Just one day in a comp

I was recently part of a squad of people & chefs that went to the IKA Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany. With over 1800 competitors from 67 countries & more than 100000 visitors seeing over 8000 menus cooked, I thought I would try and give some idea to just a single day of competitive cookery; Have a read:

SATURDAY….

Competition day 1

It's been a week.

PREP, PREP, PREP

Backwards & forwards to our training kitchens & suppliers.

Finishing touches, finding the last required ingredients. Testing 8 varieties of potato to get the pommes souffle right. Finding the right eggs for the right protein level. Sourcing the meat taken at customs, when other international countries had no problem getting it through. Putting the finishing touches to dishes tested & prepped over the last couple of years to make certain they are right. Questioning everything to achieve perfection...

After the opening ceremony yesterday, with a parade of nations headed up by Australia and culminating in the lighting of the flame, the senior squad headed back to our Rieber training kitchen for final touches for Mise en Place which was done well into the early hours of Saturday morning and after a few hours sleep, loaded into the truck on Saturday morning, along with all the equipment for the journey to IKA.

We arrived at loading carpark 1, ready to rock…, but no! We have to wait to get in. The gates are closed to us. For an an hour in the cold, but a chance to catch breath. Chat with a few other squads, the Americans, the Nederland, there’s about 40 vehicles all wanting to be 1st in

Gates opened at 2 & in we went. Thunderstruck blaring on the radio: We were at the front!

We offload the truck & the van and find the kitchen: our 1st comp. Everything accounted for. Lists ticked. All set. Champing at the bit.

Everybody together…all in whites, nervous energy with all the squads & judges watching everything.

Briefing from the head judge & in! Everything placed, everything set, everything labled and GO!

The machine sets in motion, well oiled, efficient, doing the dance of getting the menu set for customers & judges alike.

Fans are cheering & loud music is coming from the auditorium. The chefs have 1 focus…perfection.

Other teams tap on the glass. The chefs don’t look up

Prep, cook, finish the sauces, set the pot ready, steamers & sous vide all set.

Tables laid with polished crockery & silver cutlery. The Aussie flag prominent….

Where’s the side plates? Why has the venue not supplied like they should have? What to do? Support crew???

Sorted! Phew!!!

Judges with eagle eyes checking literally everything. Ticking boxes & writing remarks. No change of look across their face, giving nothing away.

SERVICE!!!

Plates sent up…buffet, canapes, a huge variety of dishes… all precision placed, layers of flavours, judges & customers alike sat, mentally & physically judging.

Service completed! Done. The team hug. That’s done!

NOW the clear down.

Boxes repacked. Trays racked. Benches wiped down again for the 100th time. Paperwork completed for HACCP. They can do no more for this one.

OUT to the vans & load up.

It’s minus 3 degrees!

Shivering with adrenaline & the cold the van is loaded and its back to the training kitchen to offload & get the gear ready for the junior squad who are 1st on tomorrow for the Restaurant of Nations. Its half an hour away and there’s 2 hours more work. Hashtag life of a competition chef! Finally hitting the bed at about 3.30 in the morning comp 1 is done!

But tomorrow is another day! It starts in 2 hours!

#acfaussiechefs #ausculinaryfederation #ausculinaryteam #AusCulOlymp24 #AusIKA24 #IKA2024 #Takingpartiseverything