Culinary exchanges

The crowd was anxious to hear. Young chefs were waiting nervously, hoping that their names would be called. The winning team would have a big reward: a trip to Turkey. This was at the "Skills for Chefs" event last July at Sheffield University. As part of the event, a competition was dedicated to encourage talented teams; "Young Restaurant Team of the Year" had a very special treat. They would win a culinary training week in Istanbul, hosted by the MSA-Culinary Arts Academy.

Cem Erol with guest chefs. 

The winners were Martin Lane and Jamie Mallett under the leadership of Alan Paton, the executive chef of Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa. Six months after the gala night, the young toques finally arrived in Istanbul, impatient to discover what the city was about to offer. Cem Erol, head chef of MSA, who masterly prepared an unforgettable Turkish dinner at Sheffield, was going to be their culinary guide and tutor.  http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/chefs-with-skills.aspx?pageID=238&nID=6.... Actually, the Sheffield experience was a turning point in MSA's ambitious mission to make Turkish cuisine known in the world. The academy has spent three years developing a special education program called "Turkish Cuisine to the World Movement," which is aimed at training foreign chefs and bringing Turkish tastes to an international platform. The movement encompasses a wide range of academic and cultural studies, researches and projects. Accredited by the international City & Guilds organization, MSA conducted demonstrations and training sessions in the leading culinary schools within this context, as well as launching an internationally certificated Turkish cuisine program. Previously, the academy had realized a special Turkish...