Italy and the tortuous journey to the “Bocuse d’or” 2025

In mid-January, I was invited to the “
Gala Dinner Show 2024
” of the Italian Federation of Chefs (FIC), which is the country’s most important trade association. In fact, it boasts 16,000 member chefs who belong to 20 regional unions and 14 foreign associations. This meritorious association, as well as the National Italian Chefs (NIC), are members of the World Association of Chefs and are active participants in international salons and the most prestigious international competitions, such as the World Championships and Culinary Olympics.

In the context of the restaurant at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, I was able to taste 12 different dishes, of as many Cooks and Chefs, all freshly prepared before our eyes, each in a special preparation corner. The mind-blowing thing was the Perfect logistical organization of the evening and the quality of the dishes offered, all for a few hundred people! So we at DoctorWine offer our congratulations to the entire Federation and of course to its president, the nice young Rocco Pozzulo. Since we are then very sensitive to the subject of wine, we cannot fail to point out that accompanying the dishes were the very good wines from the Piedmontese winery Marchesi di Barolo.

The Bocuse d’or

Here, having participated in this event allows me to tell you about the Italian participation in the world’s most prestigious gastronomic competition for single chefs: the “Bocuse d’or” which is held every two years in Lyon, France. This award, created by Paul Bocuse himself, perhaps the greatest chef in history, has seen chefs from all over the world compete since 1998, with strict rules and guidelines. It is a very close competition, carried out in several stages, which literally requires great skill, equal technique and resistance to psychophysical fatigue. Believe me, I am not exaggerating.

Well, over the years, for the nation to which the winner belongs, the Bocus d’or has become the emblem of best cuisine in the world. That is why it attracts increasingly large economic but also political investments, in the good sense of competitions between states that like to be able to boast of the very prestigious title. We Italians, in all the past editions, have never stood on the podium, never even a third place. In the overall medal table of all editions, France is first, Norway second and Denmark third-a real Caporetto for our national cuisine!

Great technique and grueling training

The reasons for such bad results, in my opinion, are precisely to be found in our own Gentile idea of Cuoco, all genius, flair and unruliness. Not to mention the state’s past lack of interest in this competition. Instead, to compete on a level playing field, you need investments, such as allowing the participating cook to be absent from his or her place of work to train, great technique, in-depth knowledge of raw materials and precisely grueling training sessions. Everything is played out in just over 5 hours of competition, during which each Cook, aided by a Commis and a Coach, must prepare one meat main course for ten people and one fish main course for eight people.

European final on March 19 and 20

To remedy our previous disappointing participations, Italy, through the Bocuse d’or Italia Academy (which features the tristate chef Enrico Crippa as president) and the active participation of the Italian Federation of Chefs, reset all the preparation work for the competition. The first results can already be seen and italic hopes are pinned on the European final to be held this year in Norway and hopefully in the subsequent world finals in Lyon in 2025. The following will compete for Italy Marcelino Gomez Vita, who last year won the Italian Cuisine Championships, organized precisely by the FIC.

To Marcelino Gomez, all the Associations involved, and all the sponsors, come our applause and unwavering support. We will continue to follow you step by step!