Meet the speakers

Chris and Jeff Galvin are well known for their culinary expertise and they have received many awards throughout the years including the prestigious ‘Catey’ award for Independent Restaurateurs of the Year 2010, AA Chefs’ of the Year 2011 and Top 100 Most Powerful People in Hospitality in 2012 by Caterer & Hotelkeeper.

Their collection of restaurants now includes Michelin–starred Galvin at Windows and Galvin La Chapelle, Galvin HOP, Galvin at The Athenaeum and Galvin Green Man in Essex. Chris and Jeff have also recently opened Galvin Tottenham, four luxury restaurants in the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

Modernist chef John Placko is Culinary Director at Modern Culinary Academy, the educational arm of his business, aimed at promoting the awareness and education of molecular cuisine.

Chef John works as a culinary consultant to food and beverage companies in Canada, USA, Mexico, Singapore and Australia on innovation and new product development.

John’s collaboration with HMS Host to open a molecular cuisine inspired restaurant at Pearson Airport, Toronto called Bar 120; Cuisine Transformed, now in it’s 5th year of operation.

His culinary competition experience includes representing Australia at the Culinary Olympics in Germany and the prestigious Bocuse d’Or competition in France.

Chef John also has a line of modern pantry ingredients under the brand “Powder for Texture” developed for modern-minded chefs looking for that creative edge with their cuisine.

Eric Pateman is one of the world's leading consultants on culinary and gastronomy tourism. A chef, strategist and global tastemaker, Eric serves as a storyteller for hundreds of small artisan food companies, farmers, fisherman, foragers, bringing together chefs and influencers from all aspects of the culinary world.

Eric owns and operates the successful brand Edible Canada, which includes a restaurant, retail stores and a culinary travel division. Additionally, Eric also has an award-winning salt company and a consulting practice that keeps him travelling around the world for both public and private sector clients to define cuisines, build brands and shape the future of food. Considered Canada’s leading ambassador of Canadian cuisine, he is regularly sought as an expert for Canadian food and wine for research projects, cooking demonstrations and speaking engagements.

Eric is the co-author and contributor to three books and was named as the recipient of the Mayor of Vancouver’s Art Award for Culinary Arts, one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40 Business People, and one of Western Living Magazine’s Top 40 Foodies Under 40.

Join Eric as he delves into the world of culinary travel and discusses the benefits of using culinary travel to accentuate your existing offerings and make destinations and packages stand out. With an MBA in finance as well as 25+ years in the industry as an entrepreneur, Eric will take a look at how to use culinary offerings to increase your ROI, differentiate your product offerings, showcase destinations in a new light, and offer a package that engages travelers and provides the WOW factor. Culinary touches every traveler, not just food focused travelers, and this masterclass will look at food as a way to help buyers curate packages that entice new business and charge a premium for value added product.

Born in Australia, Chef Alan Orreal has lived and worked in Asia for much of his life. With 35 years of dedicated culinary experience, ranging from five-star hotels, airline catering, fine dining restaurants and resorts in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Japan, China and Australia, his style of cuisine can only be described as modern global cuisine that is both dynamic and borderless.

Alan’s influences are driven very much from the great chefs with whom he has trained under, including Cheong Liew, Tony Bilson, Otto Weibel and Peter Knipp. A celebrated culinary professional in his own right, he has carried away coveted trophies and medals from numerous culinary events, including FHA Singapore, Penang Battle of the Chefs and Culinary Art. In 2000 and 2001, Alan won the 'Most Innovative Menu', and the 'Top Restaurant Award' at the Wine and Dine Awards in Singapore.

As a culinary coach, he led the Japanese National Junior Team to Gold and Silver medals at the 2008 Culinary Olympics. He also coached the China National Culinary team to represent at the Culinary Olympics for the first time in 28 years, where they were awarded three Silver Medals.

Committed to empowering young people through culinary education, Chef Alan serves as Chairman of Worldchefs Committee for the Global Development of Young Chefs, holds an Honorary Distinguished Professorship from the Shanghai Institute of Tourism, and acts as a guest lecturer at numerous food colleges across Asia. He has also served as a host and judge on the award-winning reality television series “The Big Break,” which helps underprivileged and homeless teens through education and cooking.

Nina Tarasova is one of Russia’s top consultants in the confectionery sector and a leading pastry chef. A representative of Russia in international gastronomy festivals and forums around the world, Nina travels extensively conducting master classes and consulting for pastry shops and restaurants on a global scale.

An alumnus of Ecole Nationale Superieure De La Patisserie, Nina also serves as an ambassador for several prestigious culinary and pastry brands, such as the French chef uniform company Life Is a Game, the Belgian chocolate company Cacao Barry, the professional cookware brand Bergner and Cook&Chef Institute, and RaviFruit, maker of frozen fruit purees.

Nina enthusiastically shares her creations on pastry through her popular online blog and as an Instagram influencer. Adamant love for her work has encouraged her to write the culinary book On the Road from Caramel Plates, a bestseller in Russia as well as a nominated inclusion in China’s 2016 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in the category for the best books on French cuisine.

Hear Nina present on current trends in the confectionery world and the future of pastry art. “To develop and move forward - you need to make steps. Without movement - you will not have the development, without interest - you will not have expansion of your horizons. That is why young professionals should visit the Congress,” says Nina.

Chef Paulo Airaudo was born in Argentina in a family of Italian immigrants. Since he was 18, he has worked in many countries around the world; in México, Perú, Spain, Italy, England, Switzerland ... In Europe he learned in legendary restaurants such as Arzak (3 * Michelin) in San Sebastian, The Fat Duck (3 * Michelin) near London and Magnolia (1 * Michelin) in Italy.

In May 2015, he opened La Bottega, a modern trattoria with a vision of the future in the Old Town of Geneva (Switzerland). Only four months after the opening, in October 2015, the restaurant received its first Michelin Star, an extraordinary achievement.

In 2017 Paulo moved to San Sebastián, where the global culinary center of excellence is and taking him back to where he originally began his European adventure. In April 2017, he opened ‘Amelia Restaurant’ which received his first Michelin Star only 7 months after.

‘Amelia’ was located in the beginning in the heart of the romantic area of the city and but at the beginning of 2020 the restaurant was moved to the Villa Favorita Luxury Hotel in the heart of the Concha Bay.

Paulo also runs another restaurant in London (UK), ‘Da Terra’, who earned his first Michelin star in October 2019 and a version of his original Restaurant, Amelia Hong Kong that opened at the end 2019.

Likewise, Airaudo runs two more projects in San Sebastián, ‘Cantina 1985’ Argentine barbecue grill and ‘Da Filippo’, a trattoria based on fresh pasta and classic recipes of Italian cuisine.

Paulo is a member of JRE Spain and Italy and Euro-Toques Spain.

Gennaro Esposito's biography could be contained in a phrase that for him is a mantra: "In my profession, forgetting one's origins is a mortal sin, a gesture of pride that also precludes the possibility of future discoveries".

Now that he is an appreciated two Michelin star chef and that his restaurant – the Torre del Saracino di Seiano - represents a point of reference for Italian cuisine, it is imperative to start from where it all began.

In 1991 he opened the restaurant in his home town, Vico Equense, with a very specific objective: to propose a cuisine that respected and enhanced the territory but which at the same time was the result of the experiences gained during the travels and the internships that marked his life and profession.

From research, intuition and raw materials some dishes were born that made Gennaro's fortune giving him visibility in the national panorama, such as, for example, mixed pasta soup with rock fish, flag fish parmigiana or soup of ricotta fuscella with red mullet. In 2001 the first Michelin star arrived, followed by the "Three Forks" of Gambero Rosso in 2003, the year in which Festa a Vico was born - the gastronomic event that the chef organizes for charity by hosting "his home" nearly 400 colleagues each edition. In 2008 - instead - he was awarded the second Michelin star, demonstrating the fervent and continuous cultural growth of the Torre del Saracino witnessed in 2011 by the title of "Best Italian Chef of the year" for Identità Golose.

Passionate, curious and innovative: Gennaro launched in 2009 a line of products under the "Gennaro Esposito Chef" brand.

Member of the didactic council of the Gastronomic University of Southern Italy, he received the "Chef Mentor 2020" award from Michelin because it is universally recognized as a safe and prolific guide for young chefs.

Attentive to every detail inside and outside the kitchen, Gennaro often anticipates the evolution of his world.

Thus, he has already chosen for years to measure himself in international catering. He inaugurated IT in 2015 in Ibiza. An experience recently replicated with the opening of IT Milano - which obtained the first Michelin star a few months after the inauguration - and IT London.

IT Restaurants is a project to valorize the Italian hospitality and cuisine. It's born to improve the knowledge of our products and our way to present our plate. Is a different, modern ed European idea of restaurant.

The talented, generous and largely self-taught chef– worked in Denmark’s best restaurants, including Noma, Sollerod Kro and Almanak and now runs a Michelin starred restaurant with his wife Tina.

He won its first Michelin star just 10 months after opening and expects many more rewarding years to come. Eric and Tina Kragh Vildgaard’s mission is to create a fully-fledged restaurant experience, where a high level of food and service goes hand in hand with a unique host. The guest should be able to sit back and enjoy the evening without having to decide on anything possible.

The passionately run Jordnær (translation; Down to Earth) is housed in the northern suburbs of the city, on the ground floor of an unassuming looking hotel. Once inside, it’s a different story; the building dates from 1666 and the appealingly rustic modern restaurant comes with well-spaced tables, grey-painted timbers and superb mood lighting.

Seasonal ingredients are foraged by chef Eric Vildgaard, whose precise, skilfully prepared dishes have pure and harmonious flavours. His wife Tina is in charge of the service, which is performed with genuine warmth and knowledge.

They gained his second Michelin star in 2020

Founder of Bon Vivant Communications - a global gastro embassy specializing in culinary diplomacy, exclusive dinner parties, star chef world tours, cultural marketing, filmmaking and entrepreneurism. Bon Vivant represents gourmet restaurants and star chefs, but also châteaux, food festivals and luxury resorts – daily serving partnerships in Copenhagen, Oslo, Geneva, Vienna, Barcelona, Saint Petersburg, New York City, Mexico City, Bogotá, Santiago and the Maldives.

Creator of four grand world and Europe tours for some of the worlds’ best chefs. Curator of four ongoing dinner series and around 150 collaboration dinners created globally. Culinary producer of a three-episode film series on the Nordic gastronomy success for Scandinavian broadcasting networks. Culinary producer and co-owner of “Michelin Stars - Tales from the Kitchen” as well as the upcoming “Michelin Stars - The Devil is in the Detail”.

Host of The Dinner Party, Dining Impossible and DI:JET. Conceived in 2009, originally as a countermove against the financial crisis, Dining Impossible (est. 2012) and its predecessor The Dinner Party, have taken culinary socialising to a whole new level. With 28 and 40 editions respectively, this dining venture continues to prosper all over the culinary world, and now also with 3 editions of DI:JET (est. 2019) - the private jet edition.

Widely quoted as the world’s best and wildest dinner party. Featured By The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Telegraph, Forbes, O Globo, Ming Pao Daily, Sydney Morning Herald, Travel + Leisure, Gourmet Traveller, Global Living, Huffington Post, VICE Magazine, The Australian Financial Review and many more.

Lecturer of “How Gastronomy Changed a Kingdom” (Denmark) and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (Dining Impossible). Guest Professor in culinary entrepreneurism and gastro PR.

French chef Alain Weissgerber grew up in Ingwiller, Alsace, and started training to become a chef in 1982. While travelling through Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany he worked in some of the finest kitchens – among them restaurant, Steirereckin Vienna and Otto Koch’sLe Gourmetin Munich. During the following years he also invested a lot of time into studying and did different stages at the culinary elite of the time, including Elena Arzak in San Sebastian, Joel Robuchon in Paris, Tantrisin Munich as well as in Wolfgang Puck’s Spagoin Los Angeles.

In 1993 he felt ready for his first own restaurant, Blaue Gans, which he opened in Weiden at Lake Neusiedl in Austria. It was awarded with a Michelin star from 2005 onwards. Here, he also met his wife Barbara Eselböck, who shared his passion for gastronomy and supported him in the restaurant.

After a destroying fire at Blaue Gans in 2010, Alain joined Taubenkobel – the restaurant of his parents-in-law. The Relais & Chateaux was founded decades ago by Walter and Eveline Eselböck and belonged ever since to one of the best dining destinations in Austria – with 2 Michelin stars within the guide from 2005 until Michelin ended its rating in 2009. After 4 years of cooperation, Alain and Barbara finally took over the operation and now continuing the family heritage by leading the hotel and kitchen into the future.

During his last years in Taubenkobel, Weissgerber developed and refined his distinctive culinary style of a regionally inspired cuisine, which emphasize the variety of the Pannonian landscape. And the current restaurant ratings respect the effort: Taubenkobel has earned three toques and 18 of 20 possible points in Gault Millau as well as it entered the World’s Best Restaurants list in 2014 on rank 89.

Danish Chef and co-owner Ulrik Jepsen, has experience from 1 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants in Norway and abroad. Such as Waterside Inn, UK. Kokkeriet and Søllerød Kro in Denmark. The desire to travel brought Ulrik and his family to Norway where he has worked as Chef at Engø Gård in Tjøme.

Chef Jepsen loves French cuisine and he will give you his own interpretation when you visit À l'aise. Everyday, chef Ulrik and his brigade of 8 chefs are cooking with the best produce and the finest ingredients that you can find available, both regionally sourced and from abroad.

Since the opening, À L’aise has been lauded for bringing a high level of classic French cuisine back to Oslo, with a numerous amount of both critics and food lovers alike praising the quality and high standards of the restaurant.

The reviews have been near perfection, with critics acknowledging the restaurant as Oslo’s best new contender for Guide Michelin, not to mention a glorious past of classic culinary Belle Époque.

The dining room is decked out in old fashioned luxury with classic silverware, firmly pressed tablecloths, long-stemmed champagne glasses and porcelain- suitable for high tea with the Queen herself. Hence, the name “À L’aise” that originates from the French translation of the word “comfortable”, which is exactly what is to be found there.

Chef Stanislav Pesotskiy modestly calls himself a chef and a consultant. Yet he has been hailed as a rising star in Russian cuisine, with news media characterizing him as “an outstanding and well-respected representative of the Russian culinary world.”

Stanislav follows a die-hard slogan of “Do or Die,” and cut his teeth training at Michelin starred restaurants in Sweden and Finland. Working at renowned restaurants VOLLMERS, 2* and OLO, 1* opened his eyes to new possibilities. “The brightest impression that I have brought from Sweden is their approach to what they do, their consciousness, sincere non-mercantile philosophy,” tells Stanislav. It was this philosophy that inspired Stanislav to re-launch a Scandinavian cuisine project in Moscow, Restaurant Björn.

Stanislav’s career record is rich in awards for participation and winning in prestigious international competitions. He was honored as the Best Young Chef of Russia in 2016 and nominated as the Russian Ambassador of the international gastronomic festivals at Taste the World Abu-Dhabi in 2017 and OMNIVORE Paris in 2018.

Stanislav will present on Russian Nordic style and talk about modern gastronomy in Russia as a northern country. His own Russian Nordic style is based on key New Nordic Cuisine elements – fresh, seasonal, local, simple. “The Nordic philosophy is a well-balanced concept from many ways; it is logical, humane, environment and human friendly. It is only crucial not to deceive yourself. Do not just call your style ‘New Nordic’ – follow it to the end.”

Kathryn Porter, Director of Youth Strategy in Europe, Middle East and Africa at Hilton, is helping to answer the question: What will the next generation want from work? She’s working at the forefront to address how the hotel group can meet the demands of Gen Z.

With over 20 years in the hospitality industry, she joining Hilton in 2000 as property HR director with postings including the flagship London Hilton on Park Lane. Kathryn’s current role focusses on promoting hospitality careers, providing opportunities to young people and developing a talent pipeline for the growth of the business across EMEA. Kathryn has Chaired the Hospitality Trailblazer, now the Hospitality Skills and Quality Board, since its inception in 2014, and lead the development of seven new government approved apprenticeship standards and assessment plans. The HS&Q Board continues to work together as an employer led group to spearhead sustainable apprenticeship strategies and governance.

Hilton believe in Apprenticeships and following the launch of the UK Apprenticeship Academy on 2012, Kathryn is extending the reach across Europe, Middle East and Africa in developing innovative Hilton Global Apprenticeships – developed for Hilton by Hilton and quality assured by City & Guilds.

In September 2014, Kathryn was inducted in to the “Women 1st Top 100 club” which recognizes female talent in the tourism sector. Kathryn has recently held the role of Co-Chair of the B20 Employment and Education Task Force, under the G20 German Presidency 2017.

Since April 2018, Kathryn has also taken on the role of Vice Chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network, an employer network with the objectives of celebrating, storytelling, signposting employers and providing insight to Government on apprenticeships and ‘T’ Levels.

Hirokazu Tomisawa, originally from Yamagata Prefecture, is an ambassador of Japanese cuisine by special appointment of the Japanese government. After extensive experience in the Kanto and Kansai regions, he is now Executive Chef at "Yoshimura" while also serving as a teacher and Head Director in various organizations, contributing to the development of the culinary field. He is a recipient of the Tokyo Meister, Edo Masterpiece, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs Commissioner’s Award.

In 2017, he received the "Contemporary Master Craftsman (Gendai no Meiko)" Prize from the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare.

At Worldchefs Congress 2020, he will convey the essence and beauty of Japanese cuisine and show you how to bring out the quality and artistic expression of the four seasons on a plate.

Christophe Megel is a multi-award winner and visionary in the culinary world. Coming from a third-generation family of chefs, the French native’s 30 years culinary career began at top restaurants such as Le Cirque in New York and Monte-Carlo in Monaco, where he shared 7 years with luminary and friend, Master Chef Alain Ducasse. One of the foremost authorities of French cuisine, Christophe holds the rank of French Master Chef status by the French Association of Master Chefs, the second youngest Master Chef in the association to date and has been conferred a Chevalier (Knight) in Ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit) by the President of the French Republic.

A man of many talents with an entrepreneurial spirit, Christophe has contributed to countless hotel openings and diverse business ventures in his time. In 1999 he set out to Singapore to take on the role of Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, at that time the largest Ritz in the world. Under his leadership, the hotel won several local and international food and beverage awards and accolades. It was during this time that Christophe co-founded the annual New World Food and Wine Festival, attracting chefs and wine makers to Singapore and solidifying him as a recognized trendsetter within the industry.

In 2005, Christophe decided to take the leap from the kitchen to the classroom to join At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy as its Chief Executive Officer and shareholder. The academy assisted the Singapore Workforce Development agency to set up a national work skill qualification program known as the WSQ framework and launched the first WSQ Diploma in Culinary and Pastry Arts in 2006. He guided the academy to a brand new state-of-the-art campus in 2011, housing the Integrated Continuing Education Centre for Culinary and F&B Service education. The Academy won several best culinary awards during his tenure including the prestigious “Edutrust” qualification. Today, At Sunrice remains a top regional culinary academy.

As a firm believer that one needs to give back to the industry, Christophe took on the role as President for Bocuse d’Or Singapore in 2007. In 2012, Singapore made history as the champion team at the Asia selection of the world’s most famous culinary competition, the Bocuse d’Or. Christophe also sits on the Singapore Chefs’ Association Committee, overseeing the Educational activities for the 800-member strong association.

As a published author, Christophe won the Best Asian Cuisine Cookbook in the 2006 World at the Gourmand World Media Award for his culinary penman entree “Asian Tapas: Small Bites, Big Flavours.” Now in its 6th reissue, the book has been translated into seven languages and sold over 150,000 copies.

In 2009, he was invited to be a Council member for the Industry Skills and Training Councils (ISTC) Singapore Tourism Council. The council mandate is to continue to improve the Food and Beverage sector productivity and provide quality employee to the industry. Lifelong learning journey for F&B.

In 2010, he received the International Management Action Award from the charter management institute (CMI). The award is given to outstanding individuals with effective managerial skills, servicing as models for others to emulate and drive organizations in difficult times.

In 2013, Christophe was also conferred the Work Skill Qualification (WSQ) Advocate Award by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA).

In 2014 Christophe decided to establish a new company focusing on strategic partnership for Food & Beverage management, providing business intelligences to F&B operators or chefs. Having been in the industry for so many years the need of such services became evident. A-munition was born and created 3 sub-business unites. He also joined Q Industries and trade as Executive Director, a 30 years old company providing hospitality solutions within the region.

In 2015 he assisted once again the Singapore Work Force Development agency to develop and setup a brand new culinary academy the Asian Culinary Institute (ACI). Today ACI is one of the leading Asian culinary academies in South East Asia. Christophe was part of the Education Board until 2017.

In 2017 Christophe was the project manager for the development of Q Industries Vietnam Integrated Hospitality Center, comprising of warehousing, cash and carry, aroom, culinary school and F&B outlets all under one roof, making it the biggest hospitality solution provider in SEA.

Christophe will share his insights on how the industry professionals can revolutionize the food hygiene landscape through technology. Discover how you can reduce environmental impact with the introduction of state-of-the art ozone technology and learn how to innovate and transform the way we clean, sanitize, and look at hygiene in our work environment by technological developments in the space.

Company Builder, Futurist, CEO, Investor, Producer, Promoter and Inventor. Over the last 25 years Bart Womack has built businesses and executed ideas in a wide range of industries. He has helped catalyze cultural movements and inspired generations of consumers. He is the visionary and founder of Eden as well as the inventor of its first product the Life Pod.

Learn about future trends in food production and what it means for the world. Bart’s presentation entitled “Feed the Future” presentation covers future trends in food production in regards to population growth, climate change, deplenished water reserves and arable land. I will explain these challenges and how they are already affecting world food supply and the solutions available so that we can have a future where all mankind cannot only overcome these problems but thrive.

For over ten years Edgar has ‘spiced up the world’ with magnificent dishes, challenging combinations of ingredients and amazing cooking techniques.

Wherever he shows up people are dying to get his recipes. With his enthusiasm and knowledge of the food industry he is a very welcome guest chef at Embassy’s, restaurants and at international food exhibitions.

He is a consultant in the food business and member of the ‘Euro-Toques’ and the Dutch ‘Gastronomisch Gilde’.

Edgar was born in Amsterdam, capital city of the Netherlands. He is a Dutch culinary trained Chef. Although he comes from a butchers family, which is already trading for over two hundred years, Edgar decided at the age of 11 that ‘Cheffing’ was his thing. But the meat skills and tricks he took with him.

Edgar worked in many restaurants and Hotels at a high level in the Netherlands, France and England. He’s cooked all styles. From simple French Brasserie food to Michelin leveled establishments.

The food and cooking evolution never stops. ‘There is always something to learn’. From ’81 to ’85 he travelled as a chef throughout Europe on very small Luxury hotel boats, organizing ‘Gourmet Cruises’ all over the Netherlands, the Champagne region, Burgundy and Loire in France.

After that he settled for a while at ‘Popjoy’s Restaurant in Bath in England. There he was inspired by the then ‘new British’ cooking style headed by chefs like Anton Mosiman, Marco Pierre White and Gary Rhodes. He then already worked with many local suppliers who brought some of the finest seasonal produce. It was an amazing Culinary experience.

Edgar then moved back to the Netherlands to become Head Chef at the Polmanshuis, a big brasserie style restaurant with extensive outside catering facilities.

He also became one of the best young chef trainers. ‘Handing over knowledge and skills to enthusiastic youngsters is very rewarding’. To gain more insight and experience in producing large quantities for Corporate Companies he became ‘product-developer’. In this capacity he developed dishes for international businesses like KLM.

In 2007 he started his own company Edgar Buhrs Culinair, became a Freelance chef and a food consultant at various culinary levels. In this presentation for the worldchefs, Edgar will take you on a trip and show you the inspiring variety you can worldwide adapt in your menu with highly sustainable VEAL in the spotlight.

VEAL is being used by a lot of acclaimed chefs and in many different cultures.

Edgar will share the secrets he experienced on his travels to other kitchens. Also he will give you some useful tips for being; cost effective, transparent, challenging and becoming a specialist yourself.

‘Craftmanship, passion, dedication, taste, knowledge and humor’ will make you want to grab your pots and pans to work this fantastic product “VEAL”.

Cornel Krummenacher has held international assignments ranging from Head of Sales to CEO in Asia and Africa. Along the way, he’s learned that combining theory and practice, knowledge of different sectors, different belief systems and values, in a way that supports inclusiveness and diversity, is a powerful tool. He believes that the combination of technology, science, culture and people can solve the most complex problems of our times and improve the quality of life of the people and of our planet!

Currently, he leads a team that innovates, develops and sells plant-based meals that provide the goodness of vegetarian food, which he describes as “amazingly delicious, healthy and contributing to a better world.”

His plant-based brands Sweet Earth, Garden Gourmet and Harvest Gourmet, have the same bite, texture and experience like meat. They are made with simple, plant-based ingredients: soy, pea, wheat, beets and coconut oil. All natural, no GMO, and these products use 80% less carbon footprint, 80% less energy and 75% less land.

Learn more about plant-based foods and trends at Worldchefs Congress, where Cornel will discuss how meat consumption is reducing and plant-based alternatives are booming.

She studied hospitality at the IHTTI Institute (Switzerland) and worked her way up from a waiter to a restaurant chain's director. She organized training seminars in the service industry, engaged in consulting and development of projects in the hospitality and leisure services sectors. She was the organizer of patronage venues and dinners for GASTREET show and RestoPark, and of educational venues for Megustro and METRO EXPO. At HURMA recruitment she engages in promotion of events, organizes educational tours, and oversees the Creative Search speakers bureau.

Mr. Belyaev began his career at the kitchen of Moscow's Praga Restaurant, achieving by 1978 the position of a station chef at the Kremlin's special kitchen of the USSR Council of Ministers. Catering to receptions for Soviet and foreign leaders was a difficult task: they required months of preparation, multi-stage coordination with the Protocol Service, and timing the change of courses with a stopwatch. Mr. Belyaev brilliantly dealt with every challenge he faced and gradually rose from a mere station chef all the way to the position of a general director of "Kremlyovsky" Food Factory.

Since 2014, Victor Belyaev organizes the Chef a la Russe All-Russian Open Culinary Championship among Chefs.

Victor Belyaev supported the organization of the WorldChefs Congress in St. Petersburg, and will share his culinary secrets at a master class held within the context of this event.

She began her career as a waiter in the restaurant "Fasol" in St. Petersburg, then chose the direction of HR. As HR, she opened the chain of restaurants "Two Chopsticks" in Moscow, headed the personnel department of the chain of bars "Dear, I will call you back ...", HRBP "TGI Fridays", "Costa Coffee", headed the personnel department of the five-star hotel "Mistral Hotel & SPA".

Ekaterina organizes educational tours for HoReCa specialists and numerous patronage venues, including at the International Restaurants Show GASTREET. He conducts consulting projects, teaches at Novikov School, performs at major professional events in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland and Dubai. She belongs to the world community of The Worlds 50 best restaurants awards.

At Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2020, Ekaterina supervises the recruitment direction for chefs.

At age 2, Nicolas was already learning at the family bakery in northeastern France. This early interest led to him earning a degree as a chocolatier, working throughout France and moving to work at renowned Caprice restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.

Nicolas's style is authentic and recognizable, always showcasing an abundance of chocolate, coupled with vivid local flavours such as chestnut, coconut with lychee and jasmine, or apple with blueberry.

"I love working with seasonal ingredients. Also, I use only three or four textures and a maximum of three tastes in one creation. My desserts might seem complex but, in fact, they are very simple," - he says.

At the Worldchefs Congress & Expo, Nicolas will give a culinary master class.

Chef Janice Wong’s never-ending passion for culinary art has propelled her forward to test the limits of dessert making. The native Singaporean has learned from some of the world’s best chefs, including US luminaries Thomas Keller and Grant Achatz, virtuoso Spanish chocolatier Oriol Balaguer, and prodigious French pastry chef Pierre Hermé. An undisputed favourite among sweet-toothed Singaporeans, her dessert restaurant 2am:dessertbar has recently celebrated their twelfth year anniversary, redefining the dessert experience and pushing the boundaries between sweet and savoury with carefully researched progressive dishes.

In November 2014 she launched her eponymous sweet concept, JANICE WONG, and recently launched her new concession stand at the world-renowned Harrods department store in London in 2018. Chef Janice has received worldwide recognition for her cutting-edge creations, expanding globally to include an outlet in Tokyo, and is a regular on the global pop-up circuit. Notable global collaborations include Janice Wong MGM in Macau, a sweets shop where customers can observe a live dessert station with the world’s biggest chocolate fountain, and Janice Wong’s first solo exhibition in Huis Ten Bosch Nagasaki featuring her signature edible art works. She has been named Asia’s Best Pastry Chef; for the second year running by the prestigious San Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best for 2013 & 2014. Janice Wong also won the title of Pastry Chef of the Year from the World Gourmet Summit Awards in 2011, 2013 and 2015, including the title of Young Woman of the Year from Her World in 2012.

See her in action on the Worldchefs Congress & Expo stage for a live demo.

Daria's career in the restaurant business spans over 12 years. She engages in selection of unique HoReCa specialists in Russia, CIS countries, Europe, and Africa. She enabled the professional growth of employees in the Starlite Diner chain of restaurants, and held the position of an HR expert at the Prostye Veschi chain of wine restaurants. She is the organizer of patronage venue of the GASTREET international gastronomic show, teacher at the HURMA Insider school, and speaker at METRO Expo 2019, Food service, RestoPark, and School of Local Food.

Dmitry Trushkin is the chef de cuisine of an Italian restaurant in St. Petersburg, whose first time to gain the position of a chef de cuisine came when he was only 25 years old, it being one of the first steps in his professional development. Subsequently, Dmitry spent 3 years working as a personal chef, then did apprenticeships in the world's principal gastronomic destinations (Italy, Germany, Switzerland).

One of the highlights of Mr. Trushkin's professional biography was his training at the academy of the Michelin 3-star rated Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville. Mr. Trushkin, together with Alexander Bugayevsky, became the first Russians to do an apprenticeship under Benoit Violier, who was one of the world's best chefs according to the prestigious Gault et Millau rating.

Since 2017, Mr. Trushkin devotes himself to haute cuisine at Il Lago dei Cigni premium Italian restaurant on Krestovsky Island.

This St. Petersburg's famous chef will share the secrets of haute cuisine during his master class at the WorldChefs Congress & Expo in St. Petersburg

Roman Kiselev is the chef de cuisine at the Goose Goose Restaurant and a graduate of the Alain Ducasse and Le Cordon Bleu schools. For a long time he worked abroad and trained at such restaurants as Stockholm's Frantzén**, Chicago's Smyth**, and Melbourne's Attica and Cutler & Co. Prior to joining the Italy Group as the concept chef of Goose Goose, he headed the kitchen of the Volna restaurant in St. Petersburg.

Currently, he is developing a concept and menu for a new signature project in St. Petersburg.

Alena Solodovichenko is the executive chef of twenty successful Russian home-style restaurants called 'Varenichnaya #1'. She knows about the fate of women in the kitchen better than anyone, because she has been working as a cook since she was 17 and progressed through every step of career growth: from a pastry chef to an executive chef.

In 2019, Alena published her recipe book entitled "Miss Varenichnaya", which sold out in just two months after the book's presentation. Her second book is currently being prepared for publication.

Mrs. Solodovichenko is developing, together with PeterProf, stylish chef coats, especially for women. These take into account all the features of a female figure, so that the fair sex feels not only comfortable but also beautiful while working in the kitchen.

Alena has a blog on Instagram, where she shares her success stories. Alena Solodovichchenko will take part in the WorldChefs Congress & Expo 2020 in St. Petersburg in the summer of 2020.

Anton Abrezov is one of the most prominent representatives of the new generation of Russian chefs. At the age of 28 he not only is the chef and co-owner of the Commons - a conceptual restaurant in St. Petersburg - but also a TV presenter at the Food Channel, executive chef at Neste, and member of the Advisory Board of SWISSAM international business school of hospitality management. Previously, Anton worked as a chef at Dreamers and GRÄSxMADBAREN and did apprenticeships at several Michelin-starred restaurants (New York's Gramercy Tavern, Stockholm's Gastrologik, and Oslo's three-starred Maaemo).

Abrezov is also renowned for being the author and coaching chef of several professional education programs, including one at the Brightwater culinary school in the US. Anton is a welcome guest of culinary programs and television shows in the USA, and a frequently-invited consultant of new projects in Russia.

Distinctive features of Abrezov's professional approach comprise constant experimenting with combinations and technologies, use of in-season farmer products, and pursuit of zero-waste production.

Roman Palkin is a regular entry in St. Petersburg's best chefs rankings and a teacher at the Novikov School's culinary courses. Having trained with the legendary butcher Dario Cecchini, created the brutal cuisine of Beefzavod, and given numerous interviews to media outlets, Roman enjoys a high reputation for being the best meat expert.

However, in 2019 Mr. Palkin radically changed the focus of his activities, surprising the professional community with an unexpected project. Now he is the chef de cuisine of the new Art-Caviar Restaurant and the executive chef of the Russian Caviar House.

Even though caviar is considered to be one of clichés of the Russian identity, dishes made with it are a terra incognita for Russian and international restaurants. Within the framework of this project, Mr. Palkin managed to develop an international, creatively different and, importantly, affordable menu of original caviar and fish dishes.

In 2020, Roman Palkin will participate in the main event of the restaurant world - the WorldChefs Congress & Expo 2020 in St. Petersburg.

Chumpol Jangprai is a Thai cuisine ambassador. He is the master chef Thailand who has not only prepared Thai dishes for locals, but also people around the world, as well as demonstrated Thai cooking on TV. Growing up in the kitchen of Sanguan Sri restaurant - a home- cooking style restaurant that has served local customers for almost five decades, Chumpol left his motherland to explore culinary experience in Europe at the tender of 18. Since then, the 46-year-old has travelled the world and prepared Thai cuisine for connoisseurs in more than 40 countries around the world. With the achievement of one Michelin Star in 2019, his R-Haan restaurant in Bangkok did not just stop there but recently received two Michelin stars for the year 2020 as well.

Born in Korea, Chef Hawan got his drive for perfection and passion to mix different culinary traditions from working in the some of the best restaurants around the world: in the legendary Eleven Madison Park (New York, 3 Michelin stars, 4th place in The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2018 ranking), Coi and Atelier Crenn restaurants (San Francisco, each with two Michelin stars), Mina in Bilbao (1 Michelin star), in the cult Spanish Mugaritz (3rd place on the list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2018). For the past few years, he has been managing the kitchen and creating the menu of the La Vie restaurant (Osnabruck, Germany) with the famous chef Thomas Büchner.

No matter the region, he gains a deep understanding of the people, climate and soil to help him create indigenous dishes.

At Worldchefs Congress & Expo, Havan Chong will share his own style formula "90% of traditions and 10% of surprise".

Natalya Mileyenkova is a business coach, co-owner and "management companion" of UnoDosTres consulting company, and a practicing expert of restaurant industry with 25 years of experience under her belt.

Mileyenkova's portfolio includes having occupied the position of the Director for Operations at Maison Dellos Holding, which runs the Pushkin and Turandot restaurants that mean so much for Moscow's socialites. In 2017-2018, Natalya managed operations at the White Rabbit Family holding, whose flagship restaurant ranks 13th in the prestigious 50 World's Best Restaurants rating, this being the most prominent international achievement of a Russian project.

Natalya is equally good at managing successful venues and teaching this to others through personal consultations, UnoDosTres training seminars, and classes at the Novikov Business School. In 2018, Natalya was awarded the Palm Branch of Restaurant Business in the "Best Top Manager of the Year" category.

At WorldChefs Congress & Expo 2020 Natalya Mileyenkova will speak within the context of its business program about increasing the efficiency of a business.

Alexander Zherebtsov is a representative of the new generation of St. Petersburg chefs, but he is originally from the small town of Novouralsk. His love of cooking led him to his first official job at the Amici Restaurant under Giuseppe Conti. Then there were the Ginza's Moskva under Alexander Belkovich, Clever Cafe - already as a chef, ZimaLeto's Gastronom, and various other renowned projects.

In 2019, he, together with his team, and won the Chef a la Russe 2019 All-Russian Open Culinary Championship. In addition to this, his recent achievements include an apprenticeship at the famous Tickets Restaurant in Barcelona, which is ranked 20th among the world's best restaurants, as well as training at the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastian and at the Michelin record-holder Paul Bocuse's Institute in Lyon.

In addition to working as a chef de cuisine at the Kroo Cafe, he manages to teach at the SVCh Culinary School and organize chefs trips to Spain with visits to the Madrid Fusion.

Alexander has arranged his tight 2020 schedule to make room for participating in the WorldChefs Congress & Expo in St. Petersburg.

Elena Pobedonostseva is a business coach and a coach on managing the staff of a restaurant. She oversees the HR area in the UnoDosTres partnership of restaurateurs. She knows everything about building a strong team and generously shares this knowledge through her bestselling "IT'S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. Your Restaurant: How to Get Your Staff to Become a Team" book.

Upon graduating from the Economics and Management Department of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Elena worked as a leading business coach at Food Retail Group's establishments (Two Chopsticks chain) and served as the HR Director of the Ideal Cup chain.

Pobedonostseva developed more than 80 training seminars for managers and personnel of restaurant projects since the year 2005. She regularly lectures restaurateurs and HR managers at the SWISSAM Hospitality Business School, SVCh Culinary School and Novikov Business School. She also writes articles on human resources for leading industry-specific media outlets.

Elena will share her experience in successfully running a restaurant at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2020.

Sergey is a chef de cuisine from St. Petersburg who graduated from a professional culinary college back in 2006. He did a month and a half apprenticeship at the Michelin-starred Il Vescovado Restaurant in Liguria. In 2009, he began working as a chef de cuisine at Ginza Project, a major Russian holding company. Sergey opened his own Four Hands restaurant in St. Petersburg in the year 2014. His style can be described as the new Russian cuisine. Sergey works with local in-season products and creates new uses for already established and traditionally used ingredients. Sergey also teaches at the SVCh Culinary School.

He acts as an expert and participant in every Russian gastronomic festival. In 2018 he represented Russia at the most prestigious Madrid Fusion international festival, gave a lecture at the international congress of chefs in Lviv, held three gastronomic dinners in foreign countries, as well as visited 44 Russian cities.

Valery Gorinov, a second-generation chef, is an adherent of the new Russian cuisine, which is a phenomenon that is emerging right in front of our eyes. Mr. Gorinov's contribution to the modernization of the national culinary traditions consists in a constant creative exploration, interpretation of old recipes, experiments with cooking techniques, creation of novel combinations of familiar local foods. Valery introduces into his menu the newfangled fermentation technology and loves working with seafood dishes. One of his latest inventions is a malt-fermented Far Eastern scallop with a green-apple sphere and a carrot emulsion from the menu.

Valery regularly accepts apprenticeship invitations from eminent chefs in order to maintain the freshness of perception and familiarize himself with new techniques at the world's best restaurants. His recent apprenticeships include Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta*** (Spain), L'Ambroisie*** (France), El du Moulin* (France).

Prior to dedicating his life to the restaurant business, Andrey Chetvertnov obtained a historian's diploma and did a stint as a graphic designer. Love of cooking brought him to kitchens of private villas in the Dominican Republic, and then to the capital's restaurants. After studying at Le Cordon Bleu he worked in various restaurants in France, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Estonia. In recent years Andrey implemented improvements in the kitchens of Moscow's Rombus, Bread & Meat, Mondrian Bar, and worked at the popular Glenuill and KU Ramen & Izakaya Bar, etc.

Arkadiy Novikov considered the first Russian entrepreneur restaurateur. He reinvented Russian cuisine and put Moscow on the world gastronomic map.

Born in 1962 in Moscow, after graduating from high school he studied at Moscow culinary college number 174, and then at the Faculty of Economics catering Academy of National Economy Plekhanov. He began his professional career as a cook at the "University" restaurant. In 1990 he became chef at the famous Hard Rock Cafe.

In 1992, Arkadiy Novikov opened his first restaurant - "Sirena", which became the first seafood restaurant in the capital of Russia with a revolutional approach to the cuisine, service, interior and atmosphere. This marked the beginning of a new, post-Soviet stage in the development of Russian restaurant business.

In 2002, Arkadiy Novikov established his own greenhouse "Agronom (Agronomist)" in Gorki-10 (Rublevskoe shosse). Since 2005, he has been engaged in the creation and promotion of environmentally friendly products under the brand NOVIKOV. In 2012, the first restaurant in London opened - NOVIKOV Restaurant & Bar.

Novikov has opened about one hundred restaurants in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, London, Sardinia and Ibiza, in Miami, Doha and other cities, launched Novikov Catering and Novikov Delivery, Aero Menu by Novikov, Novikov School of restaurant business and also grows organic fruits and vegetables on 6 hectares of Novikov Agronom farm for 18 years - being a unique national restaurateur. His famous Wild Strawberry Cake is always cooked with fresh berries pollinated by bees and bumblebees.

Matilda Shnurova pioneered the contemporary slow-food movement in Russian cuisine. A national celebrity, a patron of the ballet with a degree in biochemistry, and the creator of a game changing restaurant, she is Russia’s first female restauranteur.

CoCoCo, her brainchild, opened in 2012, bringing slow food and biodynamic produce to the forefront of Russian culinary consciousness. The restaurant started with just 50 seats, and quickly expanded to Sofitel Hotel in Saint Petersburg, with an astonishing 15,000 guests a month from breakfast through to dinner.

#104 on The World’s Best Restaurants, in 2020 the restaurant will change its location for the second time. With this move to New Holland island, it will be transformed into a fine dining restaurant and bistro.

Matilda Shnurova is preparing to present a new healthy food project in the beginning of this year.

Matilda Shnurova will be an Ambassador of Worldchefs Congress and Expo in 2020. “Worldchefs Congress is a good occasion to talk with chefs from around the world, to learn something new, to feel involved in the global gastronomic community,” Shnurova says. “It’s very important for Russian chefs to expand their horizons and open up new opportunities.”

Artem Grebenshchikov is a St. Petersburg chef, restaurateur and coach of the Russian national team in the WorldSkills chefs championship.

Artem was studying aeronautical management at St Petersburg State University, when he decided to find a part-time job in a restaurant to pay for his studies. Discovering a passion for cooking, at the age of 20, Artem became the chef at the best restaurant in the city of Vyborg, outside St. Petersburg.

Soon after, Grebenshchikov became a representative of the elite of the St. Petersburg restaurant industry thanks to his work at the Erarta Café at the Erarta Museum of Modern Art. There he brought the balance of taste and visual presentation to perfection, turning food into another form of art - visitors liked his thematic sets for various exhibitions.

Among his latest achievements is the title of the Best Chef according to the Top 100 Restaurants of St. Petersburg (2017, 2018), GQ Publishing House (2018) and Where To Eat Restaurant Award (2018, 2019).

Opening of his own restaurant with his brother, pastry chef Alexey Grebenshchikov, was also successful. The avant-garde cuisine restaurant Bourgeois Bohemians (BoBo) instantly rocketed on the first lines of ratings and received brilliant reviews from gastronomy critics.

A separate pride is the victory of Artem's team at the WorldSkills World Championship. The team of chefs won 1st place among 46 participating countries in 2019.

Artem Grebenshchikov will take part in the Worldchefs Congress in St. Petersburg in 2020.

Alexey Grebenshchikov is a pastry chef, coach of the Russian national team in the WorldSkills championship and co-owner of the Bourgeois Bohemians (BoBo) restaurant in St. Petersburg, together with his brother, Chef Artem Grebenshchikov.

The career story of the Grebenshchikov brothers started in similar ways: Alexey also got into the kitchen in his last year at the university with the goal of temporary part-time work. Alexey liked cooking desserts so much that he began to devote more and more time to self-education, especially the study and testing of non-standard confectionery techniques.

In 2011, Grebenshchikov became a pastry chef, continuing the path of creative search for new combinations and pastry experiments at a new level. He managed to learn from many prominent pastry chefs, applying the experience in developing desserts for the avant-garde cuisine restaurant Bourgeois Bohemians. BoBo, a restaurant opened by Alexei and his brother Artem, instantly rocketed at the top of the Russian ratings.

Alexey is also successful in the work of a teacher and coach of the WorldSkills national team which was recognized the best among 46 countries and won the first place in the championship in 2019.

Alexey calls himself a supporter of fresh and light desserts with a minimum of sugar and an aesthetic visual presentation.

In 2020, Grebenshchikov will deliver a master class at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo in St. Petersburg.