Chef's Cup 2012: Gourmet Competition in the Snow

On the amazing backdrop of Italian Dolomites Alps, declared a natural heritage site by UNESCO in 2009, some of the world’s best chefs participated in the Acqua Panna and S.Pellegrino Chef’s Ski Cup: a ski competition, opened by former Italian national team members Paolo De Chiesa and Piero Gros, on Gran Risa ski slope, that every year hosts the Ski World Championship giant slalom: a competition 
After the race - won by Karl Obauer, chef at the two Michelin star restaurant Obauer Austria, all the chefs trained their skills in an Audi test drive on the snow and a Colmar Pitch & Putt golf challenge. The day after the challenge came the charity gala night, held for the Dynamo Camp, an association who takes care of children with serious or chronic illnesses, whose patroness is the writer Emannuelle de Villepin.

The Chef’s Cup 2012 had a rich programme: a round table about natural diet, a “pasta party”, Sudtirol show cookings on a terrace in front of the Dolomiti Alps, cooking lessons and even a gourmet safari, together with snowshoe walks.

This year’s event ended with an exclusive dinner served by the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2011 Top Chefs: the three Michelin star chefs Sébastien Bras, from Bras restaurant in France, Massimo Bottura, chef at Osteria Francescana restaurant in Modena, Italy; and the South African chef David Higgs, the Portuguese Dieter Koshina (from Vila Joya restaurant) and the Italian Davide Scabin (Combal.Zero).

With the 7th edition of the Chef’s Cup now complete the event has rapidly established itself as one of the biggest lifestyle and gourmand celebrations in Europe. Local produce, craftsmanship and maintaining Italian cuisine are at the heart of the cup’s philosophy and with informal discussions taking place amongst the chefs, it has quickly become a place for chefs to discuss openly and without judgement emerging food trends and kitchen ideals. Each year the event grows bigger and bigger. FDL were privileged to take part and can’t wait for 2013...

In the picture (by Daniel Töchterle) the three "DoloMythical" chefs from Alta Badia: Arturo Spicocchi, Norbert Niederfolker, Fabio Cucchelli.