Da immer mehr Länder kulinarisch wichtig werden, wird es jetzt eine europäische Vorentscheidung für den Bocuse d’or geben. Im Juli 2008 gibt es die europäischen Qualifikationen – lesen die Bekanntmachung des Bocuse d’or Komittees (englisch)
For the first time since its creation, the Bocuse d’Or will introduce European selections, to be held at Stavanger, Norway, on 1st and 2nd of July 2008. The event will take place in the wake of the Copa Azteca, that was held in Mexico in 2005. The objective is clear: to open the contest to new countries, offering even more emulation.
„Bocuse d’Or Europe“ for 2008
Bocuse d’Or Europe, the new continental pre-selection event, will offer a foretaste, in 2008, of the famous international contest and will serve to select some of the entrants for the 2009 edition of the Bocuse d’Or. The event will bring together approximately twenty countries from continental Europe. Among these, some candidate countries will already have earned the right to participate in the finals to be held in 2009 (the six first on the Bocuse d’Or 2007 ranking will automatically be accepted for participation in 2009) and will be competing on a friendly basis, for the sporting spirit. The other nations will be competing for the right to compete in Lyon in 2009 and will include both regular contestants as well as new countries that have never participated before.
Summer of 2008 in Stavanger, Norway
The first Bocuse d’Or Europe will take place on July 1st and 2nd, 2008. Stavanger, gastronomic capital of Norway, also the European cultural capital in 2008, was chosen by the International Organising Committee to host the pre-selection event. The contest will be organised by SepelCom, in partnership with the Norwegian Bocuse d’Or Academy, that has been successfully supervising the selection and preparation of the Norwegian candidates over the past years. Eyvind Hellstrøm, historical president of Bocuse d’Or for Norway, and owner of the only restaurant in Norway to boast two stars (Bagatelle, in Oslo), will be the president of the contest.
A selection event on a continental scale designed to open the Bocuse d’Or to new nations
The creation of this second selection event to be held on a continental scale illustrates the approach adopted by the Bocuse d’Or for its 20th anniversary. For the occasion, Paul Bocuse, president-founder, together with the International Organising Committee have decided to further enhance the scope of the contest. Their intention, for the 20 years to come, is to open up the contest to new countries, giving their chance to new nations to join the Bocuse d’Or family. After Norway in 2008, Bocuse d’Or Europe, which will be a travelling event, will be held in other European countries.
A first continental selection event for Latin America in 2005
In 2005 already, the Copa Azteca inaugurated the concept of continental selection events. This first intermediate competition brought together 12 chefs from 12 countries of Latin America. The tests, that were organised as part of Abastur trade exhibition in Mexico, enabled Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, to secure a place in the 2007 finals in Lyon.
For further information, please visit www.bocusedor.com