the Challenge

experience working in small specialty
restaurants and large established hotels
led him to open restaurants for several
new hotels in this country.
A longtime competitor, he joined ACF
Culinary Team USA in 1999 as part of
the supporting staff for Team 2000. “I
experienced a great deal of friendship,
camaraderie and knowledge sharing, and I
was hungry for more,” he says. “Competing
was always a big part of my life. I enjoy the
challenge, and being part of a team is both
challenging and rewarding.”
The reward came in 2004, when ACF Culinary
Team USA, with Buchner as a member,
took home two gold medals in hot food and
cold food, and won back its World Champion
status in the realm of hot-food cookery.
Buchner considers it an honor to represent
the country where he now lives, as well as
Time to play?
A time-consuming hobby is out of
the question for many Team USA
members at this stage in the process
that will take the team to Erfurt in
October. But Buchner has some
fond memories of interests that used
to engage him outside cooking.
“I kind of remember, before Team
USA, there was ballroom dancing,
working on my home, building furniture
and playing with my train set
and my slot cars,” he says.
to represent the chefs who have taught
him. “It is a good feeling to be able to
show your teachers that you’ve learned
their lessons,” he says. “It validates the
time they’ve invested in you.”
Support system
Time. It’s something that Buchner—along
with his fellow team members—doesn’t
have much of these days. The months
leading up to the IKA are filled with
practices and preparations for the competition
in Erfurt against the world’s best
chefs and cooks. Away from work, Team
USA members spend their hours thinking
and breathing the menu that they hope
will take them to the top and validate the
effort and dedication that has consumed
so much of their lives.
Balancing life as it relates to work, family
and team in these months leading up
to the IKA is a matter, Buchner says, of
trying your best. “Each day is a challenge,
and there is no blanket rule on how to
tackle each day. There is only a goal to
do your best at work, because it’s your
financial support. Then you have to push
yourself for the team.”
Buchner’s two sons are in college, but a
niece, 16, is on her way from Germany,
where the rest of the family lives, to
spend six months with her uncle to brush
up on her English. His German family,
Buchner says, show their support of his
efforts on Team USA in a most practical
way. “They store Team USA equipment in
their basement,” he says. “And my boys
best support me by being self-sufficient.”
Joachim Buchner, CMC, left, and
Edward Leonard, CMC, AAC, Team USA
manager, work on a dish during practice
before the 2004 IKA in Erfurt.
Teamwork
In addition to his boys, Buchner considers
ACF his family in the United States. Taking
that analogy a step further, Team USA
would be his closest family members. The
team meets to practice together about
every six weeks. Outside that, they spend
considerable time on individual practice.
“Every chance we have, we work on dishes,
concepts and designs,” Buchner says. “Once
we are happy with the concepts, or plate
presentations, we take photos and e-mail
them to each other for instant feedback.”
That feedback is vital in these months
leading up to the IKA. Much as family
members will take criticism from each
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