Culinary Olympics
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TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO – THE TEAM OF TEAMS
It was October 1988 – I was looking out the window of a Lufthansa 777 jet en route to Frankfurt. It seemed like a dream – after two years of relentless practice and a few trials and tribulations along the way, our team was on the way to the Culinary Olympics. I thought back to… Continue reading
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AMERICA’S CULINARY TEAM
This is the motherlode time of the year for sports fans. Hockey, Football, and Baseball all intersect for a month making it difficult for many to choose what to watch. There is another sport that takes place during October – once every four years. It is the sport of cooking known as the Culinary… Continue reading
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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEAM
What are the differences between a group, teamwork and a true team? This definition may shed some light, however, it falls short of the real meaning of team: TEAM – DEFINITION “A group of people with different skills and different tasks, who work together on a common project, service, or goal, with a meshing of… Continue reading
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MY OCTOBERFEST – MEDALS BEFORE BEER
The Culinary Olympics were over. Our team was exhausted, yet numb from exceeding our own expectations. It certainly felt good to walk away victorious, but what would take some time to sink in was that we were successful because we came together as a team. It had much less to do with individual talent, it… Continue reading
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MY OCTOBERFEST 1988 – A TEAM EFFORT
After the day one results in Frankfurt, the New England Culinary Olympic Team was truly energized. Mickey Beriau and Danny Varano had set the bar very high with their gold medal performances. This now became everyone’s goal and the team would rally behind each chef preparing to show. We were not free of issues that… Continue reading
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MY OCTOBERFEST 1988 WITH TEAM NEW ENGLAND
It was October 1988 at Logan International Airport when we were waiting to board a Lufthansa airplane to Frankfurt, Germany. As we (10 team members, spouses, apprentices, manager and coaches) lined up with our tickets I started to reflect on the last 18 months of preparation for this moment. We had gone through a great… Continue reading
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OCTOBERFEST AND THE PHONE CALL THAT CHANGED MY CAREER
As we approach October I am always reminded of my time in Germany back in 1988. This year marks the 25th anniversary of my involvement with the 1988 New England Culinary Team competing in the Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt, Germany. Octoberfest, of course, means beer and celebration to many, but to the 10 member New… Continue reading
About Me
PAUL SORGULE is a seasoned chef, culinary educator, established author, and industry consultant. These are his stories of cooks, chefs, and the environment of the professional kitchen.