What is the Bocuse d'Or?
It was in 1987 that the late Michelin Guide three-starred chef Paul Bocuse launched this famous competition. A highly renowned tournament, the Bocuse d'Or brings together 24 chefs from the four corners of the world. They have five hours and thirty-five minutes to impress the judges, some of the world's most famous chefs, by cooking two dishes.
The competition will take place in January of next year at Sirha, a culinary trade show that is held in Lyon, France every two years.
The Bocuse d'Or Mauritius Academy
Officially launched on 6 February last at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel in Port Louis, the Bocuse d'Or Mauritius Academy aims at enabling local chefs registered at the academy to demonstrate their know-how to the whole world during the internationally renowned competition. The event took place in the presence of the Minister of Tourism, Joe Lesjongard and the Promotion Director of the Bocuse d'Or Mauritius Academy, Emmanuelle Coquet, among other guests from the world of hospitality and gastronomy.
However, the participation ticket for the Bocuse d'Or has not yet been won for Mauritius.
Qualification will be in two stages. First of all, the aspiring participants will have to compete - as a duo composed of a chef and an assistant - in a local competition on 19 March. The deadline for registering for the competition is 15 February next. After that, it is in Africa that it will all be played in June of this year.
The two winning duets will represent the African continent at the competition during the Sirha exhibition in January 2021. The entry requirements: the chef must be at least 23 years old and the assistant must be less than 22 years old. They must both be holders of a Mauritian passport.
The stakes of the competition for Mauritius
Mauritius is known as an outstanding holiday destination. It is often associated with beautiful beaches, sea and permanent sunshine. Gradually, the island has become popular with foreigners for its hotels, activities and the Mauritian culture, which itself is a rich blend of different cultures.
In addition to the festivities in Mauritius, the Mauritian cuisine also reflects the cultural diversity of the population. Indeed, dishes of various origins - Chinese, Creole, Indian, among others - can be found in Mauritian cuisine. For the Minister of Tourism, Joe Lesjongard, the Bocuse d'Or will allow Mauritian gastronomy to be showcased. He encouraged participants to use as many ingredients from Mauritian farming as possible.
In addition, the chefs of Mauritius have very well mastered the culinary art. It is not only the Mauritian dishes that are appreciated by tourists, but also the cuisine itself. Mauritian cooks have the know-how and passion required to take part in the Bocuse d'Or and we look forward to the results of the local and African selections.
Mauritius is much more than a beautiful tropical island; it is ambitious and wants to make its potential known to the world. All the more so since Mauritian gastronomy is highly appreciated and Mauritian chefs excel at cooking, this journey with the Bocuse d'Or competition as its final goal will be very interesting to follow, and above all, very mouth-watering!