-Marina del Rey, Calif.
-Just a little over eleven hours remain before the Feast Fest Scouting Offseason officially ends, and that means only eleven hours remain to successfully sign Ondrej Yiivititimaev and Kevin Olschmeire for this Thanksgiving.
The Russian wunderkind, 29, and all-American chef, 34, will be the eighth and ninth chefs added this offseason if both can be signed before 11:59 p.m. PDT. Yiivititimaev is one of Russia's most promising young chefs, and has trained extensively with Feast Fest chef Andri Jones, a fellow Russian. If Yiivititimaev is signed, he'll be the third Russian chef added this offseason, following Konstaatyn Medvalaev and Katerina Ymykaterina. Milwaukee-based Olschmiere has connections with Feast Fest chef Keith Wholehreh and former Feast Fest chef Jane Jockell.
Both chefs were late discoveries this offseason; neither were presented offers until late August, and the signing process usually takes about four to seven weeks, which is why scouters are up against the clock today on the final day of the scouting offseason. After today, scouters can continue working to sign returning chefs and chefs for 2015, but not new chefs for 2014. The negotiations process could technically continue after today, but if so the two chefs wouldn't be allowed to participate until Feast Fest 2015.
"These are two prime additions to our arsenal that we want to be able to utilize this November," Dall said. "We want to sign them tonight."
Both Yiivititimaev and Olschmiere have agreed to core contracts. But with many meat-and-potatoes issues such as travel expenses, health benefits, and other utilities still in the air for both, negotiations could go late into the evening tonight before deals are announced. Yiivititimaev has remained in Russia today, but his agent has traveled to Marina del Rey; both Olschmeire and his agent have made the trip to Southern California.
FF Wire Service
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