Bocuse d’Or is considered as the “Olympics of Cooking” and takes its name after the legendary Paul Bocuse, who was a dynamic French chef based in Lyon and known for the high quality of his restaurants and his innovative approaches to cuisine. A press conference was held on 4th July 2023 by Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka at the Hilton Colombo Residencies with the French Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, His Excellency Jean-Francois Pactet as the Guest of Honour. The media conference was also attended by the President of the Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka Chapter, Mr. Rohan Fernandopoulle, and Tea Grower & Dilmah Tea CEO Dilhan C. Fernando along with other main sponsors and special guests.
Thirty of Sri Lanka’s finest hotel chefs were felicitated as they prepare to compete on 23rd July 2023 in the preliminary local round at the William Angliss Institute at SLIIT in Malabe. It will be the seventh time that the competition is taking place in Sri Lanka. Following an intensive cook off, there will be a 5-course Gala dinner and award ceremony at Water’s Edge, Battaramulla, to announce the winning culinary team that will have the prestigious honour of representing Sri Lanka in the Regional competition.
Competing chefs from 30 Sri Lankan hotels will be tasked with creating two main course dishes, one featuring seafood and one showcasing meat. The most challenging aspect of the competition is that the chefs will need to infuse their dishes with the exquisite Dilmah teas. Aspiring chefs will also have the opportunity to elevate their gourmet artistry by cooking with the “super foods”: seaweed and jackfruit. Addressing the guests and media, the President of the Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka Chapter, Mr. Rohan Fernandopoulle, highlighted the need to promote “Culinary Tourism” and the “taste of Sri Lanka” through the competition. He noted that contestants will be using Dilmah tea-which has been a long standing sponsor of the Bocuse d’Or since its inception-in their main courses.
Speaking to the media, Dilmah Tea CEO Dilhan C. Fernando stated that the Bocuse d’Or is one of the most prestigious competitions that “nurtures culinary art” and he stressed the importance of promoting Sri Lankan super foods, such as the humble Jackfruit, Gotu Kola, Cashew nuts, Seaweed, and aromatic homegrown spices such as cinnamon and cloves, which are absolutely essential for the development of the local rural economy. He also noted that Jack fruit had gained prominence in Western countries as a major “super food” in recent times and is fast gaining popularity as a trendy health food among the fitness conscious.
As a platform to showcase the artistic skills of aspiring cuisiniers, Bocuse d’Or is regarded as the most prestigious award for chefs in the world and has been taking place every two years in Lyon, France since 1987. The founder, late Chef Paul Bocuse, is an icon of French gastronomy and in a career spanning almost half a century, he was not only an ambassador for French cuisine, but was also the father of “Nouvelle Cuisine”. The local Bocuse d’Or 2023 competition will celebrate the harmonious blend of culinary excellence and tea gastronomy. The event promises to be an exciting and unforgettable experience for all participants and guests, as it showcases the exceptional skills and boundless creativity of Sri Lanka’s finest chefs at the highest level.
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ARTICLE BY NELUM BUDDHADASA