Scandinavian Europe literally dominated the Bocuse d'Or, the Championship cooking world, prestigious testing ground for young cooks, which is held every two years at the Sirha International Hotel in Lyon, created by the recently deceased great chef and master Paul Bocuse, to whom it has now been dedicated with a great ovation.
On the winner's podium was Denmark led by chef Kenneth Toft-Hansen and commis Christian Wellendorf Kleinert (who also won the prize for best commis), trained by Rasmus Kofoed of the Geranium restaurant in Copenhagen, famous for having obtained bronze, silver and gold in three consecutive editions of the Bocuse d'or.
Second place to Sweden, silver medal, with chef Sebastian Gibrand, commis Gustav Leonhardt (coach Tommy Myllymäki) while Norway with chef Christian André Pettersen, commis Havard André Josdal Ostebo and coach Gunnar Hvarnes won the bronze medal. To the big competition 24 teams from all over the world participated. La Italian team was represented by the Apulian chef Martino Ruggieri's team who had to settle for 15th place.
The chefs – including two women – challenged each other in terms of creativity and technical skill, on two dishes: a chartreuse of shells, a nod to chef Joël Robuchon who passed away last August and a roast veal roast, a dutiful tribute to Paul Bocuse. The contestants also had to bring a "touch of modernity," explained Claude Le Tohic, director of the American team, winner of the 2017 edition and "compress time" so that these two dishes, which would require 9 hours in the kitchen, were made in 5 hours 35 minutes. It's like Formula 1, you fight to the second.
This was the 17th edition of the competition, created by Bocuse. His son Jerome who has taken his place at the helm of the competition commented: “I think even my father, 32 years ago, could never have imagined the scale this competition has reached.
Three other prizes were awarded during the prize-giving ceremony of the "Olympic Games" of gastronomy.
Il Morocco won the best poster award, while the special theme on the plaque award went to France and the special theme on the plate award went to Finland.
