Bocuse d'Or Team Finland in Lyon 28th January 2015

Bocuse d’Or – the most prestigious gastronomic competition in the world – takes place in Lyon, France on January 27th and 28th. Matti Jämsén and his team representing Finland are preparing for the finale. Thematically Mr. Jämsén’s culinary performance will draw on Finland’s strengths – forest, weirdness and Finnish design. Team Finland competes on Wednesday 28th January from 08.10am (GMT+1) in kitchen number 2.

Forest is Finland’s Magic Advantage

Matti Jämsén, representing Finland in Bocuse d’Or 2015, has nearly finished his training season. Thousands of working hours filled with planning and practicing will culminate during the Bocuse d’Or finale, where Mr. Jämsén and his assistant Antti Lukkari will be considered challengers, having finished fifth in the European qualification round. The team’s strengths are hunger for victory, hard work and an innovative way of combining food and design. Inspiration arises deep from the Finnish forest.

– The Finnish forest is our magic advantage. Finland’s arctic character is full of possibilities for those in pursuit of genuine and clean food. Finnish food exports are increasing and behind these success stories lie decades of development. Now we need platforms and arenas to tell the story of Finland. The Bocuse d’Or is exactly to the point: those who are successful will gain an international audience. That is why our partners think it is important and are joining us cheering in Lyon as well, says Seija Kurunmäki, pleased director of the ELO Foundation for the Promotion of Finnish Food Culture, which organizes the competition in Finland.

MEP Petri Sarvamaa has been a regular guest among Finland’s supporters during the competition. He is Finland’s voice in the EU when it comes to food and 1st vice-chair of the European parliament’s Committee on budgets as well as the European People’s Party (EEP) group coordinator in the Committee on budgetary control.

– Forest is the perfect theme for Finland. Often food is perceived as originating either from fields, oceans or greenhouses. In Finland, food and people also get their strength from the wilderness and the forest. If our dedicated team wins in Lyon, I promise to bring EU representatives to Lapland to visit a reindeer farmer I know, says an excited Sarvamaa.

Forest stands for Finnishness in Bocuse d’Or Dishes

In the Bocuse d’Or, a meat course and a fish course are prepared in 5 hours and 35 minutes using mandatory main ingredients – this year guinea fowl and French trout. On both days of the finale, an additional and mandatory vegetable ingredient for the dishes will be announced for the teams in the morning. Within these constraints, each team creates an individual performance that will be judged by taste, presentation, specificity and geographic originality. In 2015, national characters cover 20% of the points as each competitor brings out aspects of one’s home country through the food.

– I will be surprised if our magic forest story does not inspire the judges. Our team’s strong vision and belief in the Finnish forest is uniquely present not only in the dishes but also in the design of the platter and the verbal story about the food. All aspects will be presented to the judges on Wednesday 28th, says Kurunmäki.

Designer of the platter, which draws on forest elements, is a Finnish sculptor Pekka Paikkari. Mr. Jämsén and Mr. Paikkari started their cooperation combining food and design during the Bocuse d’Or in 2011, when Mr. Paikkari’s signed competition platters already draw international attention. Mr. Paikkari and Mr. Jämsén have worked together on the original idea of the platter as well as the related concept with its shapes and stories. The official Bocuse d’Or Team Finland poster designed by graphic artist Tuukka Paikkari says it all in one picture: the poster is about the magic of the Finnish forest and the fascinating weirdness of our national character.

For more information, please contact:
Seija Kurunmäki, Executive Director,
ELO Foundation for the Promotion of the Finnish Food Culture
+358 400 460894
seija.kurunmaki@elo-saatio.fi

Pekka Terävä, President, Bocuse d’Or Team Finland
+358 50 569 7095

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Hashtags: #bocusefi / #teamfinland / #bocusedor
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Bocuse d’Or is the most prestigious gastronomic competition in the world. The 2015 finale is in Lyon, France on January 27-28th. The competition has been arranged since 1987 and Finland has participated 11 times. In the competition of 2015, Finland is represented by experienced chef de cuisine Mr. Matti Jämsén and commis Mr. Antti Lukkari. The Team Finland coach is Mr. Eero Vottonen and jury representative Mr. Pekka Terävä.
www.bocusedor.fi
www.bocusedor.com

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