Chefs keep their cool as heat’s on for culinary Olympics

THE heat of the kitchen won’t bother the Irish chefs who compete for Olympic gold, silver and bronze.

“I’d say 90% of it is keeping your cool. If you show nerves at all, you will belly it,” said executive chef Gerard Costelloe of Radisson SAS Limerick.

Gerard, a competition veteran of 15 years’ standing, captains the 11-member Irish team for the World Culinary Olympics, which run from October 17 to 21 in Erfurt, Germany.

“The kitchen where we will compete has all-glass windows, so everybody can see you,” said Gerard.

“There could be 20,000 people at the show and all of them walking around you and you might get kids knocking on the windows.

“We have three judges in the kitchen with us, walking around and watching everything.

“Working in the catering industry is long and hard. To do this is like a hobby; it’s good fun and completely different.

“I talk to most of the team on the phone all the time. We all work so hard, it’s great to meet them. I’ve made a lot of good friends from doing competitions.”

Contesting the Olympic culinary challenge will be a change for John Drummond, a fellow executive chef from Gleneagles Hotel, Killarney, who runs marathons to raise money for charity.

“I’m really looking forward to the Olympics. I was a substitute four years ago, helping the other chefs. Now, I’ve been picked for the five-man hot kitchen team and can’t wait till it happens.

“It’s like a bug. People would be wondering why on our days off we’d be driving to Dublin for team meetings.

“I’ve probably learned more from competitions than I did in college,” said John.

“It’s really the height of all culinary competitions worldwide,” said manager Ralf Becker as he conferred with the team at Moran’s Red Cow Hotel on Dublin’s outskirts yesterday.

Between now and late October when the competition starts, his charges will work on menu strategies and refine their presentations, aiming to win over the judges and conquer 70 other nations.