"Native Chefs Prepare for Cooking Contest"

TORONTO - They won't reveal the dishes they'll create and they can't promise gold medals, but five native chefs off to Germany for the World Culinary Olympics should get top marks for bringing their culture to the world.

They will be Canada's first native team at the Culinary Olympics.

"As native Canadians we are very proud to be heightening people's awareness of the native people and the native culture through this endeavor," said David Wolfman, captain of the team slated to participate in the competition in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 11 to 15.

"We're sure to bring back honors although we're not as certain we'll bring back gold medals - but I sure hope we do," said the head chef of Marriott Management Services in Toronto. Wolfman, 31, was raised on the Thompson Indian Reserve in Lillooet, B.C.

Also on the aboriginal team are Andrew George, 28, of the Wet-Suweten band near Smithers, B.C., Arnold Olson, 29, a Cree from Saskatchewan; Bryan Sappier, 30, a Maliseet from the Tobique Indian Reserve in New Brunswick, and one woman, Bertha Skye, 60, a Cree from the Six Nations.

Wolfman said competition rules prevent him from revealing the team's menu. But he said it would probably highlight such ingredients as wild game, northern fish and wild herbs and plants.

A sample of savory hors d'oeuvres on display at a news conference this week demonstrated the unique manner in which the team members use such ingredients.

Smoked and filleted salmon adorned squares of corn bread, pemmican was served on bread squares, and goose sausage spiced with fresh thyme and savory topped rice crackers.