World Chef Showcase Re-cap Part II

It's been a whirlwind of a couple weeks and I realize that this is long overdue, oops.  When there aren't any deadlines to meet, this is what happens and my draft sat there waiting to be finished.  It became one of those to-do things you spend more time thinking about than the actual time that it would take to actually do it.

Moving on, sometimes I get people asking me, "Why do you volunteer?"  What they're trying to say and sometimes bluntly ask is, "Why do you work for free?"

Volunteering is not just an extracurricular activity in the past.  I'm not here to preach about it but rather, outline my experiences from it and share the outcome.  I volunteer to give back: whether it's for a certain cause, to give back to the community, or even simply just the passion for it.

Being a part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, especially the World Chef Showcase, was a truly remarkable experience I wouldn't trade for anything.  Hard work and long-hours (nothing compared to the staff who actually work the entire festival) was worth it and it became one of those reaffirming moments where I just knew that my involvement with the food community and culture was only just beginning.

A few months ago, I started reading MoVida: Spanish Culinary Adventures, then eventually went to MoVida Next Door for dinner in Melbourne.  Fast forward some time, then I was watching chef-author Frank Camorra give his demonstration on Spanish cuisine and working alongside the wonderful writer and TV producer Richard Cornish.  It's funny how things work out sometimes.

Others included:

• Alex Atala of D.O.M. in Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Francis Mallmann of Patagonia Sur in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Willie-the-chocolate-man-Harcourt Cooze of Willie's World Class Cacao in the U.K.
• Check out this video of him preparing a chocolate feast

Okay, no more name-dropping!  Wherever you guys live or if you're traveling to any of the places mentioned, I'd recommend to try the restaurants.  There's a reason why they were out here and chosen to represent various countries.  

Done and done.