On four trade fair days INTERGASTRA visitors will have the opportunity to watch more than 2,000 chefs from over 70 countries live as they cook, to cheer them on as they prepare around 8,000 international menus, and then to enjoy the top-quality dishes from around the world.

Conceived by a group of German chefs in 1896 with an aim to promote German cuisine to the world while receiving impulses from other cooking cultures.

The offering at the IKA/Culinary Olympics is varied and offers many choices with the purchase of a ticket. Upon purchase the visitors can decide on their national team, a menu of five competitions, as well as the competition day. International teams of chefs compete in the four categories – National Teams, Youth National Teams, Community Catering Teams, as well as Military Teams.

They compete in a total of five competitions: The three-course menu of the Youth National Teams in the competition Restaurant of Nations is recommended for the midday business meeting. In the competition Restaurant of Community Catering the Community Catering Teams and the Military Teams show what communal food looks like around the world. Their menus are perfect for a short break – thanks to the self-service facility, these menu variants also offer flexibility when planning lunch.

The National Teams also prove themselves in the competition Restaurant of Nations with the best three-course evening menu. In this competition it is recommended to purchase menu tickets for different teams; this way you can experience the international variety. 

Towards the end of the day the National Teams also compete in the Chef’s Table* with the preparation of a seven-course menu. Visitors with a ticket for the Chef’s Table sit directly at the cooking pits and are treated to an aperitif. While at the IKA Buffet the Youth National Teams conjure up national delicacies for a four-course buffet and round off the evening programme at the IKA/Culinary Olympics.

The international regional teams impress in the Culinary and Pastry Art exhibitions with the great art of finger food, the fancy desserts and the festive dishes – as do the numerous individual exhibitors in the Entrance East who conjure up delicate and beautiful creations from vegetables, fruit, cheese, sugar or chocolate. 

According to comunicaffe.com & wikipedia