On Monday, rice with black beans, cassava with mojo and roasted pork were declared by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WorldChefs) as Intangible Heritage at world level. Although the recognition corresponds to Cuban cuisine in general, the association highlighted these foods from the Cuban dinner table, their particular taste and the influence of different cultures in our gastronomy, as essential elements of the appointment.
Claudio Ferrer – WorldChefs Continental Director of the Americas and Caribbean Islands – said, at the meeting held at the restaurant Artechef in Havana, that the decision also influenced the fact that Cubans have been able to transmit from generation to generation their culinary knowledge, “the form, the knowledge, the taste and the techniques of your cuisine”.
A commission from this organization that visited Cuba a few days ago also highlighted the taste, the quality of our food and how the traditional dishes are applied to different manifestations, whether festive, social or religious, always using typical products of the Island.
“We want to support Cuba in its endeavor to dignify its cuisine with different actions, helping the Cuban food and enhancing it, and making Cuban cuisine to transgress the barriers of other nations,” Ferrer added.
1. Restaurant Mediterráneo Havana. Photo: Alain Gutiérrez Almeida.
Restaurante Mediterráneo Havana. Foto: Alain Gutiérrez Almeida.
2. Restaurant El aljibe. Photo: Alain Gutiérrez Almeida.
Restaurante El aljibe. Foto: Alain Gutiérrez Almeida.
According to the Federation of Culinary Associations of the Republic of Cuba (FACRC, in Spanish), the recognition represents a challenge due to the growth of tourism in the island and the increase of private restaurants.
“If we receive more tourists, we have to prepare the staff that takes care of the vacationer and, therefore, we must work to have prepared and qualified human resources,” said Eddy Fernandez, president of the FACRC.
A team from the World Association of Chefs Societies – an organization represented by 93 countries and comprising more than 10 million specialists in the maintenance and improvement of the culinary standards of world cuisine – is in Cuba from April 1st to 6 for the Cuban cuisine’s appointment as Intangible Heritage and other projects involving the Culinary Federation of Cuba.
Cornelia Volino, Secretary General of WorldChefs, said that they hope to implement one of their organization of Sustainability and Certification of Chefs’ programs right here in Cuba, in order to prepare and train Cuban cooks here.
Also in the meeting, the vice president of Kendall College of Riverworks Campus in Chicago, Christopher Koetke, expressed his interest in agreeing with the Cuban authorities the implementation of a brief course about food, according to the report from Prensa Latina news agency.
A team from the World Association of Chefs Societies – an organization represented by 93 countries and comprising more than 10 million specialists in the maintenance and improvement of the culinary standards of world cuisine – is in Cuba from April 1st to 6 for the Cuban cuisine’s appointment as Intangible Heritage and other projects involving the Culinary Federation of Cuba.
