Gold Medal and Second Place for Culinary Team Alberta at World Culinary Olympics in Germany
Tyler Ivey, Meaghan Koop, Myles Fedun, Doug Overes and Peter Keith after the win
Culinary Team Alberta was the only Canadian regional team to win Gold at the IKA World Culinary Olympics held October 5–10, 2012, in Erfurt, Germany. In a field of 47 regional teams (including six others from Canada), the Alberta chefs’ gold-medal finish ranked them second overall at this premier international competition.
This is the youngest team ever fielded by Team Alberta. The four chef members and the pastry chef only completed their culinary schooling and/or apprenticeship within the last year. The World Culinary Olympics was their first international competition.
“Alberta has a long tradition of involvement in culinary competitions,” says the team’s one veteran competitor, and captain, Doug Overes. “But as chefs move from competing into mentoring and coaching, we have to interest and develop new competitors. These four young chefs showed what our up-and-coming generation can do when given the chance.”
Beyond the chefs’ high energy level, fresh perspective, creativity and commitment, it was their handling of the pressure-cooker competition days that really stood out for Overes.
“Our travel contingent included us, Culinary Team Canada and the NAIT Junior Team,” says Overes. “Our event was on the last day of the Olympics, so we were often called on before that to lend a hand on other fronts. The Team chefs threw themselves into whatever was needed. They did so much hard work beyond preparing our entries — with no griping, and smiles on their faces. And then put out a great table when it was our turn.”
With winning chefs like this, Culinary Team Alberta has a promising future.
Members of Culinary Team Alberta 2012 are:
| Team Manager | Vinod Varshney, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology – Culinary Arts Program, Edmonton |
| Captain | Doug Overes, Lethbridge College – Culinary Careers, Lethbridge |
| Chef Members |
Myles Fedun, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton Tyler Ivey, Sunrise Village, Lethbridge Peter Keith, Hardware Grill, Edmonton |
| Pastry Chef | Meaghan Koop, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton |
| Coaches |
Fred Zimmerman, Retired Chef, Calgary Resi Mendoza, Pinebrook Golf and Country Club, Calgary |
