2008 Culinary Olympics

The following is Chef Greg Skibinski’s Category B Entry in the 2008 International Culinary Olympics in Erfurt Germany. Photos after the jump.

• West Side Three Course Meal
  • Smoke Roasted Squab Breast with Cucumber
  • Black Peppercorn Creamy Herb Sauce=-=-
  • Poached Lobster Tail with Corn Custard and Turned Potatoes in Broth=-=-
  • Grand Marnier Mousse with Macerated Fruit and Duet of Passion Fruit and Pomegranate Sauces
• Owensville Duck Platter for Two
  • Roasted Leg of Duck
  • Duck Breast and Shiitake
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Vegetable Accompaniment
  • Essence of Orange Duck Jus
• St. Omar Wild Boar Chop
  • Cous Cous
  • Vegetable Medley
  • Natural Jus
• Mediterranean Roulade
  • Turkey Tenderloin
  • Poached Pear
  • Polenta
  • Haricot Vert
  • Turkey Reduction
• Quinoa a la Quito
  • Quinoa Stuffed Cabbage Wrap
  • Vegetable Terrine
  • Stuffed Portabella Mushroom
  • Sweet Chili Sauce
• Terra Haute Striped Bass
  • Onion Tart
  • Rutabega
  • Fennel Sauce

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It’s been an absolutely amazing, exhausting, enjoyable visit to Germany. The kind folks at the Quality Hotel in Gotha made us feel welcome and appreciated as we prepared for and participated in the 2008 International Culinary Olympics in Erfurt Germany. The hotel chef and the hotel staff were extremely generous and kind to us.

We are very pleased with the performance of the Midwest Culinary Olympic Team as we earned two bronze medals in this competition. Additionally, Rick Potter & Alan Neace coached the Guatemalan team in their first-ever International Culinary Olympic participation, and the team earned a silver medal. Congratulations to the Guatemalan team and to Chefs Potter and Neace!

After the competition in Erfurt was over and we packed our equipment for shipping back to the United States and cleaned our preparation room, we celebrated in the hotel’s lobby with the hotel staff and members of the other teams, including folks from the Swedish, Slovakian, and Canadian teams. We had a great evening and enjoyed the Olympic spirit of camaraderie and cooperation with the other teams. Hanging out in the lobby and conversing with the other teams will be remembered as a highlight of the trip.

The next morning on October 23 (mentioned because it was my birthday!) I drove the team from Gotha to Munich. We were tired when we arrived after the long van trip and checking into the hotel, but our energy was bolstered at the original Hofbrauhaus, where we enjoyed traditional German food and beverages. It was a really good evening, though it ended rather early.

The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and stopped for a few photographs then went back to the shops near the Hofbrauhaus and shopped for various items and a few gifts to bring back to the States. There was a knife shop in the little row of shops, and a couple of us found nice cooking knives. Also, there was a terrific little gelato place, so Rick & I got gelatos. We couldn’t resist another visit to the Hofbrauhaus before leaving Munich.

After our lunch, we found our way back to the van and headed for Frankfurt where we will sleep in the airport hotel in order to be ready to catch our plane in the early afternoon. Brian and I got the van cleaned out and our final packing done.

Tomorrow, we get on the plane back to Cincinnati. It has been a wonderful, inspiring trip, but it will be nice to get home again.

There is still more to write, including an article that reveals our platters and plates from the competition. You can expect that – and more – in the very near future.

Congratulations to Chef Greg Skibinski who won a bronze medal in Category B competition at the International Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany today!

Greg’s plates looked amazing!

And, for the person who emailed Greg mentioning that he should smile more, here is a shot for you!:

Tonight at the hotel, we had an interesting dinner of pork, pineapple, peaches, and cheese on toast served with french fries. Afterward, we worked to get Chef Greg Skibinski’s Category B presentation done and ready to go. Chef Thomas, of the hotel’s restaurant, stopped by for a while to watch.Plating went very well, and Greg’s plates look outstanding. I was able to be a “fly on the wall” and watch and learn while Chef Skibinski, Chef Neace, and Chef Potter sliced, dipped, and plated the items. This is valuable experience and knowledge since participating in the International Culinary Olympics has ignited a spark in me – I want to compete now. I feel like I’ve got a head-start on my learning from watching these seasoned professionals go through the entire process.

Chef Stephane Thierry from the Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort in Manitoba Canada was our work-room-mate. He stopped by this evening and we had a great discussion, trading tips and techniques. Chef Stephane is a really nice, even-tempered individual and is extremely knowledgeable about the pastry kitchen. I hope we get to see him again in future competitions.

We have to pack the car at 4:30am to make the drive to Erfurt. It’s 2:42am now, and I am heading to bed for a couple-two-three hours of sleep since I have to drive. Most everything is done, and when I left them, the rest of the team was finishing putting aspic on Greg’s dishes. I feel like we’re ready for tomorrow, which will be another whirl-wind day – arrive at the convention center by 5:00am or so, set up Chef Skibinski’s plates, then leave to drive back to the hotel for a few hours shut-eye before Greg & I go back to the convention center to attend the awards ceremony and clean up. The rest of the team will stay in Gotha to begin organizing and packing our equipment to ship back to Cincinnati.

On a personal note, I have not been so tired and so exhilarated at once in a long, long time. I drag myself to bed for a few minutes (or hours) of sleep because my body simply cannot continue (I fell asleep at the hotel bar while waiting for beverages for the team!) and I lay in bed reviewing the events of the day and the to-do lists for the next time I get up. All the team members are feeling this way – Chef Rick Potter said, “even my toenails hurt”. Our spirit and enthusiasm remain high even though our energy is a bit subdued. I am pleased at how I’m holding up… My feet are killing me and my back hurts, but overall, I’m where I should be physically for the amount and type of work I’ve been doing.

Yesterday, we worked during the day and into the evening with Chef Greg Skibinski as he prepared his Category B entry. According to Chef Skibinski, we’re in really good shape with most of the preparation finished for his presentation, which gets judged on Wednesday.

Today, is the push for Chef Skibinski to finalize his presentation, get the items sliced and coated in aspic, and plated.

Around the hotel, teams from other countries have been competing. The sugar artist who shared our workspace – Stefan – was disappointed again after his mostly-finished sugar sculpture was damaged in transit from Canada. He worked valiantly and tirelessly to re-create his sugar sculpture here in Germany only to have his piece toppled at the convention by his tablemate who accidentally bumped their table. Stefan was amazingly relaxed about the experience – at least to us. The swiss military team took gold in their first event – congratulations! The South Korean team has been seemingly everywhere as they work to get their presentation finalized.

This morning, Brian and I will provide assistance anywhere it is necessary – finalizing printed menus, preparation work, errands, etc.

More updates to follow…