COMPETITIONS
Gold Medal Sweep for Team Alberta Chefs at World Culinary Olympics
Brad Horen Team Captain, Junko Sadahiro, Patrick Gayler Lloyd Winters, (Judge) and Scott Ards
Culinary Team Alberta chefs won gold in each of their three-team competition categories, and then added two more gold medals in the individual competition at the IKA World Culinary Olympics held October 19 - 22, 2008 in Erfurt, Germany. In a field of 62 regional teams, the Alberta chefs' gold-medal finish ranked second highest overall at this premier international competition.
"Judges are looking at innovation, presentation, composition, correct professional preparation and arrangement," says Team Manager Vinod Varshney. "To get gold across the board, you have to hit the mark on every criterion on every dish. That's not an easy thing to achieve, but the team did it." Practice, teamwork and tremendous focus prepared the chefs, but the culinary Olympics challenge even experienced competitors like those on Team Alberta. "The standards are high, the pressure is intense and only peak performance will earn you gold and top ranking," says Varshney.
Beyond drawing on the chefs' creativity and individual strengths, team strategy included recruiting strong coaches. "All of the coaches know what it takes to win gold - because they've done it," says Team Business Manager Simon Smotkowicz. "I think their coaching expertise, insight and support really pushed the team to the gold level." Veteran competitors of one generation helping the rising stars of the next generation: a winning combination for Team Alberta at the World Culinary Olympics.
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