Epcot to host gold-standard chefs' contest

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Epcot to host gold-standard chefs' contest

Scott Joseph | Sentinel food critic
July 17, 2008

Opening weekend of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will feature the U.S. competition for the prestigious Bocuse d'Or World Cuisine Contest.

Since its inception in 1987, the biennial competition has only taken place at the National Restaurant Association's convention in Chicago.

Jerome Bocuse, general manager of Chefs de France at Epcot and son of Bocuse d'Or founder Paul Bocuse, will announce the eight American finalists this morning at a news conference at db Bistro Moderne in New York City.

Dieter Hannig, global vice president for food and beverage at Walt Disney World, also will participate in the announcement, along with New York chef Daniel Boulud and Gerard Collomb, mayor of Lyon, France.

The finalists were selected from applicants across the country who submitted recipes for review by a panel of judges.

During the semifinals at Epcot in the fall, the participants will be required to prepare dishes from a list of supplied ingredients within a limited time frame.

The winner of the semifinals will represent the United States at the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon in January.

Twenty-four countries will participate for gold, silver and bronze medals.

The highest an American has ever finished in the Bocuse d'Or is sixth place.

"We think that this will give an incredible opportunity to be recognized here in Central Florida as a food destination," Hannig said in an e-mail. "This is very exciting."

Bocuse, speaking from New York on Wednesday, said he hopes to create an awareness about the Bocuse d'Or in the United States.

"If you go to Europe, everyone knows about it," he said. "It's the most challenging competition in the world."

Bocuse said he pushed to have the U.S. semifinals moved to Epcot to make them accessible to the general public.

The 2008 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival takes place Sept. 26 through Nov. 9.

Scott Joseph can be reached at sjoseph@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5514.