How an American Chef Won Bocuse d'Or

Bocuse d'OR is a biennial culinary event that takes place in Lyon, France. Chefs from all over the world train for months before the competition begins, perfecting their sauces, garnishes, juliennes, and quenelles. For the first time in 30 years that the competition has existed, Team USA, led by Executive Sous Chef at French Laundry Matthew Peters, took home the gold. 

Chef Peters, his assistant Harrison Turone, and 8 chefs spent over a year training for the competition. They practiced in a kitchen built with the same dimensions and cooking equipment as the Bocuse d'OR kitchen. This way, they were familiar with the size of the work space and temperature controls of the burners and ovens. 

What was their winning dish?

The New York Times reports: "[T]eams were required to interpret 'Poulet de Bresse aux Écrevisses,' a Lyonnaise classic. The American version involved the chicken with morel mushroom sausage, braised wings, a wine glaze and sauce Américaine, a kind of lobster sauce. Alongside were a chicken liver quenelle with foie gras, corn custard, black-eyed peas and toasted pistachios, as well as lobster tail with Meyer lemon mousse. The garnishes included preparations using carrots, Vidalia onions, black truffles, carrots, peas and potatoes."

We at Simply Gum are still a long way from developing a lobster or foie gras flavored gum, but we're proud of all US culinary feats and proud to be made in the USA!

 Photo courtesy of the New York Times.