Two Sodexo Ireland chefs have been selected to represent Ireland in the IKA/Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart from February 4-7.
Head chef Gordon Carberry will be on the senior team (chefs aged over 25 years) and sous chef Chris Leech on the junior team (25 years and under).
IKA/Culinary Olympics
Sodexo is the only food services business to have a representative on each team.
Carberry and Leech will be joining some 1,800 chefs from 67 nations in the world’s largest and most multi-faceted live culinary competition.
'Extremely Proud'
“Given the high level of Irish talent that will be travelling to Stuttgart, we’re extremely proud to be the only food services business with two chefs among the Irish contingent taking on the global best of the best in Stuttgart," said David Fox, managing director at Sodexo Ireland.
"It will be tough, but Gordon and Chris have worked extremely hard in preparing themselves for the competition, and we wish them the very best of luck in what is sure to be the experience of a lifetime.”
‘Restaurant Of Nations’
The competition will welcome 18 chefs per country, ten on the senior team and eight on the junior.
Each team must cook a full three course ‘Restaurant of Nations’ menu (the seniors for 110 people and the juniors for 75) and a Chef’s Table style menu for 14 and 12 people respectively.
Both teams will be competing on February 3 (Restaurant of Nations) and on February 5 (Chef’s Table) with winners announced on Wednesday, February 7.
'The Pressure'
“We will be competing in a replica of a live restaurant situation, in a kitchen with glass walls, so every thing we do is visible and nothing is hidden," said head chef Gordon Carberry, Sodexo’s senior team representative.
"Standards are sky high and the pressure of this challenge is not for the faint hearted, but I can’t wait to get started."
Menu Development
In Ireland, the teams were chosen through a combination of assessment and competitive results in culinary competitions.
Once selected, the members travelled from all over Ireland to meet for regular training sessions, menu development and testing to perfect their dishes.
The Irish teams will be led by Alan Fitzmaurice, head chef at the Glasshouse Hotel in Sligo, president of the Panel of Chefs of Ireland, and senior team captain.
