The way to hockey can also be through the stomach. Thus, the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship has got its official and exquisite Franco-German three-course menu as of now. German celebrity chef Mario Kotaska created the menu, who was announced as official ambassador of the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship one day before the start of the tournament.

Kotaska, who is well known from various TV cooking shows, feels affiliated with the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship(5^th – 21^st May) in many ways: On the one hand he has been an ardent hockey-fan and long-time Cologne Sharks season-ticket holder without missing one single game in the LANXESS arena. Furthermore Kotaska often operates as chef on events for the DEL club. On the other hand he is the former chef of the famous French restaurant “La Société” in Cologne, which gained a Michelin Star under his guidance. “Being named an official World Championship ambassador fulfilled a heart’s desire! Passion, respect, tolerance and fairness – these values are conveyed by the boys on the ice but they are also benchmarks for my kitchen team. Being an ambassador allows myself to furthermore build a culinary bridge between the host cities… this mission makes me proud and happy and is a great honor to me,” the 43-year-old says.

Kotaska serves a Cologne-French inspired first course for the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, saying: „Kölsche Ähzezupp with baked Boudin Noir” (Cologne pea soup with baked blutwurst and tarragon-mayonnaise). It stays traditionally Franco-German with course no. 2: “Coq au vin blanc with roasted asparagus vegetable and semolina dumpling” (corn fed chicken stewed in white wine sauce). Finally the dessert: Crème brûlée with rhubarb and vanilla froth“ (burned vanilla cream). “I am fascinated by the Franco-German project,” Kotaska admits. “Cologne is a cosmopolitan and international city, we are happy to have all the fans from various countries around and we would like to indulge them in a culinary way.”

The third course. Photo: Philipp Kramer

The World Championship Menu is served in LeBistrot99, Aachener Straße 1002, 50858 Cologne. (Reservations via phone: +49 (0)221 17044392)

The recipes can be found on Kotaska’s official Facebook page.

Tickets for the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Cologne's LANXESS arena and the AccorHotels Arena in Paris are available

• online at www.iihfworlds2017.com and www.facebook.com/iihfhockey
• via ticket phone: +49 1806 2017 01 for Germany and +33 892 69 20 17 for France (phone charges will apply depending on country and network calling from).