myself

2016 is over…..much to fast… finish with economical discrepancies on the world market, but luckily not my own. When you get aged expectation setting are more to life quality direction not banking or savings.
Since I am a cook I will be able to sell a hamburger or two when $ finish I believe.

2017 must be superb, don’t care what all that economist pessimistic says, hopefully keeping on thinking positive & realistic will give magic to the world and a superb year ahead, I believe it is only in human minds…….. my own stays anyhow!

The year rushed me from 66-67 years of age at highest speed with many great days and dates,
still feeling young full energy and power (normal by that youth surrounding students), nothing cracks or? I don’t speak about it.
Dolly my Lover keep me on the run so I don’t have to think much about it. Smile.

Born 1949 seems like a couple of days away and founding Cordon Noir 1988 just a jump a way but reality 28 Years , congratulation you all belonging to such stable society. It really worked this creation of fun to all 353 Cordon Noirian life’s, the mind target by founding.

2016 a outstanding Cordon Noir Year with dinners starting Austrian Dinner in Kuala Lumpur January, Chiang Mai- Thailand in March, Taoyuan City -Taiwan April, Bangkok June,” Asia Wave” Singapore, Bali, Borobudur & Kuala Lumpur June, Seoul- Korea September followed November with Hong Kong and finally closing the year December in Kuala Lumpur with our Cordon Noir Christmas Dinner.

Judging 2016 the Bali Culinary and Kota Kinabalu Food Festival, meeting CULINARY AND HOSPITALITY Friends even only extended weekends enriching with suitable pleasure to our life, no need for additional holiday at the moment.

My actual work is outstanding under the leadership of my Boss,
real fun since professional Task is No ONE and not politic , which I appreciate very much.

I extract a short summery in saying “ thank you “
for passing Dolly and myself
that beautiful contribution of pleasure, wellbeing and fun.

Looking back at my self, 50 years as a chef, turned to this outstanding endeavour 6 years ago when I joined the beautiful and outstanding Berjaya University College of Hospitality here in Kuala Lumpur at position of Director School of Culinary Arts.

Great when you have the chance getting juvenile by students surrounding, feeling the power of youth.

Dolly and me doing great believe it or not weekends usual off and working time from 9-6.

What could be better, still cooking transfer my knowledge to students in certificates-, diploma-, degree- and master classes.

Real outstanding and so I feel. Beside school we also running a whole sale operation to 30+ restaurants, consultancy and Catering with highlight 2015 Empire "Party of the Century" sparkled by Paris Hilton with food for 5700 person.

All with students at part time wage payments. A happy and worthy occasion providing that immerse technology knowledge a chef need in our industry, Inspiring Lives and Widening Horizons, the guaranty for employment to young chefs.

Same time Cordon Noir enjoyed a outstanding 2015 with Peter Armitage and Tony Rogalsky Caviar Presentation in Australia followed by Marco Brueschweiler and Kurt Pozzato dinner in Bangkok.

Hofex in Hong Kong by Vice President Rudolf Muller was again a sensation and so Dunias Induction here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Cordon Noir Pre Christmas visit to Saigon, Vietnam hosted by Cordon Noirian Chef Mawa and GM Siegfried Steindel fully satisfy all 70 members and friends.

Highlight at the Cordon Noir Gala-dinner beside the whole Hospitality theme set up and execution was Induction of 2 new professional’s gourmets and Urs Allenspach: Executive Gourmet Malaysia and Peter Armitage: Executive Gourmet Australia, congratulation.

The Year finished Marco Brueschweiler in Bangkok with a outstanding Intronisation Dinner.

Take a look by just clicking “historical photos” at front page www.cordonnoir.com

You all be in photographic memory at documention, every year since founding 1988.

Year 2016 starting here by Executive Gourmet Malaysia Urs Allenspach this January, followed March in Chiang Mai, Thailand by Marco Brueschweiler and the "Asian Summer Wave" that Gourmet Travel true
Singapore, Bali, Java, Kuala Lumpur follow June 2016.

Our Cordon Noir forecast looks outstanding and for sure I wish you a great year a head

I Still remember , a few years ago…… five or six of age… that unbelievable excitement, waiting freshly washed dressed in best gown for that once in a year repeating wanted noise of harsh cracking booths, ruff voice “ HO HO HO “ and door knock…yes that nerve breaking arrival of Santa Claus.

Santa is here ….. screaming out every body cell ….excitement just to see him, excitement been beaten with the wooden whip or presented…… excitement just like a visual cloud filled the whole house.

Christmas stays in my memories fresh like just a few days ago, even now 63 years later.

Dear Friends
Thanks God love comes once the year and not once a life time ***********
********** Christmas open hearts, makes understanding each other, inspire deepest feelings, pass warmed & trust,
infuse love in memories of childhood by just seen children, remember and been remembered how we are and how we gain satisfaction able living in fun and peace.

We all here from the Culinary Centre of Malaysia
wishing you
A Merry Christmas and Outstanding, Healthy and Happy New Year 2012

A year gone and here is again, in fastest swing that Christmas which each year make me count..yes my age also, you right.

And I am happy about that not sad, not thinking about time left, just thinking about time past...great time, fantastic to remember, all you friends, all the fun and all the satisfaction enjoyed...yes happy to remember each of you who made this happened, keeping me a happy man and my wife to. Passing that beautiful 20 anniversary of cordon noir with friends from all over the globe , passing our 34 wedding anniversary and so passing my 59th birthday. super!

Work challenges keeping life interesting and when each past successful, richening that pride in me, giving confidence and show me how wonderful life is by increasing that love to cooking. Ample friends passing a way , yes normal but when I close my eyes still can feel and see them so closed in my memoir that even the smell of that beautiful moment stay real. Enemy barricades coming down with time and feelings smoothen. Great to get older and been able seen things with different eyes , with different mental views just come and satisfied.

Yes , sensibility increases which I can see by watching dramatic movies on TV and a teardrop slips out of my eye, never happened in the youth time...but actually nothing wrong with that , I thing now. Who can judge that any way.

When I see Dolly aging and we two smile taking the elevator having problems try seen clearly that button number to press or I stay with Alan in our Lobby finding a normal christstollen in that Christmas goodie register (which is like always to small printed) yes then I know that I not any more 20 but also here we can smile with such a good life and now with the Chefs Competition Judge Invitations at hand to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Penang also this coming year will be a great one which I really looking forward to.

We know that with our friendship the crises at this globe can not spoil Cordon Noirian New Year.

Time Rush...no, it just seems to get faster since we getting slower? Well, so long we don't feel old we are still on the ball. Age is positive and respected by all and for sure come to all.

Last night I talked with my sister about my 92 year old mother, my sister complained and complained...I just answered here that in 20 years she would be the same. We are only human and should be happy with that!

May 2008 is CORDON NOIR Birthday " 20 Years " and still the club is fresh & youth. 20 years we enjoyed so much fun with Cordon Noir that it would be sad any body miss out our Anniversary Gathering in Malaysia. Please book now since I am not a professional Travel agent and the whole gathering is a innermost job showing you that hospitality and warmth of Cordon Noir will stay like over the past 2 centuries,

20 Cordon Noir Anniversary, see you at the 10th May 2008 in Penang, Malaysia

Again a year past in fastest matter, sometimes when I thing back it was so fast that I actually must be 150 years old not that actually youth of my 56.

What a year, so many things run over my mind, so may things seen and enjoyed this past year here in India that even I am as a non thinker bee grateful to God who must be responsible, giving all that luck to me seen such a beautiful and magnificent things in my life, having so much fun at my work and so much enjoyment with my loved wife Dolly making my life really living worth. Maybe I am (don’t hope so) been the only grateful man in this world. Grateful for my life that feeling difficult makes listen to all that complains peoples telling me. I just think and advice to open there eyes able seen the minor refreshing beauty at all, beauty of enjoy we can see any day comparable back to childhood Christmas, I know. Beauty and respect of humanity (even seen that slaughter of that poor American boy in Iraq and all that other suffering from terrorisms) must stand , not giving up. Sounds hart but I still love human and believe in solution and respect to man kind. Please help me when you celebrate that coming Christmas, Ramadan, Dipavalli, Chinese New Year and all the other religious highlight festivals over the year in this world. We don’t just survive, we really live this life and I hope that you similar me (I am sure when here in India with my 20 apprentice) will enjoy that upcoming 2006 positive and in fun .

The annual Indian Mumbai Story from Jacky, the Wife of Heiner Werdeling ( my Boss ) fit very well with Information over the past year

I thought twice about documenting our year again given “we’re still here”, however as the memories of 2005 are rekindled I believe there is still plenty to share about our Indian adventure: Year 2.

Inevitably, there has been a wave of new books predicting India’s current and future economic growth. Mostly written by off shore Indians, they seem to articulate with great clarity the issues facing Modern India. “Being Indian”, “The Growth of the Indian Call Centre” and our favourite and current international best seller “The Argumentative Indian” all provide fascinating insights to the Indian psyche including their penchant for a good debate (Did you know that the longest speech by a U.N. Representative was an Indian in 1956 with an address to the Parliament lasting 9 hours 56 minutes? Try sitting through that at the end of a long day. Maybe that’s why Heiner insists on having his Management meetings in the morning). I know from haggling away with the tailors the thrill of the fight when they get another 20 Rupee (40 US Cents) out of me, for what has been the 13^th leather jacket negotiation! (I shudder when I read of child labour raids being routinely conducted for I have never been brave enough to peel back the curtain to see who’s really doing the stitching).

Reflecting on the year, it hasn’t been all bad. We’ve kept in good health, we’ve had a few trips out, and the hotel has out-performed its competitors meaning all is well in Delhi (residence of “The Owner”).

The main scare was of course the weeks following Terrible Tuesday (26^th July), when the monsoons pelted their most intense rainfall in 100 years resulting in more than 2000 deaths, closure of both international and domestic airports and power and telephone shut downs to most areas of Mumbai for more than a week. 105 centimeters of rainfall fell in a day and 50 million litres of water lay trapped in our hotel which resulted in a very easy decision to “shut shop”. Buckets and mops in hand, aided by 1000 outsourced labourers, the hotel was drained, cleaned, polished and painted and after thousands of man-hours and a huge public relations campaign, was remarkably opened 3 weeks later. (Who could forget the public outcry to the Bombay Mayor once the phone lines returned, “You promised us Shanghai, yet delivered Venice” as the SMS text reached all mobile phones in the city!). Despite the pile up of death and destruction: abandoned cars, mounting hills of garbage and rotting carcasses of water buffalos and dogs, Mumbai survived as it always does. Within days of the devastation, the mechanics were rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of securing business resulting from the 200 000 abandoned and water logged cars (now minus their hub-caps). Cholera vaccinations were provided and slum dwellers who lost homes were relocated (where?). The pot-holed roads are still pot-holed but have been temporary filled until the Minster’s new “Pot Hole Task Force” completes a study on where the missing Rs Millions have gone which were allocated to fix the pot holes. It would seem pockets have been lined, not roads.

From a business point of view, India is really “Rocking”. The Hotel “rocks”, the figures “rock”, the nightclub “rocks” and this new buzz word has found it’s way even into the most simplest of conversations (To illustrate with the Hotel’s Spa Manager: “Man… Goa Rocks”, “Are they new Nikes? They really rock”, and after an hour on the treadmill “Wow, you were really rocking today!”). Grr..

My Indian-English vocabulary continues to expand, with some of the more notable additions: (1) Imperior, as in, “Sir, their service is Imperior to ours” (meaning opposite of Superior) (2) Prepone, as in, “The meeting has been preponed (meaning brought forward)…and (3) as I discovered today, the Managers here don’t “clock in” for work, they sign the “Muster Log” (whinnie, whinnie, ney, ney!).

We were both able to escape from Mumbai a bit more this year. Early on in the year, we had a very civilized break in two very civilized cities: London and Berlin. I had friends from the UK visit in September and flew with them to Jaipur, the “Pink City”, and endured the 6 hour bumpy car ride to Agra to see the Taj Mahal (still good 2^nd time around, with totally new and contradictory stories from last year’s Guide!). Jaipur is amazing. Full of camels, elephants, water buffalo, human rickshaws and relatively peaceful after the “horn okay please” signs Mumbaikars delight in actioning. My visitors thought it was like “the place time forgot”. Recently, we also enjoyed a week in Langkawii… a week-long state of ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ as we reveled in cleanliness, beauty and thick lush canopy – I honestly think we were OD-ing on oxygen!

Mumbai’s daily life still offers plenty of surprises. I recall seeing a long queue along the roadside one particular trip to town. As our trip continued, the human queue doubled into two lanes. Thinking the people were queuing for a temple, I inquired as to the special festival. Kumar, our Driver didn’t know but suggested they might be queuing to determine their university exam results. Sounded like a feasible explanation until after a good 5 or so kilometers further we approached the front of the queue, only to see signs advertising auditions for “Indian Idol”! As in the international competition, each contestant has 60 seconds to perform: your chance to make it or break it ( … and don’t argue with the result). Throughout the following months, I cringed watching the whole spectrum of television performances – mostly cool wannabes with gelled hair, standard trend-setter “sunnies” and tight jeans, crooning away in front of the panel of judges (who else but the glam bollywood brigade?) Perhaps not surprisingly, a good looking boy from the country won, who can now be seen on every available bill-board advertising “Idol’s” forthcoming season, and is soon to sign his first Bollywood movie. Dreams like his are the stuff Mumbai are made of. With 26 million children being born in India each year, there must be a lot of dreaming going on.

The front page of the Times of India carried a story today about outsourcing. It seems parents don’t even bat an eye-lid when they pay around 200 Rupees (USD 4) to outsource their child’s homework to a “professional”, such is the pressure to do well in school. “Of course I have to be careful not to do the project really well, in case the teacher knows it’s been outsourced” says the woman whose business card actually reads “For making school projects, homework and notes”! Apparently her business has flourished as thousands of Bombay parents believe this to be ‘normal’. On the subject of outsourcing, I did suggest at my one and only attendance at “Craft Group”, that they might want to consider outsourcing the (extremely labour intensive job of) making Christmas decorations for their Annual Craft Fair. Needless to say I wasn’t invited back.

I have found out some interesting statistics this week. I learnt today that the cows meandering on the roads die primarily due to consuming an excess of plastic, the (in)famous black Mumbai Crows die due to disease they acquire from the slums, and the average life expectancy of an expatriate here is 2 years. Anyone who lasts beyond that achieves automatic saint-hood in our book. Given Heiners’ 2 years concludes in January, I am delighted to conclude this Christmas Greeting not only with our love and well wishes for the coming year, but our address from 1^st February 2006. Yes folks, it is goodbye India, hello UAE.

It was not sure what to expect in this 20 million peoples populated, west coastal town, Mumbai .

A place which set us back 20 years (similar a Viagra pill) make us 35 again. It is only in feeling, I know, but through physical action it is real anyhow. That feeling is more then adrenalin by adventure it is the wholesome feeling been a useful part of the human society.

Special this time of the year when enemies and friends are even and love grow to the prior thoughts.

Dolly searching again, after years, exited and in that full living spirit after old antic furniture and I myself train again cooking of basic products which in commercial cities replaced with ready at shelf food like making mozzarella cheese, smoked salmon or chutneys.

Great fun when aged guaranty truly counts and that bring back the move to sporting youth. No matter work is 14 hours when fun and love fall together with a good life affordable like here in Mumbai. How nice and interesting life can be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A year with a stubborn but professional boss up to September and then starts that new life.

India, we just arrived at Mumbai the western, 19 million populated city of the bollywoods and the financial highlight of India.

Interesting, with a lot of import food-short coming which gives me that drive to appreciated creativity.

Complied different compare Hong Kong where everything is possible and only little appreciated, bleached by competition. Actually sad but if you life there for the past decade, like my boss you maybe also don’t won't to see or been blinded about your product have aged and limitation are given.

Anyhow I enjoyed the time in Hong Kong, my Hong Kong colleagues and friends, not so much the leadership with that bondage on creativity. That never appreciation or praise and creativity crippling through permissions delete and non ownership permitted till passion loose by the creator. A motivation cutting egoistic GM, my friend.

Luckily Great time with Cordon Noir, chefs association and the fiends previous known from the chefs scene.

September finally change. After two years to the great freedom of cooking, to fun again, perfect for me (dreaming 10 years about working in India) . September 2004 start at Intercontinental The Grand Mumbai hotel under the leadership of my friend Cordon Noirian GM and Vice President Heiner Werdeling.

Arrival at Mumbai international airport, Sahar begins a new episode of our life. Not surprised by slams, village style city buildings or traffic chaos but surprise by the friendly and welcoming staff of this beautiful hotel who just looking forward to leadership and new training and creations. Appreciated by warm management and guests. All this made my aged feelings already 20 years younger…..fresh and appreciated.

I keep you posted when the first cordon noir dinner will be done in Mumbai and for sure you will be exited about that and join my great Indian Cordon Noir sometime next year. Wishing you all the best and that exiting challenge needed to make life useful and fun.

Please don’t hesitate visiting me at my new home the InterContinental The Grand Mumbai , take a short blins at http://www.intercontinental.com

A year rushed by

2003 was a year with disaster for many, SARS, economic turmoil and terrorists made change thinking . It changes from long-term setting of the everlasting future to a shorter survival, tomorrow only.

For what a insurance if there is not much prospect to survive, special for me. This is not a healthy thinking, I know, since my wife and I are childless and above 50 years old, there is not so much sense in preparing fore something new. Better stay at that used style, but decreasing-term thinking.

Funny actually since the whole life planed a head and now we just change to a tomorrow next months or maximum next year vision.

It is if the meaning of life looses out, evolution for my own body to the dead which is naturally but never seen so many times in my brain advance.

Well I don’t know but for sure the hope that my lucky life goes on stays, with that friends help extending a vision of success. A happy togetherness with wife and world keeps up the most importance and desire to enjoy that challenging life drive.

It is a little like sex, when the first time it gave me that "wow" and now after known that, other excitements crystallizing in dreams of been even better, new horizons to satisfaction, giving new positions.

Last night I was at that Rolling Stones concert here in Hong Kong and you may feel funny when you see this my age peoples falling in trance of youth by just remembering (true listening rock and roll) the past youth excitement of human spring.

It would be great if this memory play would be possible by any mental down and drug you and me up to that youthful full spirit.

I try with Cordon Noir and my love for Cooking to do right that and known it will work, if with any.

So if you have next time a down just use what ever it take in your favorable memory and trawl the down a way, maybe with a little "Cordon Noir" helps.

Article my personal Comments to SARS

This article was deleted after very personal comments from Members
with reason on the article as been in Non Cordon Noirian View.

never believed possible, business cut in Hong Kong's hotel industry make many hotels look like ghost hotels


	It is not a matter you believe in God or not, it is a matter that you are human. You are , I believe! If you seen 911 or the horrible bombing just happen in Bali don't blame God blame the God-less or believing-less peoples who are able acting so selfish by God-less killings peoples in there prime. Discriminating the whole human race with actions for simple show off, power, perversity, money, satisfaction and selfish thinking. Just a primitive human group , very sad to loose the life for, maybe loosen the balance at believing in human. There is maybe the need in giving advise or other help would be a naive solution and only grown at my brain. I believe in human , give my respect to human and love the human race. For me it is not possible to put excuse for action like the killing of innocent peoples for religious, races, capitalistic or revenge reasons . Is there no learning from history of our human ancestor, no change, is devolution going back to animalistic? I am a free thinker but seen all this horror I love to believe in God and maybe he would give a solution. God Bless all of you who wounded in mind and body and stay with God never giving up believing. Jochen Kern Hong Kong October 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas Turkey Solutions Singapore Orchard-road stays in shine like the past years, hotels promoting festive specials like past, maybe a little lower priced, but quality and assortment at same glimpse of festivity. This festive season of 2001 reminds me of a Christmas in Germany, 1950 was the year. We had no money, little food and felt depressed after the second world-war came to an end. One think that made the whole Christmas holy, was the warm togetherness of the family. The main purpose of the holy festival was reborn through suffering. If I see the world situation and insecurity at the job market today I get that very similar feeling. What will happen? Lets see what we can do when…? I believe this year’s Christmas turkey brings me solutions and open my mind to a side of economic possibilities. This thought has run through my head for the past couple of months. What happens if there’s a salary cut, or need to move to a more economical apartment, etc, etc…. Maybe history will repeat itself and times will be like 51 year ago without all the luxury of today’s living style. Now at least I know how to work after 37 years training. We are professionals who can do a lot of things and in our trade of hospitality would be also a job in any aspect of food or caring for other peoples visible and I could benefit from my experience to work in other branches of hospitality not directly related to hotels. 9 million jobless are the forecast for our hospitality industry. At 9 million unemployed, we better stop believing in luck or too sure that tomorrow we still have our jobs. We better think that we are able to make satay including carving the bamboo sticks. Now is the time for emergency learning even if it seems late. Better then never, any hint can be helpful when disaster is knocking at your door. Preparing oneself mentally for tougher times will make it easier for us to face the glimpse reality if it occurs. So I believe this Christmas is an eye opener but I feel the love and togetherness of friends and family will bring that warm and kindling spirit of Christmas into my house just as in 1950. Just a chef December 2001 Your Cordon Noir President Jochen Kern Merry Christmas and a prosper 2002 --------------------------------------- the big Change in Life style from the Singapore Straits Times Interactive The Lifestyle of the New Millenium In the 80s and 90s, we heralded in the years of the yuppie, nice cars. Nothing was more enjoyable than making money (except maybe spending it). Money and materialism were the trademarks of those years, the decade of temporary prosperity. We are now at the dawn of a new millenium. What else has changed? Nothing it would seem... with internet startup companies enjoying astronomical valuations and wealth measured in paper terms, have we arrived to stare at our past in the face? Dear Frinds The Economic turmoil in South East Asia is over? Maybe? The feeling of insecurity stays, and maybe will stay for a long time, friends past by and friends left as alone which was undestood as natur of but in the past crisis we missed them more and I really was in need of them ! Before was all so natural and normal. Loosing job hase something to do with performance! Attitude was the explanation for ajusting and oposite all miserable happening! Life quality was your own fault ! But then when that company talked about payroll cut and the high salary must go - transfer to Wohan in China. Sign beside the unconfortable decision of leaving a company after 10 years > keept some wicked feeling on human cruelty in my back-brain with a danger thinking solution < I am nothing worth > and purifeid the thought that anyhow nobody cares . Skilled performance is a zero worth in a capitalistic thinking enviroment and a human, maybe, counting nothing at all , respect to personality did not exist and meaner you are better, higher you are in management. Horrible when we think that all surviving management is maybe cruel - but it is not up to as to make any commands just hopefully that we are worth money. There is no social aspect in busines just money. But these I known already for long time , yes but it was never so clear to me. So... what is the real thing in life, maybe something without money, something with feeling, something with fun , something with friendship, maybe something with caviar , hopefully something with Cordon Noir. Singapore 1.7.2000 your Jochen Kern -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Millenium Message Wishing you that new...unbelievable...good...outstanding...Millenium!!!
	*Dear Cordon Noirian and Friends!* The new Millennium is not only a change of time, a change to the second 50 years (for me), a change to high tech or a change to different approach on surroundings and understandings of togetherness "LOVE" For Cordon Noir it will be an approach of finding a way on togetherness in making fun and mental communication ever lasting. You think >EVER< is a exaggerate word. I don't think so… Life is countable…many lives are multiply able and so long we believe on future there will be a future generation who believes and need fun and friendship through enjoyment, even it is me in my next life, which I am sure have. I will never stop to keep this fun our basic and moral magic on a healthy productive life. The first step for our side of Cordon Noir will be the cancellation of our News letter . Now after implementing the Web page http://cordonnoir.com one year already you had efficient time to practice the computer handling which is today a part of our privat and working live any how. It is a waste of money and financial from my side not possible to keep, without changing roles to membership fee - which I am not willing to do. Fun should not be dictated by finance! The electronic news letter is much faster, more illustrative and non stop changeable - up to date. I offer Web pages on news, know how, culture, fun, live, jobs, links, events, travel, souvenirs, roles and regulation, cordon noir hotels, new members, member addresses, a Chat room, and and and… No limitations are given and that with sound and movements, all sides in color and so on. This Web site safes annual Newsletter cost of $ 6000.00, that fact alone will give you the explanation for my doing. I believe it is a good start in the Millennium to cut waste in paper, personal and global. Any contact you may like just email or chat on our site. For That New Millennium don't miss serving to be up to date with Cordon Noir http://cordonnoir.com
	Singapore December 1999 Jochen Kern
	Word from the founder… We are a decade old! The 7 January 1988 was the birth date of Cordon Noir. For the Cordon Noirian, it was memorable date. It was also the day when Hanne Abele joined her husband, Dieter, Vice Chairman, Cordon Noir. This year will be our great anniversary extravaganza in Beijing from 14 to 17 August 1998. So firm-up your bookings now with Thomas Kassemak in Germany who has drawn up special packages inclusive of transportation and optional sightseeing tours of China. Alternatively, you can booked through me. Economic and currency turmoil, it seemed to longer on and has negative impact on the Asian business circle. However, it is going tougher. Things are changing rapidly where companies or organisations streamlined or ceased their operations so not to further incur losses. No one is safe from the reality hat we are all in a “battlefield” where the fittest survive and not recommended for the weak. There is no guarantee even for myself that maybe the only solution is to be economic with the spending of our money. But is money all that matters? Lift up the spirit and manifold (flexibility). Cordon Noirian spirit is to be self-assured and that we are not useless in spite the predicament. So the continuance of your own personality as it gives you the power to stay above the losers. Luck does not matter when you lose your job. But the bottom line is that your company is only trying surviving and giving you an income. Yes! Harsh times ahead of us. More importantly is to believe in oneself that we are capable of handling tough times. It is during such trying period that many innovative and creative ways surfaced. At the end of it, we will discover our very own strength and personality and be able to challenge or manage difficult circumstances. So get up and join us in Beijing for the fun with friends, enjoy the hospitality, culture, and experience a new horizon. Your personal encounter with the people of Beijing, perhaps after all helps us to realised that happiness still strive in them in spite the frugal lifestyle. Does this not demonstrate that money is not everything? The revitalising effect of this magnitude not only draws us out from the sadness but also gives us the happiness. What more? The Cordon Noirian experience (like at the Induction) gave us an authentic moment for comparison with a vision come true. A delightful saying from a Latin friend: “Per aspera at astra” -through the stones to the stars- >>>to enjoy or realised success you need tuff compares<<< Thank you Cordon Noirian and See You in Beijing! Jochen Kern Singapore summer 1998
	THE WORD FROM THE FOUNDER The Importance of Believing! I believe that every human being is good, having something good inside, is form-able to be good and I believe, believe and believe. Call me a dreamer or a blinded person; I do not think so. Maybe I am too open and believe that different people can be judged equally and actually are nearly the same, the same special being, but with that little or big personality difference. And now after 49 years, the past Russian experience has changed my mind! Maybe not all human being has this little bit of “good” inside, maybe the alcohol consumed daily by this Russian changed the human into a drunken monster, without control over himself and worst, without that very important part – feelings. People without feelings have shown me the dangerous animal instinct, not controllable and not able to see or justify good or bad. What was the reason causing this young man in South Russia such uncontrollable behaviour, forgotten humanity? How come we are so shaky in our mind; how come I am so trustful of human? It must be the previous good experience. Till now, it was only good or well-spoken human in good condition that built my trust. Experience with friends from the entire world and in my mother’s words believing – you will be treated like you behave – was surely till this summer my guideline, openness and trust! But now a third factor has come into my life, a second kind of human, which for sure existed the whole time, only not in my life! Luckily, not known before, otherwise Cordon Noir would not be possible. A club like Cordon Noir is only possible as it is built by trust on human. This TRUST hopefully is returned by all the members of this super community as shown at this year participation in China! I believe…. Cordon Noirian are people able to build a world and be trusted, friends helpful to each other and respected plus respect giving individuals. I wish and pray from the deepest corner of my heart that I am right! Wishing you a very happy New Year 1999. Jochen Kern
	THE WORD FROM THE FOUNDER A friend came to visit me… Thanks for flowering my life. How nice if somebody else thinks warm about you and even visits you. Yes I know he was not a person from my family and not a business type or enemy, I mean somebody who actually thinks of you warmly – not meaning lovely – but actually yes, really visiting you and rekindling those nostalgic memories of friendship and to catch up for “old times sake”. Feeling the warmth of others is the most important thing we need as human beings today since we live in a stressful society… so receiving the warmth of others makes you feel protected, secure and aglow that you are not alone in this world. The same thing goes for a Cordon Noir event. What makes it special and well remembered? The success of Cordon Noir depends on its “Surroundings” and here, I don’t mean infrastructures, plates, furniture and so on. Importantly, it’s the company and people hat brings about the good feelings of the events held. You wonder why I write this or what I am trying to explain? The circle of life is only possible with the ups and downs of life. Ups are for sure the pleasant moments of life and the down moments are part and parcel of everyone’s life journey. We do need the ups and downs in life to recognize the fact that life is not just a bed of roses, the downs will enable us to live life more meaningfully, to experience and appreciate what we have and to take each moment of life as graciously as possible.

A year rushed by

It is not a matter you believe in God or not, it is a matter that you are human.

You are , I believe!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Christmas Turkey Solutions

The Lifestyle of the New Millenium

Word from the founder…