on flights operated by US Airways between London Gatwick, Manchester, Milan, Madrid, Athens, Stockholm and both Philadelphia and Charlotte. In addition, for the first phase of the codeshare, US Airways’ US flight code is applied on services operated by Qatar Airways from London Gatwick, Manchester, Milan, Madrid, Stockholm and Athens to Doha. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker said the agreement with US Airways demonstrated the airline’s commitment to the US market, which it entered in 2007. “Two years ago, Qatar Airways embarked on a historic journey to North America with our first flights to the United States,” he said.

— Compiled by K.S. Ramkumar