Hotelympia

[chris1957au]

Just look at the result in the 2011 salon, how thing have change since the corp has gone.
The Army picked up 1 gold 1 silver RAF 1 gold 1 silver 1 bronze 1 merit (a quick look don't shoot me if I missed one), thin picking compared to the late sixties and 70s when the corp dominated most area at the salon.

The civi chef used to complain that it was easy for the army cooks as we got all the time off we needed, but I spent several night a week of my own time over many month in the tower block and was only give a couple of days to prepare my entry and was allowed one to deliver it ( on an army bus with the floor covered in matress) and was also allowed to attend the awards to collect a cerificate. So I never felt it was a fair call to say it was easy.

What gave us the edge was the wealth of knowledge and experience built up over time and now sent down the gobbler (that seldom ever worked).

So her's the guys that tried some sucessful other less so, but every one that entered gave their all for exellence.
Any one else have any thoughts on the subject.

Chris

[rubberguts]

I think my experience of entering competiton at Hotelympia in 1952 wasn't much different to your own Chris.
I was an apprentice chef at Grosvenor House and the days were pretty full on. Practice runs were made overnight after a day of split duty when the kitchen slowed down and the final dishes were taken to Hotlelympia by taxi.

[nick williams]

i dont remember it like that, i joined in 1978 as an apprentice and they must have been short of blokes to send there the year i went
i was entered in a live class and when i saw everybody walking around looking at what i was doing and not doing i s**t myself
i do remember turning up with a M F O BOX full of the old rust stained army knives, alluminum pans and army chef whites. Most of the college chefs had fancy copper pans and fancy whites.
didnt do too bad certificate of merit
the menu was calfs liver and i remember having to do vichy carrots with real vichy water which i only had on the day off the competition
and the last memory was the practise sessons i remember a grumpy civie chef giving me a sack of carrots and saying get practising on that lot and when you have finished that theres another one !!!
happy days

[chrishughes]

Took part in Hotelympia 1966, remember it well achieved first place winning The Hobart Perpetual Challenge Trophy. Class involved producing a gateau & twelve french fancies under the guidance of Class 1 chef Arthur Dunkley ( whom was also ex Mayor of Richmond in Yorkshire close to Catterick Camp).The prizegiving took place in London at the Grovenor Hotel, and it happened during leave time when I attended with my mother. Many hours were spent in perfecting the final result, and we were ultra careful transporting the final products on a bus up to Hotelympia. What made it quite pleasing for me apart from winning, is the fact that a representative from my previous catering college in Cheltenham came second.

[denis huxley]

As an apprentice i was entered in 2 classes for 1956 Hotelympia. Practical omelette (failed),and yeast goods (bronze plaque).
By 1966 had left Army and was working for Harold Taylor helping with the organisation of the Salon Culinaire. It was good to see so many Corps members doing so well.
For those who competed in any of these competitions they will know just how hard it was. The expectation was high,the effort monumental,the preparation meticulous, and even if you won nothing there was still a sense of achievment and pride.

[rubberguts]

 Ah the bastion of British cooking. I well remember wandering around in there in bewilderment as a young aspiring cook ogling at all the goodies. The Saloon Culinaire and the latest in cooking equipment techno. A mind blowing experience coming from a Britain recovering from the war years.  Half a century since I have had the privilege to revisit. But the memories still linger of the marvelous displays of Sugar baskets and wedding cakes that Huntley and Palmer seemed to run away with every time, or was it Mc Vitie and Price?
The bake off section with the young hopefuls scurryig around, how that reminded me of the pressure of sitting the City and Guilds exams. Let us not forget it is the entrants who make the exhibition a success and the exhibition that makes the hopefuls a success.
 I am often given to wondering if rivalry is a good thing, after all competition is all about beating the other joker. That leaves the also rans feelng a little disappointed and the victor cock a hoop. Time has taught me the only thing one should compete against is the betterment of the last performance. That way there is no sadness and no inflated egos but on the side of the also rans they have no standards to live up to as the victor's do, Michelin Tyre hopefuls take note
Which ever path tomorrows chefs take,  let us raise a glass and salute the enthusiasm of the hopefuls that keeps the spirit of completive cooking alive.