Chefs fight clock in quest for Bocuse d'Or U.S. slot

Nation's Restaurant News, June 14, 2004 by Pamela Parseghian

There was no shortage of drama during the National Selection Competition for the international biannual Bocuse d'Or culinary contest, held at McCormick Place during the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.

One chef burned his hand, and another was 20 minutes late in presenting his dishes as a packed crowd watched seven chefs cook off to win the honor of representing the United States at the well-respected Bocuse d'Or, which is scheduled to take place Jan. 22-26, 2005, in Lyon, France. In the end Austrian-born Fritz Gitschner, 48, was the big winner.

"It was fun," Gitschner said. "What intrigued me was that the United States had never won the Bocuse d'Or. To win first place is our goal."

Gitschner, who has worked in country clubs since 1991, also participated in order to fight the "tunnel vision" that he said could come from working ill a club facility for a long period of time. He is currently executive chef of the Houston Country Club in Houston.

Gitschner also runs a consulting business, Culinary Blueprints, and is a partner in a chef placement company that places American Culinary Federation's Certified Master Chefs. In between his other responsibilities, Gitschner, himself a CMC, squeezed in practicing about 300 hours to compete in the national selection process.

"It may look easy," said the Bocuse d'Or USA's executive director, Michel Bouit, "but it is a lot of pressure."

Judge Chris Mills called the competition a "pressure cooker." In a previous Bocuse d'Or competition Mills represented Canada, where he resides and is in charge of product development at the Joey Tomato's Mediterranean Grill, based in Vancouver.

When asked why more chefs don't compete, Bouit said, "I think it is a dilemma for all countries. A lot of people are unwilling to put their reputation on the line."

Even before the event started, most competitors said they had spent much time, money and effort in preparing for the Bocuse d'Or National Selection.

"It's grueling," said second-place winner Keith Armstrong, 33, "and I exercise five days a week."

Armstrong, a self-described competition "freak," said he had carried more than 200 pounds of equipment and food, including five kinds of salt, with him to Chicago from his kitchens at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y. After competing in about 50 other competitions, he noted that the Bocuse is "by far the toughest. This is the pinnacle."

Competitor Rick Gresh said: "I learned a lot by watching the other chefs work. You don't get to watch other established cooks cook" once you're running an operation.

Gresh oversees the kitchens of Caliterra restaurant at the Wyndham Hotel in Chicago.

For the competition each of the seven contestants had five and a half hours to prepare four individual plates and two platters that serve 12 people. A panel that included some past Bocuse d'Or competitors judged the contest. The food was judged for flavor and presentation, with taste counting for twice the amount of points.

The winning fish dish was fillet of sole Frederick, filled with lobster-truffle mousseline and served with asparagus flan, seared scallop over zucchini, osetra caviar, a pate choux net, cucumber pearls and lobster sauce with dry vermouth, Pernod, lemon juice and cream.

And the winning meat was a petit brined veal rack crepinette en croute with veal, pork and jowl fat forcemeat. The sauce was a classic veal sauce that was deglazed with wine and finished with butter. It was served with foie gras, pheasant and veal mousse-line filled with morel mushroom ragout and topped with herbed forcemeat-stuffed morel. Other garnishes included sweet-potato-and-leek torte topped with creme fraiche and chive blossom, apple crisp and a small Roma tomato filled with white truffle risotto and topped with braised artichoke and a caper berry.

Gitschner said he plans to rework his dishes completely for the January competition. Currently, 24 countries are signed up to cook at the Bocuse d'Or next year.

Jordan and Russia will be joining for the first time.

A U.S. delegate has participated since the first competition was held in 1987, according to Pierre Doucet, operations manager for the Bocuse d'Or.

"Coming to the Bocuse d'Or is like going to the Masters in Augusta, Ga., to see who is going to wear the green jacket," Doucet said. "There are real supporters waving flags and making noise."

A U.S. delegation will be led by Bouit. "We are going to make noise in 2005," Bouit said.

For information on the competition visit www.bocuse-usa.com.