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Going into the judging I expected the food to be classically composed, with little risk taking regarding flavor combinations and overall concepts. In conversation with some of the other judges, I asked what exactly we were looking for. Clearly the objective was to select the chef who would give the USA the best hope in winning the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon. But what does that mean? Level of execution is easy to evaluate. Either the food is cooked well and seasoned well or it is not. The U.S. candidate has to be a good cook, and this panel could easily discern who that would be.
But to me the more important aspect to selecting someone who would place high in Lyon was style. I have never competed in or watched a competition. But I assume the standard by which the international panel of judges decide the winner in Lyon is based on years of competitive cooking and the traditions that frame them. Did that mean we were looking for a perfectly executed, boring platter?
I wondered if the contestants were thinking the same thing when they designed their food. Is the goal to win and advance by playing the game? Or to cook expressively? Would the styles of the restaurants the chefs are working in shine through? Would I be able to pick out the work of a cook from Charlie Trotter's or Eleven Madison Park? Should I be able to?
As it turns out, I could.
One of the chefs, Jennifer Petrusky, a sous chef at Charlie Trotter's, had the most conceptual platter. Instead of just manipulating the ingredients and composing them in a logical way for flavor and appearance, she had worked the trays into a theme. Drawing inspiration from a recent trip to Dubai, she framed the foodstuffs around a tea that she had enjoyed in the Middle East. Rose, coriander, and honey became the backbone of the dish. Elements of sweetness, bitter, spice, floral, and salt blended together to form a complex course. This was high concept restaurant cooking, and I liked it.
Midway through the day Thomas called all of the judges together. He stressed that the most important element in making our decisions after flavor should be creativity.
But to me the more important aspect to selecting someone who would place high in Lyon was style. I have never competed in or watched a competition. But I assume the standard by which the international panel of judges decide the winner in Lyon is based on years of competitive cooking and the traditions that frame them. Did that mean we were looking for a perfectly executed, boring platter?
I wondered if the contestants were thinking the same thing when they designed their food. Is the goal to win and advance by playing the game? Or to cook expressively? Would the styles of the restaurants the chefs are working in shine through? Would I be able to pick out the work of a cook from Charlie Trotter's or Eleven Madison Park? Should I be able to?
As it turns out, I could.
One of the chefs, Jennifer Petrusky, a sous chef at Charlie Trotter's, had the most conceptual platter. Instead of just manipulating the ingredients and composing them in a logical way for flavor and appearance, she had worked the trays into a theme. Drawing inspiration from a recent trip to Dubai, she framed the foodstuffs around a tea that she had enjoyed in the Middle East. Rose, coriander, and honey became the backbone of the dish. Elements of sweetness, bitter, spice, floral, and salt blended together to form a complex course. This was high concept restaurant cooking, and I liked it.
Midway through the day Thomas called all of the judges together. He stressed that the most important element in making our decisions after flavor should be creativity.
a chef reflects
