Four NAIT students are stepping up to the plate in Germany next week to compete in the Culinary Olympics against 2,000 other top chefs from around the world.

Ashley Broad, Francis Flores, Jayden Kresnyak and Phillip Robidoux are second-year Culinary Arts students at NAIT flying to the four-day competition from Oct. 6 to 10 for the world’s largest culinary exhibition.

“Since there is no student category, our students will be competing side-by-side against professional chefs,” said Vinod Varshney, chair of the Culinary Arts program as well as the coach and manager for the NAIT Culinary Team.

The students will create their own menus, which will be prepared hot then preserved by chilling with gelatin and judged on innovation, composition, preparation and presentation.

The team has been preparing for six months after being selected from 30 hopefuls earlier this year.

“(To prepare) I’m studying hard, researching, and talking to coaches,” said competitor Francis Flores, adding that aside from the six team practices the members also practice certain skills on their own.

At the last Culinary Olympics in 2008, NAIT brought home two gold medals and two silver medals.

“Internationally, we’re very well recognized, and we have lots of accolades to show for it,” said Varshney.

Instructor Clayton Folkers will also be heading to the Culinary Olympics as a member of the judging panel, the first NAIT alumnus to do so. He was also a previous competitor and coach.

The Culinary Olympics are held in Germany every four years.

Francis Flores’s menu for the 2012 Culinary Olympics

Hors d’oeuvres

Pressed quail and foie gras terrine

Beet salad, Aged balsamic reduction

Smoked beef tenderloin with horseradish foam

Pickled beef tongue salad

Dijon vinaigrette

Filipino style braised pork belly

Nut crusted pork tenderloin

Vegetable medley

Seafood medley

Tomato broth

Alberta lamb chop & lamb sweetbread purse

Sweet potato pave, Assorted vegetables

Wild & farmed mushroom dumpling

Potato noodle tempura, Grilled tofu

Spiced soy bean sprouts, Fried ginseng root

Sweet soy sauce, Korean chili paste