ASEAN Records is proud to officially recognise the World Chefs Championship (WCC) for achieving the milestone:
Largest Recurring International Culinary Championship by Participating Countries, Competing Chefs and Judges (42 participating countries; 2,389 competing chefs; 71 judges; 146 competition categories; 5th edition 2026)
This recognition highlights a major milestone in the international culinary industry, showcasing the World Chefs Championship’s role as a global platform for culinary excellence, cultural exchange, and professional development.
Uniting the Global Culinary Community
Held as the 5th edition in 2026, the World Chefs Championship brought together culinary professionals, chefs, judges, students, and hospitality industry participants from around the world.
The championship featured participation from 42 countries, involving 2,389 competing chefs, supported by 71 international judges across 146 competition categories.
The event created a large-scale international platform for chefs to demonstrate technical skills, creativity, innovation, and cultural culinary traditions while fostering collaboration within the global gastronomy community.
Elevating Culinary Excellence Through International Competition
The World Chefs Championship continues to play an important role in promoting culinary professionalism and industry standards through structured competition and international benchmarking.
The wide range of categories allowed chefs from different backgrounds and specialisations to compete across multiple disciplines, including hot cuisine, pastry, artistic presentation, modern gastronomy, and traditional culinary heritage.
Beyond competition, the championship also served as a platform for education, networking, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of culinary tourism.
Positioning Malaysia as an International Culinary Destination
The championship further strengthened Malaysia’s growing reputation as a destination capable of hosting major international culinary events.
By welcoming participants, judges, and culinary professionals from across the world, the event contributed to tourism visibility, cultural exchange, and industry engagement while showcasing Malaysia’s hospitality and multicultural food heritage on a global stage.
The event also aligned with broader efforts to strengthen regional tourism and gastronomy development through international collaboration.
A Milestone Moment of Recognition
The ASEAN Records certificate was officially presented in recognition of the World Chefs Championship’s achievement as the largest recurring international culinary championship by participating countries, competing chefs, and judges.
The recognition was certified and received by Chef Michael Ooi Beng Hock, President of the Malaysian Culinary Masters Association (MCMA), in acknowledgement of his leadership in advancing the championship as a globally recognised culinary platform.
The recognition was witnessed by Encik Mohammad Nazrul bin Abd Rahim, Director of Tourism Johor; Yang Berhormat Dato’ Mizan bin Yahya, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan JCorp; Puan Nur Hafifah binti Dato’ Mohd Halim, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Johor; Puan Nor Hayati binti Abdullah, Senior Tourism Officer of Tourism Malaysia Southern Region; and Chef Martin Yan.
Voices of Leadership
Reflecting on the recognition, Chef Michael Ooi Beng Hock shared:
“This recognition represents the collective effort of chefs, judges, organisers, industry partners, and participating countries who have supported the growth of the World Chefs Championship over the years.
Our goal has always been to create an international platform that not only celebrates culinary excellence, but also encourages learning, cultural exchange, and professional growth within the industry.
We are proud to see chefs from around the world come together through food, creativity, and shared passion, while positioning Malaysia as an important destination within the global culinary community.”
Advancing Culinary Excellence Across ASEAN
This milestone reflects the growing importance of international culinary platforms in promoting professional standards, cultural appreciation, and tourism development.
Through large-scale participation, global collaboration, and continuous innovation, the World Chefs Championship continues to contribute towards the advancement of culinary arts and hospitality excellence across ASEAN and beyond.
About World Chefs Championship
The World Chefs Championship (WCC) is an international culinary competition platform organised to promote culinary excellence, innovation, professional development, and cultural exchange within the global food and hospitality industry.
Through international participation and multidisciplinary competition categories, the championship provides opportunities for chefs, culinary professionals, and hospitality talents to showcase their skills while fostering stronger global culinary connections.
