Bocuse d'Or, a prestigious tournament.

A competition created in 1987 that gives recognition and reputation to the winning chefs, as well as the Michelin Stars. But what is this tournament about? Who invented it? Who were your first winners? Were there Argentines who were recognized?

(Photo: L'Express)

In 1983, an event billed as "an exhibition organized by professionals for professionals" was held for the first time. Precisely there the idea of ​​an official and prestigious tournament was born. Paul Bocuse, designated honorary president of the exhibition and chef with three Michelin stars, seeing that none of the preparations made in the exhibition were made live by the chefs, created the Bocuse d'Or in January 1987.

Since then, this competition has been held every two years at the Salon international de la restauration de l'hôtellerie et de l'alimentation (SIRHA), in Lyon, France. Same place where the first exhibition was held. The championship honors the chefs and the craft and perpetuates the timeless spirit of Paul Bocuse's cuisine.

The first Bocuse d'Or was won by none other than French. Jacky Freon was chosen by the professionals of the European country to compete, choosing the correct chef. He took over the competition, without a doubt, thanks to a concentration and determination that allowed him to control his emotionality. Since 1998, he has put all his energy at the service of the Mutuelle des Cuisiniers de France and the Fondation Léopold Mourier, where he is General Director.

As for the women in the competition, only one could obtain the gold award. Léa Linster, a chef born in 1955 in Luxembourg, who obtained the trophy in 1989 giving her a greater reputation than she already had. Despite having gone to France to study law, he returned to his village of Frisange after his father's death to manage the family business. After this "duty" became a passion, he decided to open the gastronomic restaurant "Lea Linster" restaurant, which was awarded a Michelin star in 1987.

A tournament without France is the same as a World Cup without Brazil or the Olympics without the United States in basketball. The excellence of French gastronomy, in this type of competition, makes it clear who we should follow in the footsteps. Of the 18 editions, 8 were won by the European country, 2 times it was second and 1 time third.

How is it classified? 24 countries compete in the world finals, having achieved it through different modes. The best 12 finalists of the Bocuse d'Or Europe, the 4 best finalists of the Bocuse d'Or Asia, the best 3 finalists of the Copa Azteca Latin American competition qualify. In addition 3 participants are selected from national application, as well as 2 wild card selections.

Each team has 2 cooks, one leader and one as kitchen helper. They also have a designated coach to communicate with the team. In 5 hours and 35 minutes, each team must present 2 elaborate dishes: one with meat and the other with fish. And, since 2009, there are inspectors who control the time and the products that are behind the scenes, since you cannot have pre-cut vegetables or have the portions separated in advance.

Despite all the steps and efforts to qualify and be in the tournament, there was no chance for the Argentines to stand out. Moreover, no Latin American ever reached the podium. Something that can attract attention, since the cuisine of the region is of very good quality, but it does not reach the European or Japanese cuisine.

But why does this happen? The reality is that European gastronomy is usually the main cause. It is difficult to get to the tournament and compete against powers like France, Denmark, Germany or Norway. Their culinary techniques, their way of presenting the dishes and their class make other countries unable to compete against them.