Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection

A mother rooting for her commis daughter, supporting eyes of bespectacled excitement. Sharp moves masking stress and exhaustion, tense foreheads beaming next to glistening pots and pans. The flag flying high, the anthem sung, tears of joy surfacing while frantically asked to smile in all directions. The Americas selection for the Bocuse d’Or was a carousel of emotions unlike anything I had covered before. Maybe it was the stifling heat, carrying over from the Pastry World Cup selection. Maybe it was me venturing into the unknown, a first visit to Louisiana, a magical land of swamps, alligators, and thought-provoking fairy tales. Perhaps it was a combination of all of these coupled with my excitement over the storytelling unfolding before my eyes, minute by minute. No matter the angle, line of work, or culinary allegiance, this was an event that captured hearts and minds, in its inspiring pursuit of culinary excellence. 

For this regional qualifying round, the contestants had five and a half hours to complete the Bocuse d’Or’s two iconic tests: the theme on a plate and the platter theme.

With Louisiana being the second largest producer of seafood in the United States, the theme on a plate had a spotlight on seafood products. The candidates had to work with whole shrimp, oyster and lump crab meat, accompanied by a sauce, and served warm or cold.

For the platter, the candidates had to include and to highlight several ingredients, the first one being wild boar rack. The wild boar rack, a strongly flavored red meat, was presented in two equal pieces on the platter, with two plant-based accompaniments.

Alligator sausage was the second required component of the platter test, and an additional homage to local culinary traditions. Alligator meat is a strong marker of the gastronomic culture of southeastern USA, and Louisiana is one of the largest suppliers of alligator for leather goods and foods (fillets, nuggets, hamburgers, etc.)

Last but not least, the chefs had to propose a reinterpretation of the Cajun and Creole gastronomic culture based on grits, served as a dish to share.

There was a Cuisine Jury composed of 5 international chefs, who observed the candidates and evaluated their professionalism, ability to handle pressure, sustainable approach, and waste management and technique. There was also a Tasting Jury, whose members representing each of the competing countries, examined the technical details as well as the candidates’ compliance with the rules of the competition, seeking to reward “achievements that embody the perfect balance between purity of taste, respect for the product, attention to detail, and of course, technical mastery.”

Overseeing the judging process were Chef Emeril Lagasse, Honorary President, and Chef Jeffery Hayashi, President of the Jury and Bocuse d’Or Americas 2022.

For the third consecutive time, the United States won the Americas selection for the Bocuse d’Or. To secure their spot in the final competition in Lyon next year, Team USA – comprised of Chef Stefani De Palma and Commis Bradley Waddle – prepared a dish entitled “California’s Celebration of Louisiana Shellfish…”

…and a platter entitled “Golden State Soul: California Meets the Bayou.”

Teams Canada (Chef Keith Pears) and Mexico (Chef Marcelo Hisaki) completed the podium, coming in second and third place, respectively. Chile (Chef Roberto Vallejos, 4th) and Colombia (Chef Diego Felipe Torres Giraldo, 5th) were also selected to participate in the Grand Final in Lyon, to be held on January 26-27, 2025.

Congratulations, Chefs Palma and Waddle! Good luck in Lyon!

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