The Culinary Olympics returns!

This international cooking competition is actually known as the Bocuse d'Or and takes place every two years in Lyon, France. There was an article about the U.S.'s hopes in the Star Tribune. The U.S. has a history of so-so performances, but this year they are hoping to medal with chef Timothy Hollingsworth. Who is only 28. Is that young for an internationaly competing chef? I have no clue. He must be very good to be selected as the U.S. representitive though.

The website is interesting: http://www.bocusedor.com/2009/en/index.php
There's information about the different teams from different countries, theme of the competition etc.

I must admit, cooking and competition go together.

Ready - Set - COOK!!!

Photographed at the IKA International Culinary Olympics
Erfurt, Germany

(How on earth are you supposed to eat that thing?)

From October 19th to the 22nd chefs from 53 countries will compete in Erfurt, Germany in the Culinary Olympics.

I had no idea such a thing existed. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since competition and food always seem to go together. Who can cook the best apple pie? Who has the best stuffing? Iron Chef America on Food Network. And all sorts of increasingly weird competitions. After all that, Culinary Olympics sound be no surprise.

The chefs will compete in teams for their countries, creating huge masterpieces of sugar shaped like dragons or dainty plates of carefully placed appetizers. Surprisingly enough, most of their points come from presentation and style, taste accounting for a small portion of the judging. I suppose the judges can't taste all the entries of 1,600 chefs but isn't food for eating not looking at?

I like my food plain. Food is fuel. But I do admit, all the artwork created at the Culinary Olympics is definitely very pretty to look at.