Watch chefs kicking lumps out of each other

[Shinboners]

I don't know where Chef Robin's original thread went, but next weekend, you can go and watch chef's kick each other all over a soccer pitch.

The restaruants involved are the Botanical, Circa The Prince, Grossi Florentino, Interlude, Pearl, The Point, Taxi, and Vue de Monde.

Location: Darebin International Sports Centre, 281 Darebin Road, Thornbury (Melway reference Map 31, A6)

Time: Sunday, December 4 from 11am onwards

For more info: www.interlude.com.au

[PCL]

Ouch!

Um, I might go in disguise...

[Shinboners]

Um, I might go in disguise...

←

I've got a fat goose outfit that you could borrow.

[Shinboners]

Admit it. You sall saw John Aloisi get the penalty that got Australia to the next World Cup. You held back the tears, you even let rip with a few "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!"s. You've got the taste, and it's time for another hit. Sunday is the day.

In the meantime, Robin Wickens was kind enough to answer a few questions for eGullet.

Tell us about your football background. Were you like Gordon Ramsay who spent time with Glasgow Rangers?

I never played professionally, just lots of schoolboy, u18-u21 games. I’m a lifelong Southampton fan so know all about the ups and downs of being a football fan.

What role can we expect to see you play on Sunday?

I’ll be playing the central midfield role, so expect defense splitting passes aplenty.

If you’re going to be the manager, which manager best reflects your style. Sir Alex Ferguson? Jose Mourinho? Arsene Wenger? Mick McCarthy?

Managers is a touchy subject with me at the moment, see above. I like someone with real personality like a wee Gordon Strachan type

Introduce us to the team that will be playing for Interlude. Who should we look out for?

It’s a mixed bunch, but due to being close to Carlton we have a real South American flavour. Brazilian and Columbian Kitchen hands.

Have you guys been training?

The rumors are we have been training for 3 months. Realistically more like 3 weeks, when the Sunday morning hangovers aren’t too bad.

Who do you most look forward to playing against and why.

We fear no one and look forward to beating them all. It will be satisfactory slotting a few past a certain exec at the prince and Mr. Bennett of course

And your tip on who will win the tournament.

!!!!!

[Shalmanese]

Excellent interview! good work.

[PCL]

Great! I'll make sure to give him stick tonight!

[Shinboners]

Only an hour or so of the working week to go, so this seems to be a good time to bump this back to the top of the page.

[PCL]

Yeah, it's going to be serious.

Been told that Guy Grossi's been motivating his team with professional help, and that A-League ref's have been recruited by Robin to keep things, um, friendly...

[Shinboners]

I heard an interview with Ian Curley (?) from the Point yesterday on the ABC.

It looks like all the restaurants are fired up for tomorrow, with plenty of inter-team banter going on.

There will be food at the event. I'd imagine it'll be a sausage sizzle rather than cote de boeuf grilled to order.

Edited December 3, 2005 by Shinboners (log)

[Shinboners]

Windy. Hot and windy. Cold and windy. Threatening to rain and windy. Threatening to toast everyone and windy. Yep, it was a bloody windy day on Sunday.

Windy weather and a bunch of mates from the restaurant industry kicking a football around a rectangular section of grass. You could be forgiven for thinking that the order of the day would be lots of drinking and the long ball game. But watching the players, all in some pretty impressive team uniforms, doing stretches, and listening to the team talks and the on field chatter, you could tell that winning was on the minds of many. Not only that, they wanted to win with style. Everyone wanted to be 1970 Brazil rather than 1989 Arsenal, which for those who have no idea of sport means that you'd rather eat roquefort instead of Kraft cheddar.

There were a few things that caught our eye. Grossi Florentino had a few females playing for them - huges props to them for that. The Botanical team shirts were the only ones without the name of the restaurant on them. Every Circa player had the number 86 on their back. There was also the English accents. I haven't heard so many since the last time the English cricket team toured Australia. And finally, the alcohol on offer was for the players only. I'd like to think that was in honour of the recently departed George Best - the Escoffier of the football field for those who don't know. No, change that, Best was a mad genius. Make it the Marco Pierre White of the football field.

It was a good day all 'round.

And now, the scores and a short Q&A with Robin Wickens.

Group A

Circa - Vue de monde 3:0

Interlude - The Botanical 1:1

Interlude - Vue de monde 7:0

Circa - The Botanical 0:1

Interlude - Circa 2:0

Vue de monde 0:3

Group B

Grossi Florentino - Taxi 0:0

Pearl - The Point 1:0

Taxi - The Point 0:4

Pearl - Grossi Florentino 1:0

Grossi Florentino - The Point 0:3

Pearl - Taxi 2:2

Semi Finals

Interlude - The Point 2:1

Pearl - The Botanical 0:1

Final

Interlude - The Botanical 1:2

Yellow Cards

Matt from Circa

Number 7 from Pearl - don't know persons name

Number 9 from Interlude - Jonathan Alston

A short interview with Robin Wickens

How did you pull up on Monday?

Not to bad, we were at work at 9.00. A little sunburned though

How did the Interlude team go?

We played well. Some good football and the highest scoring team

What was the score in the final?

2-1 botanical

What was your highlight of the day?

Beating Vue de Monde 7-0

Fill us in on how you played? Best bit of play? Biggest clanger?

Thought I did ok, fitness was a bit iffy, had no energy by the final. Missed a sitter against the Point in semi’s

Why did the Circa team all have the #86 on their back?

Not sure

What was the funniest sledge that you heard?

It was quite funny when the whole vue team rolled over sarcastically after one of our Brazilians went down a little to easily

Did your Southampton F.C. shorts bring any Saints fans from out of the woodwork?

Unsurprisingly no

Who would you much rather have over for dinner – Matt Le Tissier or Thomas Keller?

Definitely Le Tissier

And finally, you wore the #7 shirt. Name some Southampton players who have worn that number.

Keegan, Steve Williams, Matt Le Tissier, Kevin Phillips