Culminating a year full of awards, the renewed Gastronomic Selection of Chile (formerly Culinary Team Chile) is preparing day by day to face its first challenges of 2025 in Europe and North America.
The first of them will be the ninth edition of the International Catering Cup to be held at Sirha Lyon in France from 21 and 23 January in Sirha Lyon, in France . Will be “three days of competition during which each team will reveal your creativity, and technical expertise to the benefit of the profession...”, says Joël Mauvigney, founder-president of the ICC.
In this edition of the tournament compete against the best teams from 12 countries, among them France, Italy, Madagascar, united States, Morocco, Czech Republic, Singapore, Vietnam, Belgium, Japan and Mexico. The chilean team, consisting of up to six people, will be “ the the first time that a chilean team participates in this competition. Chile won the quota for direct qualifier to be invited to participate either directly by the organization, after the medals we got in Germany and Australia this year” says Nicholas Gárate, captain of the Selection.
The menu of this competition catering consists of 9 times: 3 starters, 3 main and 3 desserts to 16 people. The judges will have to test and evaluate aspects such as taste, aroma, concept, and technique.
For its part, the team is composed Jorge Ortega (Coach – FEGACH), Nicholas Gárate (Captain), Camila Sánchez (Pastry), Gabriel Reyes, Margarita Becerra and Lucero Sánchez (Technical Staff).
The second competition that they will face this year will be in the city of Atlanta, United States , between the 26 and 28 February and this is the US Culinary Open . The first competition of professional chefs from united States, created by chefs for chefs to present the values, dedication and talent of the culinary industry. During this competition “we strive to show and promote the culinary excellence of the chefs through the highest level of competition culinary with the support and cooperation of our leaders and suppliers in the industry”, says Chef Nick Barrington president of the US Open Culinary.
In this tournament, a reflection, modern and true of the diversity of culinary experts, the Gastronomic Selection of Chile will make history by being the the first time the participation of a latino team . “The participants were selected among the winners of other contests and were invited to participate to make a great tournament of champions, and it will be very entertaining and first-level. Then, it is super potent activity because we happen to represent a continent, not just one country , of the 12 participants, there is only a computer latino. This is the most relevant” notes Gárate.
The chilean team is composed by Nicholas Gárate (Captain and Coach), Margarita Becerra (Commis), Javiera Palaces (Chef Manager), Enderson Chacón (Commis).
In addition, the selection has other invitations to represent Chile in competitions held in El Salvador in march, Australia in may and Dubai in June. For all of them the team continues in search of sponsors.
On the Gastronomic Selection of Chile
- March 2023, Cup of the Americas, Bolivia. Gold medal.
- July 2023, Culinary Cup of the Americas, Dominican Republic. Gold medal in all the categories that are displayed.
- September 2023, Culinary Cup of the Americas, Guatemala. Gold medal in all the categories where they are presented
- November 2023, Golden Chef, Uruguay, Montevideo-Uruguay. Gold medal and pass as the direct representative of South america for the world cup in Sydney 2024 where for the first time, also, it will present a chilean team.
- January 2024, 1st place-Culinary Art-world of Germany IKA Olimpiks (triple gold medal).
- May 2024, silver Medal Australia. World of Oceania.
- September 2024, classification for S. Pellegrino Young Chef 2024, Lima.
