Bocuse d’Or Jury Gets to Know Finnish Lapland and Northern Lights

At the Bocuse d’Or Lyon 2015 – the most prestigious gastronomic competition in the world – Finnish chef Matti Jämsén, commis Antti Lukkari and coach Eero Vottonen have now begun their 5 hour 35 minute competition ordeal. Finland’s platter will feature ingredients such as mushrooms and berries from the Finnish forest and air-dried reindeer meat.
The results of the Bocuse d’Or Lyon 2015 will be announced on January 28th after 6pm (GMT+1). Follow the competition live at www.bocusedor.com/web-tv.  

Two years of intense practicing and hard work will culminate today in kitchen number two of the Paul Bocuse hall in Lyon exhibition centre. Each candidate will present 14 identical fish dishes and a meat platter for 14 persons. The team Finland fish dish will be ready at 1.10pm (GMT+1) and the meat platter at 1.45pm (GMT+1). The main ingredients that must be used are guinea fowl, river trout and a vegetable announced on the eve of the test: fennel.

Guinea Fowl Lapland  

Finland’s meat platter theme is Guinea Fowl Lapland. Compiled on a fabulous forest-themed competition platter, the jury will get acquainted with ingredients that can be found in Finnish forests, such as forest mushrooms and reindeer meat. The mushroom cream has been concealed inside a small, handcrafted ceramic guinea fowl egg and the dishes are masterfully decorated with delicate details inspired by nature. In line with the spirit of the food, the forests own decorations such as heather and lichens can be found on the platter.

The competition platter consists of the following components:
• Guinea fowl breast with forest berries and air-dried reindeer
• Guinea fowl legs filled with juniper berries and forest mushrooms
• Mushroom cream, fried heart and gizzard of guinea fowl
• Parsley-cauliflower custard
• Marinated onions, apple and Keisarin cheese
• Guinea fowl broth flavoured with truffle and young spruce sprouts
Images at www.flickr.com/photos/elosaatio/sets/Bocuse d’Or Lyon Finale 27.-28.1.2015.
© Timo Kauppila

River Trout Northern Lights  

The fish dish has been inspired by the Finnish arctic nature with its magnificent northern lights. Accompanying the trout are northern red king crab and sea oysters. Genuine Finnish caviar provides the finishing touch for the sauce. The side dishes, with fennel as the main ingredient, bring this course a fresh, clean taste. Deep fried fish scales create an interesting texture on top of the side dish. The river trout, echoing Finnish design, will be served to the jury on a beautiful wooden platter and is also decorated with produce of the forest.  Images at www.flickr.com/photos/elosaatio/sets/Bocuse d’Or Lyon Finale 27.-28.1.2015.
© Timo Kauppila

– The Finnish forest has been our team’s inspiration and the theme of our work during the whole two years of preparations. It is wonderful to finally get to present the skills we have honed and the brilliant ingredients our home country has to offer, a relaxed Mr. Jämsén said on the eve of the competition.

Designer Pekka Paikkari has made the forest-themed platter, the wooden serving tray for the fish dish and the ceramic egg. Mr. Jämsén’s and Mr. Paikkari’s fruitful cooperation has already gained international attention at earlier Bocuse d’Or competitions, and the platter they created together won the prize for best meat platter at the European qualification round in Stockholm 7-8th of May 2014.

For more information, please contact:
Liisa Niemi, Promotion Manager, Bocuse d’Or Team Finland
+358 500 957 296
liisa.niemi@elo-saatio.fi  

Mari Cadaut, Bocuse d’Or Team Finland, Lyon 2015 communications
+358 40 5878 053
mari.cadaut@viestintamakua.fi

Press images:
www.flickr.com/photos/elosaatio/sets/Bocuse d’Or Lyon Finale 27.-28.1.2015.

Hashtags:
#bocusefi, #teamfinland and #bocusedor

Background information:
Bocuse d’Or is the world’s most prestigious gastronomic competition for chefs. It has been arranged since 1987 and was named after the famous French chef de cuisine Paul Bocuse, director of the internationally acclaimed competition for almost 30 years. During the next Bocuse d’Or in 2016–2017, American three star Michelin restaurant keeper Grant Achatz will follow in Bocuse’s footsteps. In Finland the competition is arranged by the ELO Foundation for Promotion of Finnish Food Culture.

Bocuse d’Or competition season lasts two years. Nationalities from four different continents and 24 countries take part in the competition, competing for places in the finals through regional qualification rounds. The qualification rounds take place in Europe, America and Asia.  Bocuse d’Or Europe, the European round, was arranged in Stockholm on May 7th and 8th 2014. Finland’s competitor Matti Jämsén and commis Antti Lukkari finished fifth, making their way to the finals. The final competition, Bocuse d’Or Lyon, takes place in Lyon, France on January 27th and 28th 2015. Competing in the final are 12 countries from Europe, 10 from Asia and Latin America and two wild card nationalities – 24 countries in total.

The competitors create a fish dish and a meat dish from main ingredients decided in advance. They have 5 hours and 35 minutes to finish. The 14 fish dishes must be ready after 5 hours and a meat platter for 14 persons 35 minutes later. The teams lose points for excess time used. A jury assesses the taste and appearance of the dishes. This year points for the meat dish are awarded also for the visibility of the competitor’s home country, the national element, which constitutes 20 % of the total. Points are also given for the kitchen work – technique, cleanness and efficiency among other things. Points are lost for wasted ingredients.

In the 2015 final, Matti Jämsén and Antti Lukkari are competing on the second competition day – Wednesday January 28th – in kitchen number two. They begin at 08.10am (GMT+1). The fish dishes will be ready at 1.10pm (GMT+1) and the meat platter at 1.45pm (GMT+1). The prize ceremony begins at 6pm (GMT+1).
Follow Bocuse d’Or Lyon 2015 live at www.bocusedor.com/web-tv. ___________________________________________________________________________

Bocuse d’Or is the most prestigious gastronomic competition in the world. The final takes place in Lyon on January 27th and 28th 2015. The competition has been arranged since 1987. Finland has taken part 11 times. In the competition of 2015, Finland is represented by experienced chef de cuisine Matti Jämsén and commis Antti Lukkari. The team’s coach is Eero Vottonen and its jury representative Pekka Terävä.
www.bocusedor.fi

The ELO Foundation for Promotion of Finnish Food Culture is responsible for arranging the Bocuse d’Or competition in Finland. ELO Foundation brings together food culture actors, visionaries and resources to co-operate for the good of Finnish gastronomy in Finland and internationally.
www.elo-saatio.fi