Munich. The BMW Group and “chef of the century”
Eckart Witzigmann are strengthening their joint commitment to the
culinary arts, nutrition and social responsibility. At the same time,
they are sharpening the focus of the International Eckart Witzigmann
Award, ECKART for short, in their fifth year of collaboration. The
award will become more global in its efforts to create an
international stage for sustainability, quality and responsible
nutrition. Award ceremonies will also be held outside of Germany in
the future, starting in France: The ECKART 2017 will be presented in
the country that invented haute cuisine.
The fifth year of cooperation also marks a transition: Dr. Nicolas
Peter, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for
Finance, takes over as patron of the cooperation from his predecessor
in the Board of Management, Dr. Friedrich Eichiner. Eichiner, with
considerable personal commitment, had moulded the cooperation since 2012.
“I am impressed by the partnership and collaboration with the
Witzigmann Academy. Together, we can encourage public debate about
conscious nutrition and responsibility towards people, animals and the
planet,” said Peter. “These are very important matters for the BMW
Group, and for me, personally. It is an honour to take over the
patronage of ECKART from my esteemed predecessor.”
France was an obvious choice for the first stop on the ECKART world
tour: French cuisine sets the international standard, and food and
drink occupy an important place in its culture. It is no coincidence
that many ECKART award-winners are from France, including the
Troisgros Family, Anne-Sophie Pic and Tomi Ungerer. Outside the
culinary world, a special friendship has always existed between
Germany and France. France is also very important to the BMW Group.
BMW France is an integral part of the BMW Group’s international
network and France was the fifth-largest market for new car sales in 2016.
France also has its very special importance to Eckart Witzigmann: “I
had the privilege to learn from luminaries like Paul Haeberlin to Paul
Bocuse the essentials of their art. These leading figures of the
French cuisine nurtured my creativity and style.”
The ECKART 2017 award ceremony in autumn 2017 marks the first step in
the further internationalisation of the award, with other stops around
the world to follow. Next year already, the ECKART 2018 will be
presented outside of Europe.
ECKART and the BMW Group
The International Eckart Witzigmann Award is one of the most
prestigious honours recognising outstanding achievements in the art of
cooking and fine dining. “Chef of the century” Eckart Witzigmann has
awarded the ECKART for unique culinary achievements and special
commitment under the broad spectrum of lifestyle since 2004. In
partnership with the BMW Group, the Witzigmann Academy presents awards
annually in the categories: “Art of Cookery”, “Innovation” and “Art of
Living”. The Academy has also presented an ECKART for “Creative
Responsibility and Enjoyment” since 2013, with a cash award of 10,000
euros endowed by the BMW Group.
Previous winners include Daniel Boulud, HRH Charles Prince of Wales,
Elena Arzak, Anne-Sophie Pic, Harald Wohlfahrt, Dieter Kosslick,
Ferran Adrià, Marc Haeberlin, Joël Robuchon, Alex Atala, Jon Rose,
Mick Hucknall, Massimo Bottura, Dominique Crenn, Andreas Caminada; and
many more.
Sustainability has been an integral part of the BMW Group’s corporate
strategy for many years, with sustainable development firmly
established as a corporate target at Group level: from the development
of alternative, fuel-saving vehicle concepts through
environmentally-compatible production processes to eco-friendly
recycling methods. At the BMW Group, sustainable thinking and action
influences not only the product, but the entire value chain. In all
areas of the company, the focus is on meaningful and responsible use
of energy and raw materials.
If you have any questions, please contact:
BMW Group Corporate Communications
Julian Hetzenecker, BMW Group Business and Financial Communications
Tel.: +49-89-382-39229
Email: julian.hetzenecker@bmw.de
Email: presse@bmw.de
Media website: www.press.bmw.de
Press contact Witzigmann Academy
Otto Geisel
Lachner-Straße 18
80639 München
Telephone: +49 89 139 260 26
office@ottogeisel.de
Further information on the Eckart Witzigmann Award can be
found at:
www.eckart-witzigmann-preis.de
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and
145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately
€ 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31
December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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