“The prestigious French cookery contest you've probably never heard of” |
| The prestigious French cookery contest you've probably never heard of Posted: 27 Jan 2011 06:42 PM PST  The jury of chefs taste dishes during the Bocuse d'Or in 2009. Photograph: PHILIPPE MERLE/AFP It's arguably the most prestigious cooking competition in the world, has the atmosphere of a football match and cash prizes of up to €20,000. But have you ever heard of the biennial Bocuse d'Or championship, which starts tomorrow in Lyon? Probably not. Britain's chefs – as famous for their shouting and swearing skills as their cooking – tend to do terribly. But this year all that could change. Simon Hulstone, chef-patron of the Michelin-starred Elephant in Torquay, is representing "Team GB" and is Britain's best hope of getting a place in the top three. In 2009 the 38-year-old came ninth and has spent months perfecting his two platters, including loin of Scottish lamb with shoulder "spiral", beetroot textures, and couscous "domino" with cucumber ketchup and watermelon. The contest takes place in an arena with up to 1,000 spectators shouting, banging pans and pots, playing music and blowing vuvuzelas. Each team of three has exactly five hours and 35 minutes to prepare two platters (one each of fish and meat) for the 24 judges, who have previously comprised such bigwigs as Heston Blumenthal and El Bulli's Ferran Adrià. The now 84-year-old Paul Bocuse, a pioneer of nouvelle cuisine and one of the most notable chefs in French history, began his eponymous competition in 1987. From the 24 qualifying countries, three gain a place on the podium, winning cash and a gold statuette of a be-toqued Bocuse depicted, with typical self-effacement, astride a globe. The event has had its controversies: when the Spanish finished second-last in 2005, despite having spent around $1m on preparations, the El País newspaper huffed that the Bocuse was merely "a contest of buffets-and-snacks catering". And suspicions of cheating were raised in 2007 when it was alleged that the French, who went on to win, had used prepared ingredients. But the Bocuse, with its mix of highbrow and lowbrow, seems set to grow in stature in future years – all the more so if Britain finally brings home a trophy. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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