The Bocuse d’Or 2011

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Every two years, one of the biggest and most prestigious events in the culinary world takes place in Lyon, France. This is the Bocuse d’Or, an international cooking event named after its founder, the great Chef Paul Bocuse. This culinary competition is being participated by 24 chefs who came from 24 different countries, each cooking his own special recipe based on a prearranged set of parameters in the hopes of winning the grandest title in the culinary world.

But what is the Bocuse d’Or? Where did the idea came from? What is its history? And more importantly, why was it created by Chef Paul Bocuse?

History of Bocuse d’Or

The idea for Bocuse d’Or was born when Lyon’s first Culinary Sector Exhibition and Trade Fair was launched in 1983. It was organized and managed by the culinary professionals for the culinary professionals in the hopes of truly showcasing what the world’s gastronomic capital has to offer the world. Of course, this earned the attention of the culinary world, both national and international, that it soon had more than 500 participants on the year it was first launched with more than 51,000 visitors. The succeeding years earned the event increasing participants and visitors coming from all over the world.

Chef Bocuse, who was then the Honorary President of the said event, thought of holding a culinary competition to coincide with the trade fair. He introduced his simple idea to Albert Romain, a good friend of his as well as the manager of the Lyon Exhibition at that time.

Excited about the culinary competition concept, they set the parameters for the said event, and what set them apart from the countless culinary competitions is that there will be a live performance of the participating chefs. The participating chefs will be cooking in front of a live audience where they will be judged by a jury composed of some of the biggest and most popular names in the international culinary scene. The judgment will be based on only on how the recipe tasted but also on the presentation of the dish as well as the cooking techniques used during the competition.

January 1987 marked the launch of the very first Bocuse d’Or.

Setting Up Bocuse d’Or

The Bocuse d’Or is a big event indeed, and it was through Chef Bocuse’ vast international network and close chef friends in the culinary world that got things started.

Each country will have to send one chef representative who will stand for his or her respective country. Choosing the representative will be made via a national selection, and the chef who is in charge of the said national election will have to escort the chosen representative to Lyon. In Lyon, the chef representative will battle it out with other candidates in front of a live jury, which is composed of international names, one of which was Chef Joel Robuchon.

The event caught the attention of the international culinary world, and 20 countries sent 20 chefs to the first Bocuse d’Or. It drew a lot of public attention as well as media attention, and in fact, more than 450 international journalists were present to capture everything that went on during the said event.

There were two sessions during the first day, January 26, 1987, wherein 10 candidates per session competed with each other during a four-hour grueling period of cooking the best dish out of the given main ingredient (salmon) and based on a set of parameters (four varieties of garnishing for eight people). After the two sessions of 10 contestants each, the international jury then selected 10 contestants who will go on to the final round. The selection of the final 10 candidates was based on a 40-point system wherein 20 points were given for taste, 10 points were given for presentation, and 10 points were given for originality.

The final day, January 27, 1987, the 10 final candidates had to cook the best dish out of the given main ingredient (fatted chicken) and based on the same parameters as above (four varieties of garnishing for eight people) in four hours’ time. The winner won a cash prize as well as a trophy.

It can be said that the very first Bocuse d’Or was an instant success that the next succeeding years drew more participants and guests coming from the international culinary world.

The Purpose of Bocuse d’Or

The main purpose of the Bocuse d’Or is to give young and aspiring chefs the unique chance of making a big name for themselves by not only demonstrating their culinary skills but also showing how they work under pressure. Of course, there is also the prestige that is going to the winning chef and his respective country.

Aside from this, the event also aims to promote the culinary world and profession as well. This gives those with the same interests a venue where they can share culinary skills and knowledge as well as build network and partnerships with people in the same industry.

The Bocuse d’Or 2011

You can expect a lot more action this year’s Bocuse d’Or. It will be attended by 24 countries, 12 and 4 of which came from the Bocuse d’Or Europe and Bocuse d’Or Asia respectively. There will be two wildcard countries and three individual participations coming from three different countries. Lastly, there will be three countries coming from Latin America.

The Bocuse d’Or international competition will coincide with the start of the SIRHA or International Hotel and Catering Exhibition or the Salon International de la Restauration, de l’Hôtellerie et de l’Alimentation on January 22, 2011 and will end on January 26, 2011. However, the culinary competition proper will take place during the last two days of the SIRHA, which is January 25 and 26, 2011, starting from nine in the morning and ending at five in the afternoon. The venue is at the Espace des Chefs – Paul Bocuse Hall.

There will also be a Bocuse d’Or gala dinner prepared by the best women chefs in the world such as Annie Feolde and Anne-Sophie Pic as well as Carme Ruscalleda and Nadia Santini. Lea Linster as well as Luiza Valazza completes the all-female team preparing and cooking for the said gala dinner.

Some of the popular guests of the Bocuse d’Or 2011 include Chefs Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy as well as Chefs Peter Goossens and Joel Robuchon. Chefs Pierre Gagnaire and Daniel Bouloud as well as Chefs Thomas Keller and Frederic Anton are also attending the said event. These are just some of the big names who will be there.

Image Credit: italianfoodnet.com

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Currently 4 comments - But what do you think?

Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 2:32 am
Filed under Chef Chef, Culinary Events · Tagged with Bocuse d’Or, Chef Paul Bocuse, Chefs, culinary competition

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Comments

4 Responses to “The Bocuse d’Or 2011”

Anna Johnston says:

January 24, 2011 at 8:24 am

Now that’s gotta be a cool goal to have to attend the Bocuse d’Or gala dinner, happy to share this one on FB my friend

[Reply]
Chef Matthew J.G Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 9:36 am
We as chefs owe it ourselves to give ourselves a healthy dose of quality time back

Certainly should very well be on every chefs so called bucket list.

Matthew

[Reply]
Chef Matthew J.G says:

January 24, 2011 at 2:27 pm

I received the following via email from one of our culinary comrades. Matthew

Matt been having a look though your blog and it is great especially this one as he in my eyes was founder of modern cookery as we know it and was born on the same day as me

Culinary regards and salutations

Steven

[Reply]