France has regained the crown, err, chef's hat. The biennial Bocuse d'Or fine dining competition—which the New York Times describes as "the true Olympic Games of high gastronomy"—on Monday crowned France this year's winner. It's a comeback of sorts for France, which didn't even finish in the top three in 2023 and had won just one medal, a gold in 2021, since 2015. That was quite a fall for the country that has won about half of the 20 Bocuse contests that have taken place since 1987. Denmark in particular has been gaining on it, taking gold in 2023 and winning three times in total—the second most of any country. It won silver this year, with Sweden taking bronze. (The US managed gold in 2017.)
AFP describes the lengths France went to in its quest to regain gold: "Having seen Scandinavian countries dominate over the last decade, France's team has professionalized and attracted funding from public authorities and private donors in a sign of the importance of the title for national identity." Around $630,000 was raised for the French team this year. Some 24 countries participated in the competition, each made up of a chef and a helper. The teams had 5.5 hours to make dishes using a back of venison, including a foie gras pie, a garnish involving fruit from their own country, and "16 closed, bi-colored ravioli, served hot, with a clarified venison consommé infused with tea." They had another four hours and 40 minutes to make a stone bass, lobster, and celery dish.
Paul Marcon, the 29-year-old chef who led the French team to victory, described the win as "childhood dream come true"; his own father, Régis Marcon, won gold for France in 1995. The Times of London reports Marcon and his team had been prepping for six months and made "the dishes they presented every other day since December. They had mental, physical and tactical training sessions before the event." (More French cooking stories.)
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