Food Olympics 2016

We learn that sports is categorized as a recreational physical activity using equipment you would mostly find at a gym or a field, we then tie this association with the Olympics and we then win gold medals (being a bit presumptuous there, but we have won a few thus far :) ). Well have to considered accepting that culinary arts is also a categorize in the Olympics and has been participated in South Africa since 1980.

We got to Experience some of the exciting dishes they will be show casing this year and we were up for a treat, here are some of the delectable dishes we got to taste and enjoy, please wish our South African Team some good luck :)

Starter // Cape Crayfish Malay

Main // Springbok Masekhane

Dessert // Splash of Raspberry

South Africa first sent a team overseas to compete in the Culinary Olympics in 1980; bringing home five individual gold medals and winning fourth place overall in the hot kitchen competition.

In 1980 South Africa competed for the first time in an international competition. A team of five, comprising four chefs and a manager with ”salt in their back pockets” and a lot of enthusiasm, represented South Africa at the Culinary Olympics. The team of five gained experience and made many friends and four years later a well-prepared team set off once more for Germany. Practice and determination paid off: the team won a bronze medal in the premier Restaurant of Nations competition, missing third place by only a few points. The chefs returned home with a further two gold medals won in other events.

In 1988 three South African teams competed in the Olympics. The National Team, a City Team and a Junior Team. The teams returned with gold medals but still no place in the top three. But at the fourth attempt the South African team was crowned World Champion in the Restaurant of Nations, the most prestigious category other than the overall winner. It also came third in the Restaurant Dishes category. Twelve years of hard work and dedication had paid off.

For the first time ever in 2000, the South African National Culinary Team, was a wholly South African born and trained team.

In 2004, Team SA brought back four medals constituting of three silvers and one bronze.

In 2008, Culinary Team SA brought back a gold medal in the Hot Kitchen section – the first gold to be won by South Africa in 16 years.

In the same year, South African National Culinary Team was awarded the official South African Team status by the Department of Arts and Culture’s Bureau of Heraldry. This recognition reflects the enormous achievements of the South African Chefs Association and growth of the South African National Culinary Team.

Throughout the culinary team’s history, renowned chefs have been a part of the team, including Bill Gallagher, Heinz Brunner, Manfred Muellers, Bruce Burns, Andrew Atkinson, Garth Shnier, Paul Hartmann, David Higgs and Garth Stroebel.