FRANCE
is the winner of the Bocuse d’Or
with Fabrice DESVIGNES
Kitchens of la Présidence du Sénat, Paris
2007: Happy Birthday Bocuse d’Or !
For the past 20 years, the Bocuse d’Or has made it possible for young chefs from all over the world to share a unique contest experience, a mouth-watering cocktail of haute gastronomy, featuring international culinary references and friendship. The event involves 24 chefs representing 24 countries, pitting their skills against one another in the largest gastronomic arena of the world. More than a thousand supporters attend this unique gourmet show in the course of which 24 candidates transform, live, a fish and a piece meat into culinary chef d’oeuvres. This year, the imposed products were the Norwegian Holy Fish™ – Norwegian white halibut – accompanied with Norwegian red King Crab and Bresse chicken PDO.
For the occasion of this 20th anniversary, the prize presentation ceremony, exceptionally, brought together all those who had won a place on the podium in the past. Paul Bocuse, President-Founder of the contest, and Heston Blumenthal, of the “Fat Duck” restaurant situated near London, and president of honour also attended the event.
The Bocuse d’Or was held on January 23 and 24 as part of the Sirha – International Hotel Catering and Food trade exhibition, at Lyon-Eurexpo.
FRANCE is the winner of the twentieth edition of the Bocuse d’Or. Fabrice DESVIGNES won the Gold trophy of the Bocuse d’Or, created by artist Christine Delessert after the image of Paul Bocuse, and €20 000 in prize money.
Rasmus KOFOED representing DENMARK achieved second place. He won the silver trophy of the Bocuse d’Or, and €15 000 in prize money.
Frank GIOVANNINI representing SWITZERLAND achieved third place. He won the bronze trophy of the Bocuse d’Or, and €10 000 in prize money.
Several Special prizes were awarded:
– Fish prize: Sven Erik RENAA, Norway
– Meat prize: Markus AUJALAY, Sweden
– Prize for the best poster: Kotaro HASEGAWA, Japan
– Prize for the culinary identity: Kotaro HASEGAWA, Japan
– Best assistant/commis prize: Chang Yung LUA, China
Who is Fabrice DESVIGNES, Bocuse d’Or 2007
1993-1995: commis – George Blanc in Vonnas (01)
1995-1996: cook – service of the Etat Major – Ministry for Defence in Paris
1996-1997: assistant chef de partie – R. Cressac – Hôtel Beau Rivage in Geneva (Switzerland)
1998: chef de partie for fish- Bernard Ravet at Vufflens-the-Château (Switzerland)
1998: chef de partie – La Tour du Roy in Vervins (02)
Since 1999: assistant chef – Présidence du Sénat in Paris
First steps in cooking
Fabrice Desvignes was born on 29 November 1973 into a family of cooks. Before him, his parents and his grandmother owned reputed restaurants. His childhood years were spent behind the scenes, where he acquired the fundamentals of traditional French cuisine, which serve him even today. This was excellent training for him, which he pursued at the most reputed establishments, before joining the kitchens of the Présidence du Sénat, in Paris in 1999.
Training for the Bocuse d’Or
Selected for the Bocuse d’Or on 30 March 2006 in Paris, Fabrice Desvignes said, “Since that date, I live only for the competition in Lyons”. Fortunately, the French candidate is accompanied in his training by highly qualified chefs: Gilles Poyac, Pascal Grière, and Jerome Le Mining, with whom he has worked with on a daily basis for seven years, and who hold the title of Meilleurs Ouvriers of France. However, culinary technique is not the only criterion of success for the Bocuse d’Or. A few months into the contest preparations, Fabrice Desvignes compares – in emotional terms – the prestigious competition with the birth of his first child! He associates his technical preparation to a physical and psychological workout, in order to overcome his anxiety in time for the big day. However, if the contest takes up a lot of his attention, he still manages to find time to be with his wife and two daughters.
Outside the kitchen
In addition to cooking and the stress that goes hand in hand with the event, the French candidate for the Bocuse d’Or rounds up his supporters. T-shirts have already been printed and all the staff of the Présidence du Sénat was present at the contest.
Between us…
The candidate speaks french, english, and has a splattering of spanish
What does his mother think of his cooking: “She says -what I prepare at the house is good. But she has never tasted my cooking at the restaurant.”
If he were a product, it would be… “Foie gras, because it is a fine dish, which one can combine in a thousand different ways.”
His commis
Antoine Michelson, has been an apprentice with the kitchens of the Présidence du Sénat for one and half years. He wishes to participate in the contest because he “likes working under pressure” and thinks that the Bocuse d’Or will enable him “to improve his self confidence, thanks to the responsibilities that Fabrice Desvignes has entrusted him with.”
Fabrice Desvignes works with CHROMA HAIKU knives