Culinary Team British Columbia

Culinary Team British Columbia is a group of highly dedicated, hardworking chefs chosen from across the province to represent British Columbia as its culinary ambassadors and to compete at culinary competitions around the world.

Why Do Chefs Compete?

Where else but at a culinary exhibition can both the public and the professional chef have the opportunity to gain a complete overview of the world’s culinary expertise and food products – and then to put into practice everything learned for the benefit of his own country?

Currently, this Team is preparing to compete in the ultimate competition – the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) or World Culinary Olympics held every four years in Erfurt, Germany (October 2012). Through this venture, they will ensure that British Columbia, through its chefs and hospitality industry, perpetuates and promotes its international reputation for culinary excellence.

The Team’s mandate is to maintain and foster a vigorous and dynamic presence in both the national and international culinary arenas that will benefit our Province, the B.C. food supplier and the Canadian public.

The Team

British Columbia has long been known as a hotbed for excellent chefs.  With its abundance of natural and unique culinary ingredients, B.C. is also spoiled for choice with respect to both ingredients and culinary ingenuity. 

In order to be considered for a coveted position with Team British Columbia, the individual chef must have competed individually or been part of a culinary team that has competed both nationally and internationally.

Only exceptional individuals who have shown both team spirit and superb culinary skills are selected as Team Members. With the experience gained from being part of this Regional Team, many members later move on to become part of the Canadian National Culinary Team.

 Funding 

All of the members of Team British Columbia are volunteers. Everyone takes time from his or her employment to practice, to team-build and to compete. Such a commitment takes an inordinate amount of both time and money.

When preparing and entering an international competition, the costs can reach as high as $100,000.00 for each event. In addition to the expenses of airline fares and hotel accommodation, all the equipment must be purchased and shipped, food must be bought, ground transportation and trucking organized, team meals planned, plates selected, table lighting designed, menus printed, press conferences organized and a myriad of other details looked after.

All monies required for practices and competitions must be raised by the Team through a variety of different fundraising initiatives.

Team British Columbia is held in high regard for its achievements and standards of excellence and is currently seeking corporate sponsorship to assist in its fundraising initiatives.

We are able to offer sponsor recognition through webpage and facebook advertising, uniform logos, press and media exposure and fundraising events. In addition the Team can be involved in a variety of culinary programs and events supporting their sponsors.

The team welcomes and greatly appreciates all other initiatives to assist in raising its funds.