News Article

Forces' culinary Olympians look to cook up a treat

A People In Defence news article

15 Oct 08

The créme de la créme of the UK Armed Forces' top chefs are heading to Germany to compete in the Culinary Olympics, being held this year in Erfurd between 19 and 22 October 2008.

Corporals Kevin Reid and John Heard

Corporals Kevin Reid and John Heard put the finishing touches to the ultra delicate cherry chiboust dessert
[Picture: Chris Fletcher]

The team of 15, comprising 13 chefs and two admin/logistics support personnel, will be up against 12 other teams from around the world in the military category. A total of some 1,500 chefs compete in the Culinary Olympics and, like its more sporting cousin, it too is held once every four years.

The first stage of the challenge is that each team must devise and submit seven three course menus. The Olympic Committee will then select one of them to be produced for 150 people. Following that the team must prepare a cold buffet.

The 13 chefs on the team come from all three Services; each brings with them their own specialist culinary skills, be it dessert decoration or meat preparation. The highly prized positions on the team are claimed by those chefs who win the top prizes at the Inter-Services Catering Competition, held each year at Sandown Racecourse.

Expectations are running at an all time high, the British team have a formidable reputation in this competition. They've spent the past few weeks in intensive preparation at the Defence Catering School in Aldershot, and their final meal preparation rehearsal, consisting of a cooked meal for ten, was completed at RAF Halton only last week.

Team manager, Warrant Officer Class 1 Eric Montgomery Royal Marines said:

"We've had the perfect preparation for this. The teams improve every time it (Culinary Olympics) comes around. This team has all the skills and more, we've just got to get out there now and win it."





Subscribe to defence email updates
Page not yet rated
This page has an average rating of 0/5