Category: Podcasts

Episode 39: A New Generation of Trade Shows with Michael Buck, Managing Partner at IDX_FS Events

In this episode, Ragnar talks with Michael Buck, Managing Partner at IDX_FS Events. Michael is a former top management executive at Dell and founder of IDX_FS Events, the digital consulting company behind the conception and execution of global digital events. Hear his expert forecast on how technology is redefining events to offer visitors and exhibitors a safe platform for exchanging, networking, and discovering new trends and solutions.

Challenging times require innovative event formats. The new generation of trade shows is happening online, and you can experience it next week at IDX_FS International Digital Food Services Expo 2021.

From 15 – 17 of March, IDX_FS International Digital Food Services Expo 2021 will unlock insights to shape business strategy and help hospitality businesses survive in the COVID-19 reality. The 3-day virtual Expo is dedicated to the questions and topics which concern the industry now and in the future.

This future-forward event is powered by Michael’s team at IDX_FS Events, trade fair giant INTERNORGA, and sponsored by the Institute of Culinary Art (ICA). A virtual meeting of the minds, they’re bringing together the most trusted voices of the Food Services industry to identify and put into action the response to current market challenges.

Find Worldchefs at our interactive digital booth and be sure to tune in for Worldchefs President Thomas Gugler’s keynote address on Tuesday, 16 March at 12:30 CET.

With the motto – Together for the industry – don’t miss the virtual opportunities and inspiring guest speakers reflecting on the future of the food services industry.

See you there! Check out how you can get a free VIP ticket with Worldchefs below!

About INTERNORGA

INTERNORGA has been the leading international trade fair for the Hospitality Management, Catering, and Bakery & Confectioneries sectors for 100 years and is held annually in March at the Hamburg Messe und Congress site. Due to the Corona pandemic, the event cannot physically take place in March 2021. Instead, the first IDX_FS powered by INTERNORGA will take place digitally from 15 to 17 March 2021.

■ WHEN: 15 – 17 March 2021
■ WHERE: Virtual platform

Visit www.internorga.com to register and find them on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Resources

Want a VIP ticket to the IDX_FS International Digital Food Services Expo 2021? We’re giving away a limited supply of tickets to those who sign up for a Worldchefs Account!

How does it work? Follow these easy steps!

1. Visit worldchefs.org/login and create your Worldchefs Account- it takes less than 30 seconds!
2. Find the post (pictured below) and you will see a link.
3. Click the link and fill out your information to win VIP tickets!
   ***You must sign up for a Worldchefs Account to see the post.

 

Act fast! Sign up before VIP tickets run out.

Don’t forget to visit Worldchefs at our interactive digital booth and be sure to tune in for Worldchefs President Thomas Gugler’s keynote address on Tuesday, 16 March at 12:30 CET.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Worldchefs Podcast: World on a Plate! Choose your favorite listening platform from the right panel or head here to subscribe!

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Michael Buck for joining as as a guest.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.

Episode 38: The ‘Godfather’ of Singapore’s Culinary Fraternity with Otto Weibel

In this episode, Ragnar sits down with Otto Weibel, world-renowned chef and Director of F&B consultancy Ottscott PYE LTD in Singapore. He shares his illustrious 50-plus-year career experience – from a farmer’s child to an apprentice, master chef, consultant, and mentor.

With half a century of experience in the food and beverage industry under his belt, Chef Otto Weibel is one of the most well-known chefs in the world. Like many others, his career started with a childhood dream. At school, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, the then 12-year-old responded, “I want to be a chef, I want to travel the world, and I want to be the chef of the biggest hotel in the world.” And that’s exactly what he made happen.

Otto’s path towards an international career as a chef began at his family’s business. Located outside Zurich, his parents ran a 300-seat restaurant on their farm where Otto helped to grow vegetables and slice potatoes for French fries. It was at an early age that he learned the importance of buying locally sourced products. His father taught him, “you have to support the little shops, which also support us.”

Otto Weibel (featured second from left), aged 16, with his family in Switzerland in 1962. PHOTO: COURTESY OF OTTO WEIBEL

By 16, he began his first apprenticeship in Zurich. But his experience was not a walk-in-the-park. Otto recalls memories of working with his mentor, “he was a great chef, but he was also a very tough chef. I mean, a slap on the face, a kick in the a**. That was quite a normal thing.” Luckily, his tough training wasn’t enough to discourage him from greatness. Now he credits his unpleasant experience to making him into the chef and mentor he is today.

Otto’s dream to travel the world came true when he joined a cruise ship, which once docked in Singapore. At the time, the city had not yet developed into the food capital that exists today. Nonetheless, Otto recalls the moment he stepped off the ship, and says “I fell in love with Singapore instantly.”

From then on, he was determined to find a job in Singapore. With much luck, he was offered a position at the Shangri-La Hotel, and by 1973 he arrived in Singapore as the sous chef in the Tiara Supper Club.

After making a name for himself, he moved to work for the Westin Philippines Plaza in Manila and then helped to open the Kowloon Shangri-La in Hong Kong in 1980 as its executive chef. In 1985, he finally returned to Singapore and joined the Westin Plaza (now the Fairmont Singapore) as the director of kitchens, where he held his position for 26 years.

Otto was at the helm of kitchens in many top hotels chains worldwide, but his work didn’t stop there. He also served as the President of the Singapore Chefs’ Association (SCA) for 15 years and continues to serve as the Honorary President Mentor of SCA. He is a honorary life member and approved judge of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies, and has been the Chief Judge of various local and international culinary competitions that took place in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Dubai and many more countries.

Up Close and Personal with Otto Weibel by SJCC

His culinary expertise has also won him many awards, among them are Awards of Excellence, SCA, 1999, Chef Restaurateur of the Year, International Foods Beverage Forum, 1999, Lifetime Achievement Award, World Gourmet Summit, Singapore, 2001 and Gold Medal of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Paris, 2003.

Ottob Weibel (featured bottom) with French chef Paul Bocuse at the culinary competition Bocuse d’Or in Lyon in 2003. PHOTO: COURTESY OF OTTO WEIBEL

Chef Otto Weibel’s continued dedication and passion for the culinary world has made him a respected figure and mentor for young chefs in the industry. He has led many culinary teams to win awards at competitions all over the world, and many of his students have gone on to distinguish themselves in the industry.

PHOTO SOURCE: Chaine des Rotisseurs

This Swiss-born chef is one of the most respected veterans in the Singapore food and beverage industry. He has even been dubbed the ‘Godfather’ of Singapore’s culinary fraternity.

Today, the 74-year-old runs his own restaurant, Black Marble, which focuses on the source of its ingredients. He also works on international consultancy projects and is the co-founder of F&B consultancy OttScott, with Australian chef Scott Webster. If you wish to learn more about his fascinating life story, be sure to tune in!

About the Guest

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Learn more about Otto Weibel in his book, Soul Otto: Food. Life.

Available for purchase, click here.

For more information, you can follow him on his LinkedIn or Facebook page.

 

 

Resources

Discover Otto’s restaurant Black Marble, by visiting their website or following them on Instagram.

Learn more about Ottscott PYE LTD, Otto’s F&B consultancy by visiting their Facebook page.

To read more about Singapore Chefs’ Association Winning Bid to host Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2024, check out this article:

Have you created your free account on Worldchefs online community? You’ll find Otto and all our Worldchefs Certified Judges along with culinary competitors, companies, jobs and more. Visit www.worldchefs.org/login to join now and start connecting with Worldchefs members around the globe.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Worldchefs Podcast: World on a Plate! Choose your favorite listening platform from the right panel or head here to subscribe!

 

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Otto Weibel for joining as as a guest.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.

Episode 37: Can Technology Save Hospitality with Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu

In this episode, Ragnar connects with renowned hospitality and tourism technology expert, Dr. Cihan Cobanoglua. They dive into the world of technology and ask, in the new frontier created by the global pandemic, can technology save hospitality?

Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu is the McKibbon Endowed Chair Professor of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHRM) in the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida (USF) and serves as the Director of the M3 Center for Hospitality Technology and Innovation and Coordinator of International Programs for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

His research centers on the use and impact of technology in the hospitality industry. “People are always assumed that when we say technology, it’s high-tech; it’s Elon Musk; it’s space; it’s robots; it’s flying objects,” says Dr. Cihan. The way he sees it, that is technology, but so are simple ideas like a “Do Not Disturb” sign on a hotel door. By his definition, technology is any skill, tool, or process of doing anything better, faster, and more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable. That’s far more approachable.

He leads the M3 Center thinktank and research hub to offer resources for educational tools and innovation, conferences, training, and forums. Together, they’re working to improve the connections between academia, industry, and society at large.

With this mission in mind, Dr. Cihan and the USF M3 Center took their expertise to the masses with a groundbreaking program for a Post Crisis Hospitality Management Certificate: 100% online, and free of charge.

The seven-week online certificate program is designed to help answer critical questions facing hospitality and tourism industry leaders post-pandemic.

How will technology change the way services are delivered?
What operational measures need to change to make consumers willing to come back?
How will managers build employee loyalty when the industry had no choice but to lay off some top performers?
How will leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry answer these questions?

The first cohort of international participants who enrolled for the 7 live sessions reached nearly 6,000 from 102 countries.

The program has been a tremendous success. They set out to “give people hope, inspiration, and maybe some new ideas that they can refresh their regiments and then hopefully be able to land a job,” says Cobanoglu. Alongside thanks and positive feedback, some participants wrote to say they found a job because of the program.

To take the Post Crisis Hospitality Management Certificate, scroll down to Resources for all the information you need to get started.

Session 4 of the course, Technology as a Competitive Advantage in Hospitality, poses the question of the day: Can it be a savior? Tune in to hear the answer from Dr. Cihan.

About the Guest

In addition to his role as the McKibbon Endowed Chair Professor of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and directorship of the M3 Center, Dr. Cobanoglu is a Fulbright Specialist commissioned by the Fulbright Commission (2018-2021). He is a Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) commissioned by Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Educational Institute of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

He is the Editor of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (JHTT)(Indexed in SSCI IF=2.796), editor of Journal of Global Business Insights (JGBI), Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism (JGBI) and a co-author of six books and ten conference proceedings. He is also currently serving as the President of Association of North America Higher Education International (ANAHEI). He is the founder of eReviewer.org, an open-access paper management system and AcademiaCentral.org, a portal for educators around the world.

Dr. Cobanoglu also serves the industry as a consultant. He is the founder and chair of Global Conference on Business and Economics (GLOBE), Global Conference on Education and Research (GLOCER), Global Conference on Business, Hospitality and Tourism Research (GLOSEARCH) and Global Conference on Services and Retail Management (GLOSERV). Dr. Cobanoglu created a curriculum for hospitality software: innRoad Property Management System, M3 AccKnowledge Hotel Accounting System, and M3 Link Hotel Business Intelligence System. He is also the founder of open-access conference and academic job listing website: Academiacentral.org. He also is the founder of open-access manuscript review system: eReviewer.org.

He founded and managed the eXperimental Guestroom (X-Room) at the University of Delaware’s Courtyard by Marriott from 2007 to 2009. Dr. Cobanoglu’s work has been featured in national and international media outlets such as BBC, NBC, ABC, CN8, Futurist Magazine, New York Times, Boston Globe and Lodging Magazine. He published in scholarly journals such as Tourism Management, The Service Industries Journal, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and International Journal of Market Research. His articles have been cited in more than 4000 times and he has made numerous presentations in national and international conferences.

For more information, visit his website at cobanoglu.com or his LinkedIn page. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. For ANAHEI, please visit anahei.org.

Resources

Keep up with the latest industry insights from the USF M3 Center on Facebook and LinkedIn, and visit the website at www.m3center.org.

You can participate in the Post-Crisis Hospitality Management Certificate program, too! Tune in for all 7 sessions online:

Learn more about the free program and the certificate here. Self-paced, each of the seven modules are self-contained and may build upon select pre-work, readings, and references to create an online synchronous or asynchronous learning experience that maximizes knowledge transfer and market readiness.

Complete the program and receive a passing grade from the associated testing and you’ll be granted the Post-Crisis Leadership Certificate, issued by the M3 Center for Hospitality Technology and Innovation in the Muma College of Business.

The USF M3 Center also offers Hospitality Marketing Certificate. To learn more about this program, click here.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Worldchefs Podcast: World on a Plate! Choose your favorite listening platform from the right panel or head here to subscribe!

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Dr. Cihan Cobanoglua for joining as as a guest.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.

Episode 40: Good Vibes with Juan Arbelaez

In this episode, Ragnar talks with Juan Arbelaez, celebrity chef and entrepreneur. At 18, he left his home country of Colombia and arrived in France with 50 euro in his pocket. With his passion for cuisine and a dream to work with the best, he carved his way to a culinary destiny.

When it comes to the table, Juan always had ambitious ideas. As a child watching his mother and grandfather in the kitchen, he felt he was witnessing a superpower — bringing people together around a meal.

“When they cooked, they had this superpower of taking people together. Even if you have a troubling family, when we go to the table, we forget everything. It’s a place to share.”

In his home, cooking was for pleasure and for family. For Juan, he knew it could be a lifestyle. Leaving Bogota in 2008 to pursue his childhood dream in Paris, he knocked on the door at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, without money to pay for his studies. The Director opened the door for Juan in so many ways, offering him a proposal to work in exchange for his tuition. In 2009 he graduated with a Grand Diplôme, completing the Cuisine Diploma and the Pastry Diploma.

Starting his career with an internship alongside the 3 Michelin-starred Pierre Gagnaire in Paris, Juan cut his teeth at the Four Seasons Hotel George V’s Le Cinq as commis de cuisine. He soon rose in the ranks, as demi-chef de partie under Weimar Gomez and the right-hand man of Chef Eric Briffard MOF (Best Craftsman in France).

During his time at Le Bristol with Éric Frechon, Juan was selected for “Top Chef” France, where he met his future head chef, Chef Jean Imbert, joining his restaurant l’Acajou as Chef de Cuisine.

In 2015, at just 25, Juan opened his first restaurant, Plantxa. Since then he’s opened 7 more establishments, each featuring his colorful, vibrant approach, with food and stories meant to be shared.

“There’s a lot of failures in success. I think that’s why we have a lot of successes — because we try a lot. It’s not because everything we try is a success. It’s just because we never get tired of trying.“

After achieving great success in Paris, Juan wanted to be part of something bigger: part of the solution. He works with Action Against Hunger, HandiSurf, UNICEF, and NoMorePlasticis to be an ambassador for change. “We have a lot of work to do and I want to be part of the solution. I spend a lot of energy on that and I’m happy to do it. That’s really important for me.”

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s tried to do best by his colleagues and community. Early on, Juan started to share recipes and advice for chefs put out-of-work. His kitchens have produced meals for students and for hospitals during the pandemic. After his own restaurants were closed, his team adapted to takeout, wanting to provide people with uncompromising cuisine rather than settling for takeaway giants and fast food. “We are chefs, we cook,” he says, “So let’s share what we know how to do, and let’s cook for the people. We try to never stop.”

“My energy is with all the people who had to close because the time is hard. And I hope we can share some good vibes with this podcast.”

For more from Juan, including some great recipes, follow him on Instagram @juanarbelaezchef.

To learn more about his restaurants and cookbooks, visit his website.

Resources

Together with Juan, you can be a part of the solution. Learn how to get involved in sustainability and social action projects at www.feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org, and join our community for the latest updates.

Want to bring your home cuisine and heritage recipes to chefs in faraway places? We want to share your stories, too! Click here to connect with our team and get featured on Worldchefs platforms with food that matters to you.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Worldchefs Podcast: World on a Plate! Choose your favorite listening platform from the right panel or go here to subscribe!

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Juan Arbelaez for joining as as a guest.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.

Episode 41: Dark Kitchens Bright Future with Jean Valfort

Get insight on the future of food retail. Join Ragnar as he talks with Jean Valfort, restaurateur and founder of Dark Kitchen, now DÉVOR (Delivered to Your Door). Dark kitchens, also known as ghost kitchens, reimagined the dining landscape. Now hear how technology is helping Jean invent the future of connected catering on this episode of World on a Plate.

Jean and his team didn’t wait for COVID to divide their concept of traditional restaurants and delivery formats. Seeking to do both best, Jean co-founded Dark Kitchen in 2018, a project anchored in the evolving habits of consumption in France.

Accelerated by the current crisis, Dark Kitchens gave way to DÉVOR. The new outfit intends to amplify its deployment towards a less operational model, more oriented towards technology, supply chain, and know-how.

“The challenges of digital transformation have been known for many years. But the sudden change in consumer habits and the explosion of online activities inferred by the health crisis, have underscored the urgency of a long-term economically viable transformation. For us, the concept of the Dark Kitchen is already a thing of the past. We have to think further with the omnichannel nature of supplies around two business models: dark kitchens and dark stores.”

 

Today DÉVOR has 4 hubs in 3 cities and 5 virtual brands: Fat Fat, Saint Burger, Squeeze Burger, Mama Tacos, Holy Chick. Linking the customer control via smartphone to onsite in each kitchen, an optimized and digitized supply chain and an algorithm on geolocated consumption habits puts technology at the service of operations.

Working to pivot towards a “turnkey” model, DÉVOR is creating its own infrastructure for local entrepreneurs and artisans who want to enter the catering market for delivery. With a broader offer where there will no longer be any limits between online and offline, DÉVOR aims to promote the emergence of “dark stores” in France: micro-hubs in the heart of the city, exclusively dedicated to the supply of quality food, delivered or click-and-collect, prepared minute or to prepare oneself.

The DÉVOR Lab Store will be at a crossroads: instant consumption with virtual kitchens, “at home” consumption with delivery in less than 15 minutes directly, all via your smartphone.

“Our meats come from a Norman butcher, our buns from an artisan bakery in Savoie, our vegetables are exclusively sourced locally. It is important to work on a delivery project without industrial logic. This is what makes us say that the delivery of meals is a separate profession, complementary to the traditional catering activity but with its challenges.”

More than just a shift towards technology, at the center of DÉVOR’s mission is a reconnection with local producers and artisans. Jean sees city dwellers looking for hyper-proximity, a limited but high-quality choice: “DÉVOR wants to be part of this logic of the smart city. Few products, a sharp selection, immediacy. This is our project.” While the digital divide so often isolates this understanding, leave it to the French to make sure those bonds remain unbroken.

Be sure to tune in to the episode for a view of the future, from operations and apps to marketing and customer satisfaction.

To learn more about DÉVOR, visit their website and find @devor.me on Instagram. For more from Jean, follow him on Instagram @jeanvalfort.

Resources

Stay connected to the cutting edge of our profession. Be sure to join Worldchefs online community to hear from industry experts and culinary professionals around the globe. Create your free account now at www.worldchefs.org/login.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Worldchefs Podcast: World on a Plate! Choose your favorite listening platform from the right panel or go here to subscribe!

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Jean Valfort for joining as as a guest.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.

Episode 44: Plant Hunting, History and Health with Rob Baan, Planthunter & Owner of Koppert Cress

In this episode, Ragnar talks with Rob Baan, owner of Koppert Cress. Self-titled Plant Hunter, he’s been called the Steve Jobs of horticulture. He’s on a mission to change the way we look at fresh and healthy food.

Rob Baan has secretly always wanted to live and work in the Golden age, the time of the Dutch East India Company. He knows it was not the most comfortable time in human history, but what attracts him most is the great focus on discovering great flavours in distant lands. In this rich food history, he sees a path to a healthier future.

Being Dutch, he has grown up with the five principles of Dutch Cuisine, which are based around the philosophy of the Dutch chef Albert Kooy. These principles aspire to the following;

1. To eat 80% seasonal products and 20% out of season
2. To eat 80% vegetables and 20% meat or fish in our daily diet
3. To utilize the entire product and limit waste to a minimum
4. To buy, cook and eat authentic, high-quality products
5. To eat a balanced diet on a daily basis, ensuring a long healthy life

His vision at Koppert Cress is to use creativity, ingenuity and open-mindedness to spread these principles far and wide, through living ingredients. Plants, including microgreens, have always been the basis of human nutrition. Rob and his team are forever traveling to the four corners of the world to find new and exciting living ingredients. They have a plan for the next 20 years in place, which is to help feed the world and to turn that world into a healthier place.

Hear his journey to change the way we look at fresh food, one plant at a time.

About our Guest

Rob Baan, the owner of Koppert Cress, is a passionate grower, enviromentalist and visionary. He has undertaken numerous trips around the globe to research and seek out unusual, ancient and unused seedlings. He has turned this passion into a business and created an amazing range of living ingredients.

Rob is a passionate and sometimes stubborn man, which are traits needed to pursue his dream of making the Netherlands the healthiest country in the world. Rob grew up in Haarlem and later moved to Enkhuizen, which is known as one of the most important port cities in the time of the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. The efforts of the VOC have put the Netherlands on the map as an international trader in herbs and spices, among other things. These Dutch roots give a strong meaning to Rob’s life. He is a real ‘plant hunter‘ and has been traveling the world since childhood in search of the most surprising and amazing plants.

Rob learned from his father to love nature from a young age. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to work in countries all over the world. All the knowledge he has gained during his travels about vegetables and human health encouraged him to take over a greenhouse from a radish grower in 2002 and to meet the needs of gastronomy. This was Rob’s way to change how we look at food: by inspiring the top gastronomy about vegetables, and teaching whoever wants to listen about living the healthiest life we can.

To learn more about Rob, click here.

Resources

Would you like to experience what it’s like to be a planthunter yourself?

Join us on June 7th at 3pm CET for a workshop with Koppert Cress’ chef and spicehunter Marcel Thiele. By registering for this event, you’ll enter to win a free Cressperience box and special invitation to a masterclass on microgreens!

Explore Koppert Cress’ beautiful product catalog at www.koppertcress.com. You’ll find plants from around the globe, their histories, recipes, and more. For the latest updates, follow Koppert Cress on Facebook and Instagram.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Worldchefs Podcast: World on a Plate! Choose your favorite listening platform from the right panel or go here to subscribe!

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Rob Baan for joining as a guest.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.