December and January were very busy times for the membership of Culinary Team British Columbia. Above and beyond the annual rigors associated with the Christmas season the team engaged in three additional and successful practices and a host of fundraisers including a gala dinner held in conjunction with the brigade at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel for the Vancouver Hospital Foundation.
With equipment sorted, packed and dispatched, and with suitcases filled, the team was ready to embark on their Olympic adventure in Stuttgart, Germany. The excitement mounted as the team and their entourage, friends and family assembled at the airport with their baggage and their food on February 9th and after heartfelt good wishes and goodbyes, the lengthy check-in process commenced and soon thereafter the team, their support, coaches and managers were on their way to Frankfurt, Germany.
Once landed, the team boarded a chartered bus and began their three hour journey to the charming city of Reutlingen near Stuttgart in the province of Baden-Württemberg. Immediately upon arrival they began the process of transforming one of the City Hotel Fortuna’s meeting rooms into a combined equipment storage facility, an office, a dining room, a pastry studio, a laundry and a base for all team operations. Once set up, dinner in a traditional Swabian restaurant nearby was followed by an early night for the exhausted travellers.
The following morning began, as it did most mornings while in Germany, with the hotel’s breakfast buffet and a team meeting. Because this year’s IKA Olympics were held for the first time in the Stuttgart area the day was spent with the team familiarizing themselves with the Reutlingen area including the discovery of markets, the pick up of rental vehicles and determining the best route to the Stuttgart Messe (convention centre) a half hour away. Team Chef, Helen Orimaco Pumatong, shopped for her upcoming team meals and set up her area of the hotel’s kitchen with the able assistance of team helper Reba DeGuevara.
Meanwhile, the team unpacked their coolers, stored their food and began preparation for the following evening’s “Canada Night’ at the Mövenpick Hotel adjacent to the Messe. The event, hosted by National Team Canada was to include all of the Canadian teams scheduled to compete at the 2020 Olympics including Team BC, Team NAIT and the National Junior Team.
Needless to say the Canada Night went extremely well as the teams manned stations located all around the banquet room and expertly served wonderful Canadian specialties to the invited guests despite the dubious start because of the activation of the kitchen fire alarm at the brand new hotel.
A somewhat clandestine trip to the competition kitchens the following day provided a quick yet effective opportunity to witness first hand the floor plan, the equipment, and the service line. Much of the remainder of the day was spent strategizing and establishing a plan of attack formulated by team logistics expert and the team’s kitchen helper, Shawn Lang. As the team’s kitchen helper, Shawn could advise, remind and encourage the team while in action.
Later that afternoon the entire team returned to the convention centre for the official opening ceremonies that included numerous speeches by local luminaries, chefs, organizers and politicians followed by the parade of nations and more dissertations. Clearly, the team was much more interested in getting back in their kitchen to prepare for the following day’s activities.
After two years of practice and fundraising and two days of preparation, Saturday, February 15th had finally arrived. The early morning hours witnessed the team unloading their food and equipment while eagerly awaiting the go ahead to enter their kitchen. With a half hour to set up their kitchen and after a thorough inspection of their food and preparation by members of the judging panel the cooking began.
Competing on the first day is challenging and often the first day teams are at a disadvantage especially when competing in a category new to them. A lottery is held to determine when each team competes. Given no choice, the team forged on, implementing their practiced menu and timelines while every rival team scheduled for the days to follow were in attendance at the kitchen window observing, learning and making notes on how to proceed.
Less so than the other categories at the Olympiad, health and sanitation played an primary role in the Community Catering event. Dr. Jane Ruddick was the team’s sanitation coach who, despite some initial resistance by the team, ensured that everyone was well versed in the application of good sanitation practices including temperature monitoring, appropriate cooking and holding techniques and overall kitchen cleanliness. The environment also played an important role in the contest. Single use plastics were discouraged, recycling was encouraged and food waste, leftovers and waste in general were frowned upon. Once again Jane played an integral role in the development of a plan to minimize or eliminate waste and excess.
Although four hours may seem like a long time, it seems like only a matter of minutes during a culinary competition. With each and every team member totally focused on their assignments and with the support members peering and cheering through the glass windows the four hours passed quickly and soon a line up of guests formed, all in anticipation of a great lunch served by the British Columbia chefs. They were not disappointed.
The Menu
Pickled Golden Beet, Beet Fluid Gel, Caraway Crumb.
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B.C. Farmed Salmon Confit, Pickled Mustard Seed,
Avocado Puree on Jicama over Tomato Water
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Chopped Lettuce Salad, Humus, Radish, Mulled Grape Tomatoes,
Fennel, Feta and Black Olive Soil, White Balsamic Vinaigrette.
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Miso Glazed Sable Fish / Ginger Broth, Shrimp Gyoza,
Braised Romaine Lettuce Roll with Shiitake Mushrooms,
Edamame / Shimejis, Pickled Daikon.
or
Prosciutto Wrapped Beef Roulade, Chermoula Sauce, Osso Buco Jus ,
Cannellini Bean Ragout, Parsnip Croquette,
King Oyster Mushroom, Broccolini.
or
Vegetarian Pea Custard Tartlet, Creamed Salsify, Onion Jam,
Mushroom Duxelles, Lentil Salad, Braised Leek, Rice Cracker, Pecorino Foam.
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Carrot Sponge, Chocolate Cremeaux, Cream Cheese Mousse Layer Cake,
Thyme Oat Crumble, Carrot / Citrus Sorbet, Carrot Salad, Orange Ginger Gel.
Two hours of service passed very quickly and soon the entire team swooped in for a major cleanup of the kitchen followed by a return trip to the hotel and yet another wonderful meal prepared by Helen.
While the team were engaged in the community catering competition, another project was well under way. Team member Tina Tang was scheduled to present an entry in the individual pastry category two days later. Included in the set up of the conference room at the team’s hotel was a work station specifically set up to accommodate Tina’s entry. Pastry chef and petit four specialist Suzannah Yeung joined the team to assist and advise Tina in preparing and showing the four plated desserts and four varieties of petite fours required.
The following morning witnessed the return of the team to the conference centre to observe their fellow competitors in the community catering competition. Without question, the competition was close. The team enjoyed the opportunity of having been on the other side of the kitchen window as they enjoyed lunch prepared by a variety of the day’s rival teams.
Back to the hotel where the entire team assisted in an all-nighter in preparation of Tina’s entry for the next day. Tina’s entry consisted of four varieties of petite fours based on an “Outer Space” theme that included detailed miniature pastries representing Saturn(s), Earth(s), Moon(s) and Rocket Ships. Tina’s beautifully presented dessert entry was comprised of Black Forest Cake, Apple Tart Tatin, Myer Lemon Cheesecake and Raspberry / White Chocolate Panna Cotta. All four classical desserts were given a modern twist and each presented with a variety of garnishes and accompaniments.
Later in the afternoon the teams assembled in the centre of the messe to eagerly learn the results of the past two days. It was announced that Culinary Team British Columbia had received a silver medal for their efforts.. Certainly a respectable showing but the team’s disappointment was apparent. Of the millions of cooks in the world, how many could boast a medal of any sort at the culinary Olympics? Very few! Despite the fact that they had not won the competition, they were now members of a very exclusive alliance!
The following day it was discovered that Tina had acquired a bronze medal for her pastry display. The team gathered in the Restaurant of Nations later that evening for extraordinary dinners prepared by the National Teams from Sweden and Germany. A return to the hotel, a breakdown of the conference room and the packing of equipment to be shipped home preceded a much welcomed the first full night of sleep in some time.
It should be said that the team was indeed fortunate to have chosen the City Hotel Fortuna as their home away from home. Everyone at the hotel was welcoming, helpful and patient. From the moment of the team’s arrival until their early morning departure eleven days later, absolutely everyone in the hotel went out of their way to assist the team despite the invasion of their kitchen, the complete takeover of their meeting room and the constant disruption of theie day to day routine. In fact, they made a point of demonstrating their support by way of social media and even contacting the local newspaper resulting in an article and the team photo on the front page! Simple things like free assigned parking, box lunches for the journey home, reserved tables in the dining room and of course friendliness, cooperation and kindness all added up to provide a positive hotel experience. Team BC is proud to have been associated with such a selfless group of professionals.
The IKA Culinary Olympics was only a part of Germany’s largest hospitality trade show, INTRAGASTRA. The Culinary Olympics were held in one of nine gigantic halls. The other eight were filled with a wide variety of catering and hotel industry related displays, and demonstrations. The latest in tools, cookware, large and small equipment, clothing and accessories were on display at this enormous venue as were a multitude of convenience foods, wines and beverages and innovative new products Despite each team member’s intention of visiting every hall, their tours were often prematurely concluded in the hall dedicated exclusively to ice cream complete with hundreds of samples. Team BC were all given a pan of their choice by AMT the German manufacturers of what they bill as the world’s best pan by representative Carmelo Vadacchino from Food Supplies. Ltd.
Throughout the week transportation to and from the show and to other locations was obviously ongoing. John Carlo Felicella (only one of his many duties) and Daniel Davyduke very capably shuttled the team and their supporters while Shawn drove the cargo van on the day of the competition.
Coach Bruno Marti, attending his amazing thirteenth Culinary Olympics continued his coaching duties up until the moment the team entered the competition kitchen while Assistant Manager James Hutton and Marco Baldissera provided support wherever and when ever they were needed. Meanwhile, skillfully taken photographs and concise reports were posted on Instagram and Facebook by the team’s social media coordinator Christine Cho.
Absolutely no-one can complain about starving yet despite the great meals prepared by our team’s chef, the traditional German meals at the nearby Barfüßer restaurant, the competitor’s meals at the messe and an overabundance of ice cream, the team decided to celebrate their journey by dining at the one star Michelin Restaurant Waldhorn in the nearby town of Tüblingen. The diners were expertly served a superbly cooked five course meal accompanied by excellent German wines. A great way to decompress after a very hectic and exhausting adventure.
The final day in Germany was spent at the F. Dick factory near Stuttgart. Team BC was invited to the event by Canadian Rep. Carmelo along with all of the competing Canadian and American teams at the Olympiad. The visitors were given tours of the knife and sharpening steel manufacturing facilities, a visit to the retail store with a 20% discount and all were treated to a buffet of local specialties, pastries, wine, coffee, and soft drinks. It was a special day of learning, socializing and networking. Our thanks to everyone involved in the organization of this special event.
In the chilly early hours of Friday the 21st a groggy group boarded the bus for the sleepy trip back to Frankfurt and the return flight home. Hugs and sincere goodbyes at the Vancouver Airport and the final chapter of the Culinary Team British Columbia saga was complete…..or was it?