Munich. The international Eckart Witzigmann Award
(ECKART) continues its journey around the world: In 2018, the renowned
award for fine cuisine, the art of cookery and conscious enjoyment –
named after “chef of the century” Eckart Witzigmann – will be
presented in New York. In their sixth year of cooperation, the BMW
Group and the Eckart Academy are continuing with further
internationalisation of the award – this year paying tribute to
outstanding services to ground-breaking gastronomy and nutrition on
the American Continent.
“Our partnership with the Eckart Academy is based on the joint aim of
creating an international platform for healthy eating, sustainable
cuisine and responsible use of resources. We have looked at a lot of
ambitious projects like this in the American restaurant scene for the
ECKART 2018,” said Dr. Nicolas Peter, member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG, responsible for Finance and patron of the
ECKART. “We see the ECKART as a way of taking social responsibility
and achieving a lasting impact through our involvement.”
This mission is reflected not least in the endowment established in
2017 for each of the award categories. All four award-winners in the
categories “Art of Cookery”, “Innovation”, “Creative Responsibility”
and “Art of Living”, in addition to one previous winner, propose a
social or sustainable project of their choice to receive an endowment
of € 50,000 from the BMW Group. The choice of projects is evaluated
and approved by the ECKART jury and the BMW Group. The total endowment
of €250,000 reflects the prestige and importance of the ECKART as a
top international culinary award.
“We don’t just want to recognise our award-winners one time: We are
ensuring that their outstanding ideas and commitment can be realised
over many years,” explained Dr. Peter. “We are serious about the ECKART.”
“We have to do something,” added “chef of the century” Eckart
Witzigmann. “I have always criticised that there is too much talk and
not enough action. With the endowment from the BMW Group, we are able
to support people and their ideas and ensure that things really change.”
Members of the jury committee include Eckart Witzigmann; Otto Geisel,
head of the Eckart Academy; Dr. Nicolas Peter, member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG, Finance; Dr. Friedrich Eichiner, former BMW
Board of Management member and honorary member of the ECKART jury; as
well as numerous restaurateurs and chefs from the ECKART network,
including Uta Schlagenhauf and Hermann Bareiss of Hotel Bareiss,
three-star chef Alain Ducasse and his sous-chef Matthias Hahn.
Dr. Nicolas Peter at the ECKART 2017 award ceremony in Versailles:
If you have any questions, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Julian Hetzenecker, Business and Finance Communications, julian.hetzenecker@bmw.de
Telephone: +49 89 382-39229
Micaela Sandstede, Business and Finance Communications, micaela.sandstede@bmw.de
Telephone: +49 89 382-61611
Media website: www.press.bmw.de
Email: presse@bmw.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.
The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries.
In 2017, the BMW Group sold over 2,463,500 passenger vehicles and
more than 164,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the
financial year 2017 was € 10.655 billion on revenues amounting to
€ 98.678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a
workforce of 129,932 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.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview
Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com