Time to get started

Team Simpsons - Myself, Kristian, Leo and Andreas at the Gherkin
© Steve Ryan photography

It doesn’t seem two minutes since my last blog when I said that I couldn’t wait to find out the specifications so that we could start preparing for the final.  We now have these and there have been a few surprises this year.

I’m delighted to be working with Irish steer beef fillet, however, we won’t know what the fish will be until the end of November.  We were expecting some changes to the competition as our Sirha contact, Anne-Sophie, had given us the heads up.  However, the fact that the candidates will only have two months (previously candidates had six months) to create and practise the fish plate was a surprise.  Other changes include points for incorporating national influences into the dishes and having to create a garnish using seasonal ingredients sourced from a Lyon market - the competition is in January so I don’t think there’s going to be a wide choice! 

All this was announced at the press launch for both the Bocuse d’Or and the World Pastry Cup at Searcys at the top of London’s Gherkin last Monday.  Many thanks to GL Events, Andre Dang and Valrhrona for organising.  It was great to see some of our sponsors there too, including Ritter Courivaud, Nestle Professional, Villeroy & Boch, Rougie and Classic Fine Foods and Compass Group and to catch up with previous UK candidate Andre Garrett.  

The new rules provide us with a few challenges but I’m excited by the changes.  I’ve been cooking for 25 years and the Bocuse d’Or is probably the greatest test of culinary and creative skills in the world. Now where’s that beef?

Back on the road to Lyon

As Brian Turner CBE has often said, ‘Nothing can prepare you for the Bocuse d’Or’ and he’s absolutely right. It is a contest like no other and I certainly hadn’t prepared for how the experience would affect me.

I went into the competition expecting to be overawed by five and a half hours of intense cooking but I actually really enjoyed it. Instead of hours of pressure, what I experienced was five and a half hours of pure, controlled adrenaline. I think that the fact that we now have a replica kitchen to practise in provided the additional comfort and I hope that future Bocuse d’Or candidates will benefit from this fantastic facility. I can’t thank UCB enough for their support with this.

Competing in Brussels and being judged by some of Europe’s best chefs, gave me a real buzz and I can understand why chefs like the current title-holder Rasmus Kofoed have returned time and time again. The heats helped me to mentally unlock my approach; cooking in the Bocuse d’Or is so far removed from cooking in a restaurant that you have to totally free your mind from the day job. Preparing for Brussels was difficult in that I struggled to get my head around what was required in terms of logistics and timings. Now I’ve experienced the heats I have a clearer idea for what we need to do for Lyon.

We also had the additional confidence boost of winning the special meat prize which came as a complete shock. I wasn’t listening out for our names at this point, which I think you can see from the photo.

Fortunately, my wife is very supportive of me taking part in the competition, as it does take over your personal life. She’ll be coming out to Lyon with our three year old daughter, which will be quite an experience I’m sure.

I’m also lucky to have a boss (Andreas Antona) who is 100% behind me taking part and is happy to give me time out of the Simpsons’ kitchen to prepare for the competition.

The Bocuse d’Or is not a level playing field and achieving success requires the support of a wider team. In the run up to Brussels, we had a great response from businesses who wanted to help our cause. I hope that everyone will join us in the next challenge, competing against the rest of the world in Lyon!

Three weeks to go to Geneva

Just three weeks away to the Bocuse d'Or European final in Geneva and every spare minute is being spent practising and refining the veal and halibut dishes, ensuring that the timing is just right. Five hours may seem a long time to prep two dishes but competing at this level is something else. You can hear the crowds roaring for their candidate but you don't have time to enjoy the atmosphere. If you miss your timeslot for even a few minutes you'll be penalised.

With now just days to practise, I can only hope that the dishes will wow the judges by their presentation but more importantly by their taste.