Chefs to compete at Hotelympia for place in UK Bocuse d’Or team

The Bocuse d’Or is the world’s biggest and most prestigious chef competition and on April 28th, six British chefs will compete against each other for the opportunity to represent the UK in 2016. Armand Sablon, head chef at Ten Restaurant at Cafe Royal, Adam Smith, head chef at The Devonshire Arms, Christian Ørner, a private chef from Poole, Dorset, Keith Hooker from Restaurant Associates, Rajikumar Holuss from The Ritz and Steve Love from Loves Restaurant Birmingham will cook in the Live Theatre of Hotelympia from 5pm until 7pm. The chefs will have 1½ hours to prepare, cook and present three different hot garnishes, with five portions of each, suitable for decorating a chicken ballotine. Garnishes should show variety in textures, flavours and colours. The ballotine can be pre-prepared and brought in but must be served hot with the garnishes. In the style of the Bocuse d’Or each entry will be presented on a silver flat provided. The competition will be judged by Bocuse d’Or team members Andreas Antona, restaurateur, Nick Vadis culinary director of Compass Group, Bocuse d’Or chair and UK candidate 2001 John Williams from The Ritz and UK candidate 2009 and 2013, chef proprietor of The Elephant restaurant and brasserie, Simon Hulstone. The winner will receive a Bocuse d’Or trophy and the chance to work alongside current candidate Adam Bennett as prepares for the Bocuse d’Or world final in 2015.

Countdown to Bocuse d’Or Europe, May 7th - 8th 2014 Adam will himself compete for a place in the World Final at the European heats on May 8th in Stockholm. Supported by commis chef Josh Allen and coach, Idris Caldora, he will be up against 19 chefs from all over Europe, the 12 top scoring teams will progress to the Bocuse d’Or World final in Lyon in January 2015. Each team needs to prepare a fish plate using coal fish, Belon oysters and blue mussels with half of the plate composed of vegetation from the land or sea. The meat course must be served on a silver flat and must incorporate ham on the bone, the trotters from Swedish young pigs, along with either the blood or hog casing. Each course must be served with several garnishes which are left to the candidates discretion, warm, prepared side dishes can also be presented on the meat platter.

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