Brightly polished. Photo: IKA/Culinary Olympics
During the IKA/Culinary Olympics the visitors will have the chance to enjoy high-quality menus and buffets. Over a period of four days, a total of 8,000 dishes will be prepared by 2,000 chefs. The service will be provided by the students of the local vocational hospitality schools.
Anouk Friess
The excitement over the upcoming IKA/Culinary Olympics is growing. The more than 2000 chefs from 70 nations are ready to give their best in the show kitchens of the international congress centre of the Stuttgart fairgrounds – and so are the approximately 80 students per competition day, who are studying at the local vocational hospitality schools in Bad Überkingen, Tettnang, Calw and Villingen-Schwenningen and are eagerly awaiting the Culinary Olympics. These schools are providing the service staff during the competition days forming a functioning team to work closely with the participating chefs in an effort to anticipate the IKA culinary exhibition’s guests’ wishes by reading their eyes. The teams are allocated for lunch and dinner service and will accompany the Restaurant of Nations, Restaurant of Community Catering, Chef’s Table and IKA Buffet competitions. With a standardised uniform consisting of a white shirt and a pair of black trousers, as well as an IKA-branded apron provided by the VKD, the interns will make up the service teams during the different competitions.
The Aramark Restaurations GmbH, in charge of the gastronomic outlets within the fairgrounds, provides the service teams’ logistic and organisational support. Luis Nunez, Aramark’s District Manager, explains: “We ensure that the interns have experienced F&B professionals at their side. We are planning to have a service briefing every morning, allowing us to go through the most important issues.” According to Nunez, the space is divided into coordinates, with a colour assigned for each side. He explains that the colour concept for the service aims at ensuring the shortest and fastest routes.
The IKA/Culinary Olympics provides the upcoming service professionals with a platform to learn more, gain hands-on experience and to witness what the crème de la crème of the culinary professionals are able to create – this is a great motivation booster and not just an opportunity to attend a mega event like the Culinary Olympics. As far as their training is concerned, participating in an internationally renowned culinary competition is an interesting, valuable and professionally sophisticated experience for the interns. Apart from being able to gain valuable new experiences, they will also receive a small remuneration and a certificate of participation. The DEHOGA (German Hotel and Restaurant Association) Baden-Württemberg, who promotes the participation of the students in the IKA/Culinary Olympics, welcomes their involvement and thanks their respective vocational schools: “It is fantastic that the students of the local vocational schools have the opportunity to participate in this important competition and to actively experience the Culinary Olympics. They will make an important contribution to the IKA/Culinary Olympics, will gain important know-how and will have the opportunity to make contacts,” says Fritz Engelhardt, Chairman of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association DEHOGA Baden-Württemberg.
