In preparation for the 2011 Bocuse d’Or, Chef James Kent along with his assistant Tom Allan was chosen to represent the United States.  Eleven teams competed over the weekend at the campus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).  They were judged by Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Jerome Bocuse, Grant Achatz, Paul Bartolotta, Timothy Hollingsworth, Traci Des Jardins, Paul Liebrandt, Walter Manzke, Daniel Patterson, Georges Perrier, Alain Sailhac, André Soltner, Susan Spicer, Laurent Tourondel, Alan Wong and Eric Ziebold on their two protein-based entrees.

The Bocuse d’Or is the ultimate chef contest - the equivalent of the Top Chef Olympics.  Teams represent their countries in a two day event held in France during the Salon international de la restauration de l’hôtellerie et de l’alimentation (SIRHA).  Teams are judged on balance of taste in the dish , the presentation or garnishing of the prepared dish and the technical aspect how the recipe is followed and how efficiently they demonstrated team work.

The best the United States has placed was 6th place by Timothy Hollingsworth in 2009.  In an effort to improve this the Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation was started by Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jerome Bocuse to coach and nurture American talent.  Chef Kent and sous chef Allan both work at Eleven Madison Park, a four star New York restaurant run by Danny Meyer.  They will spend the next year practicing in preparation for the contest in Lyon, France next January.

For the American competition, they needed to prepare a meat and a fish platter from Scottish salmon and American spring lamb.  Chef Kent prepared salmon pavé with leeks, osetra caviar and fumet blanc sauce garnished with a roulade of Alaska king crab, cucumber relish and Meyer lemon, chilled mousse with tartare and roe, and pickled heirloom beets with crème fraîche, dill and black pepper.  His lamb was a bacon-wrapped saddle with piquillo peppers and Provençal herbs, vol-au-vent of braised leg with sweetbreads and preserved lemon, zucchini with Lynnhaven chèvre frais cheese and mint, and a tart of tomato confit with basil, Niçois olives and fromage blanc.

Next year we’ll be cheering on Chef Kent and Allan as they take on the culinary world.  Here in Newport we’re excited to be organizing and sponsoring the Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition.  This event features the charter chefs from the yachts attending the Newport Spring Charter Show in June at the Newport Yachting Center.

Soundtrack to Post: The Pink Panther Theme

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