A Taste of Leadership

In Conversation With Rick Stephen, Vice President, Worldchefs

What inspired you to become a chef, and how did your initial apprenticeship under Claudio Magris shape your culinary journey?

I am a 3rd generation chef, so to say it is in the family would be the best statement. I loved working at my uncle’s bakery when I was young.

Claudio Magris to me was The Chef of Chefs; he knew his craft from A - Z, then from Z – A. He taught me that you only get out of life (in the kitchen) what you put in. He taught skills, speed at work, techniques and a valuable lesson on integrity.

How do you stay current with culinary trends and developments, and how do you incorporate these into your mentoring and teaching?

I try and stay current by attending seminars and competitions around the world, as this is where the trends are developed for the next 12 -18 months. Culinarians train to be #1 in their own field; I have the benefit to be part of the Worldchefs jury and see what happens through the Worldchefs Culinary Competition Committee. Naturally, I like to take some of these ideas and showcase to students when I am doing training sessions, no matter what country I may be in. The biggest benefit to me is being able to talk to the young chefs – One on One without any airs and graces.

How is Worldchefs helping to preserve culinary heritage while also encouraging innovation and fusion?

At Worldchefs, our competitions like the Global Chefs Challenge are platforms for competitors to showcase the new skills and techniques that have been developed since the previous finals, this trait is also relevant at the Culinary Olympic and the Culinary World Cup.

We preserve and celebrate culinary heritage through several competition categories in many regions of the world. We encourage chefs to showcase their local food culture, ingredients, and traditional techniques. At the same time, these events invite creativity and innovation, giving chefs the chance to honor their roots while adapting to a global stage. It’s this balance of tradition and evolution that keeps our profession alive and moving forward.

How do you think sustainability is growing in the culinary competition scene?

Sustainability is expanding in all aspects of our industry, and competitions are not exempt. At Worldchefs, we introduced a Vegan category in our Global Chefs Challenge competition and further down the line will also encourage the Green Chef. We also launched for the first time at Worldchefs Congress 2024 the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula award, an award the recognizes chefs who excel in creating world-class dishes and adopting environmentally responsible practices in their kitchens. With these efforts, we hope to promote sustainable practices in the competition arena and beyond. 

Sustainability is also attributed to the produce that we use to ensure that this market is also sustainable. The control of food waste is a critical marker in our competitions and all over the globe.

As Worldchefs Culinary Competition Committee Chairman, what role do you think culinary competitions play in shaping the industry, and how can they benefit young chefs?

Competitions are breeding grounds for young chefs wanting to test their own skills against their peers and be fairly judged by recognized judges. Competitions are the research and development sector of the kitchen as this is where you try to create a WOW factor through taste, new skills, and techniques along with presentation.

Why do you think supporting and empowering young chefs is so crucial? 

Its simple—they are the future. Just put yourself in the shoes of a veteran in the kitchen. They have worked 30-40 years, standing up on hard floors 10-12hours per day, which has wear and tear on the body. Now, the saying is Work Smarter Not Harder and empower young chefs to take over.

As Vice President of Worldchefs, what would you like to see accomplished in the next few years?

The big thing is to work as a unit—remove any outside influence which may be politically driven, work and think as a team, build relationships, and open doors for all, no matter what part of the world they may be in.

RAPID FIRE

Coffee or tea – what do you prefer to start your day with?  

Teas – prefer green tea

If a biography or biopic were to be made on you, what would be the title?

 Guy with a big heart who loves to share

Other than this what career would you have loved to do?  

Physical educator or a dog trainer. Ask my colleagues about Scoop my dog!

What does Worldchefs mean to you?

Worldchefs shows what we can achieve as a group. We are not perfect, but then again, I do not think any organization is perfect, especially when a lot of volunteers run and support each other. In Australian terms, to be a board member or a member of a Worldchefs committee, you need to be a “do-er” not a “gonna”.