编者：世界厨师联合会亚洲区主席里克·史蒂芬先生昨日致函中国烹饪协会，发出新年寄语，其中对中国在世界厨师事业中的作用给与了高度的评价，特别是对于今年9月在中国扬州举办的“2015世界厨师联合会亚太主席峰会”赞许有加，他说：我相信所有参加会议的人都会认同本次会议是本年度最大的亮点。现将他的新年寄语全文刊登如下：

亲爱的亚洲厨师朋友：
    2015年即将过去，在此，我想对所有从事餐饮行业的朋友们由衷地说一句“谢谢”！我们都是因为热爱才从事这个行业，我想很多人每天早上醒来，都会自问一句：“今天除了工作，我还要为厨师们做些什么？”
    在过去的12个月中，我们的行业发生了很多变化，甚至世厨联董事会成员也有所变动，就如同我们亚洲有的国家厨师组织改选一样。这也是厨师这一职业的特色，每一天都是崭新的一天。
    我们亚洲各国，大家如同兄弟一般彼此扶持，精诚团结，世厨联厨师无国界组织就是一个很好的范例：当自然灾害来袭，厨师无国界组织发挥了很强的凝聚力和战斗力，大家团结起来共抗灾害，这就是亚洲联合共赢的一个很好的例证。
    我们应当回顾一下我们做过的一些伟大的事情，比如香港国际食品展、马来西亚国际食品展、新加坡国际食品展，以及其他很多竞赛类的活动，所有这些活动的亮点在于形成了全球厨师活动的规范。泰国首先开创了树立国家规范的先河，并且领先全球水平。
    在这里，我一定要说一下今年的亚太主席峰会。我相信所有参加会议的人都会认同本次会议是本年度最大的亮点。本次会议的主题是“亚洲携手，文化交流”，通过中国烹饪协会的精心组织，我认为本届会议实现了这个目标。组委会付出了大量辛勤的工作，确保27个不同国家、地区的厨师组织代表出席，同时会议期间的各个环节都体现出亚洲的最高水准。
    当今亚洲青年厨师是世界厨师的后续部队，他们追求好的机遇，渴望获得新知识，这些都源于他们的导师给予正确的引导和指导，同时还赋予他们充分的自由。
    可以肯定的说，每个人的人生都会有起有落，厨师的命运也亦如此，“职业就是参与”，在亚洲，我们都是参与者。
    明年对于我们来说无疑会是非常忙碌的一年，世厨联赛事日程格外充实，亮点将聚焦在新加坡国际食品展，全球厨师挑战赛的三场赛事，奥林匹克烹饪大赛以及我们自己国内及亚洲区的比赛。
    2016年对于世厨联来说也是非比寻常的一年，世厨联大会将于9月在希腊塞萨洛尼基这座美丽的城市举办，全世界厨师将汇集在此，还将有精彩的演说和厨艺展示，相信大家可以期待更多惊喜。
    在亚洲很多国家，我们欢度圣诞节，所以在此，我祝大家圣诞快乐，厨师朋友圣诞快乐，兄弟国家彼此扶持，互相帮助，共享优秀文化，继承文化遗产。
    亲爱的朋友们、同仁们，我希望能成为你们未来活动的一份子。借此机会，我祝愿大家及家人们平安快乐，家庭幸福，友谊长存。
    圣诞快乐，新年快乐！

世界厨师联合会亚洲主席     
里克·史蒂芬       

World Association of Chefs Societies

Continental Director – Rick Stephen

Dear WorldChefs of Asia,
The year is nearing an end and I would like to take the opportunity to say “Thank you” for all your contributions to our profession. As we are all volunteers in the industry we love, it takes a certain individual to get up each morning and say; “Besides work, what am I going to do for chefs today?”
Over the past 12 months, there has been a lot of changes in our industry, even members of our own WorldChef board have changed just as in some of our own Asian countries where elections have taken place. That is why we are chefs, no two days are the same.
Upon reflection in our region, we have come together as one to support each other, World Chefs Without Borders is a prime example -and the tenacious work they have done in our region when Mother Nature has not been so friendly is a great example of the bond in Asia.
We should also look at many of our great events, HOFEX, FHM, FHC along with many other competitions and one of the highlights of this would have been the standard set for the Global Chef. This was a culinary masterpiece by Thailand and has lifted the bar high across the world.
The Asian Presidents Forum APF, would go down as the highlight of the year for many who were fortune enough to attend, with ‘ BondingAsia & an Exchange of Cultures’ as the theme, this target was well achieved through the China Cuisine Association (CCA). The organization needed to bring this off with 27 different nations in attendance for the Forum and various receptions show the standards that we are achieving here in Asia.
Asian Young Chefs are the current leading light for the world in their own quest to have better opportunities and to quench a thirst for knowledge; this can be attributed to the mentors for giving them the guidance and leadership, but also for giving them the freedom to act.
Yes, when we are all honest – some of us and our brothers have had some ups and down, but again this is a chef’s life, “Being Professional is Being Involved” and in Asia we are all involved.
The year ahead of us will be a busy year, we have the largest competition calendar in all of the WACS World, and the highlights for 2016 will be FHA, the World Final of the 3 Global Chefs events, the Culinary Olympics and our own National events spread throughout Asia.
Cont’
2016 is also a special year for the World Association of Chefs Societies, our WorldChefs’ Congress will be in September in the beautiful city of Thessaloniki in Greece. Where we will have an International line up of chefs, speakers and presenters, which will leave you looking for more.
In some parts of Asia we like to celebrate Christmas, so let’s take the opportunity to also celebrate Life as a Chef, look after our brothers, support and respect each other’s culture and heritage.
Colleagues and friends, I look forward to catching up with you in one of our many events. I would like to take the opportunity to wish each and every one of you and your members a ‘ Safe Festive Season’ enjoy your family and your friends

Merry Christmas and happy New Year

Rick
WorldChefs Continental Director – Asia