Paul Bocuse - Probably the most famous Chef in the world!
Irish Beef has been selected as a key ingredient at this year's Bocuse d’Or International Chef’s Competition. The event takes place at the upcoming Sirha Food Fair, Lyon, France, 29-30 January, 2013. The international competition, named after legendary French Chef Paul Bocuse, seeks to identify the world’s top competitive chef using only the world's best food products.

The selection of Irish Beef followed a rigorous and lengthy process by the competition’s International Organisation Committee was based on its grass fed nature meaning the beef is of a high quality in terms of tenderness, taste and texture. Securing this accolade is a valuable endorsement and recognition for Irish Beef.

Recent problems with some frozen beefburgers, made in Ireland using mixed Irish & EU meat products has not diminished the commitment of the world's top chefs to use Irish Beef in their Bocuse d'Or culinary competition dishes. 
 
The prestigious Bocuse d'Or World Gastronomic Competition  was created by the famous 3-Michelin-Star French Chef Paul Bocuse who was named Chef of the Century in 2011. The competition is running continuously since it's inception, in January 1987 and the Grand Final takes place in Lyon, France every 2 years. 

After 56 International selections and 3 continental selections in Latin America, Europe and Asia, 24 teams will now compete in what has become known as the "Olympics of Competitive Cooking". Unfortunately, the Irish Culinary Team didn't make it into the final 24 competing teams, this year.


The Bocuse d'Or World Culinary Competition only uses the best products like Irish Beef Fillet 

  • Florent Suplisson, Director of Bocuse d’Or said “The choice of Irish steer Beef Fillet for the 2013 edition of the Bocuse d’Or is in line with the tradition and overall objective of our competition - the best products for a cuisine and gastronomy of excellence which places the spotlight on products from all over the world."

On the eve of the contest, the candidates will have 30 minutes to choose seasonal fruit and vegetables from the Five Continents Market. They will use the produce and ingredients to prepare two of the three garnishes imposed on the day of the contest. 

The competition requires competitors to prepare two elaborate presentation platters of a meat dish and a fish dish, with the ingredients announced in advance to allow them to conceptualize and prepare their recipes for the live heats.

The Bocuse d'Or Chef's Competition is considered the Olympics of the Culinary world

To highlight the different national culinary heritages and encourage diversity, the third garnish will be typical of the candidates’ respective countries. This new rule in the competition, should lead to the introduction of local produce and ingredients, as yet unseen in the history of the Bocuse d’Or.


After having acquired the produce and ingredients from the market, the candidates together with their coach and commis chef, will have one hour in which to design and write down the recipe for their dish. 

The Judging process at the Bocuse d'Or can continue throughout the night

The Chef will then have 5 hours 35 minutes to prepare their competition entries and in order to remain close to the actual restaurant environment, the candidates will this year be required to prepare 14 plates and not 'trays' as in the previous competitions.

The 24 Countries that have qualified for Bocuse d’Or 2013 are

The Order of Competition at the 2013 Bocuse d'Or
You can see more details and a complete list of individual competitors, from each team, here at http://www.bocusedor-lyon.com/teams/the-participating-teams/teams-list

Irish Beef Fillet is picked as the Key Ingredient at the Bocuse  d'Or 2013

To be picked as one of the key ingredients at the Boscuse d'Or Chef's Culinary Competition is a wonderful endorsement of Irish Beef and enforces the serious continued commitment of Irish farmers to their quality products.

For more details see the Bocuse d'Or website at http://www.bocusedor-lyon.com/homepage

For more from Zack see www.IrishFoodGuide.ie