Latvian team of chefs wins the right to represent the country in the prestigious cooking competition "Bocuse dOr"

Upon a special invitation, the Latvian team of chefs, led by Nils Gevele, will compete for the first time in the Bocuse d'Or Grand Final in Lyon, France, on January 26 and 27, 2025.

"The Bocuse d'Or is the world's most prestigious international chef competition, often considered the 'Olympic Games' for chefs. We can be proud that the Latvian team has earned the right to compete and aim for even higher achievements. With Latvia's inclusion in the Michelin Guide, we have seen a significant breakthrough in the country's gastronomic scene, and it was Nils Gevele who was nominated as Latvia's Best Young Chef by Michelin," says Inese Sirava, Director of the LIAA Tourism Department.

In the European selection, which took place in Trondheim from March 19 to 20, Nils Gevele's team, with Agate Batraga as an assistant, placed 12th. Despite this result, the jury praised the team's performance and overall progress, extending a special invitation for them to compete in the finals.

Svetlana Riskova, from the Latvian Chefs' Club, highlights that this is an outstanding achievement, but the ambitions are even higher. 'We aim to prepare our team to reach the top ten in the Bocuse d'Or finals. To achieve this, we will collaborate with award-winning chef and restaurateur Christian Wellendorf, who won a gold medal in the 2019 competition and has previously worked with the Danish team," says S. Riskova."

The Bocuse d'Or is the world's most prestigious international chef competition. Founded in 1987 by the renowned French chef Paul Bocuse, it has been held every two years in Lyon, France. The competition brings together top chefs from around the globe to showcase their culinary skills at the highest level. To qualify for the Bocuse d'Or final, chefs must pass through national and continental selection competitions.

During the competition, chefs are given 5 hours and 35 minutes to prepare several complex dishes. An international panel of renowned chefs worldwide then judges these creations. The judging criteria include taste, visual presentation, technique, innovation, organization, and cleanliness.

Paul Bocuse was one of the greatest chefs of the 20th century and is regarded as one of the founders of the Nouvelle Cuisine movement. This movement emphasizes lighter, simpler cooking styles focusing on high-quality, seasonal ingredients. Bocuse's influence on modern gastronomy has been immense, and the Bocuse d'Or continues to honor his legacy.

The Bocuse d'Or helps advance chefs' careers and promotes the art of gastronomy on a global scale. The competition encourages the fusion of traditional and modern culinary techniques while fostering creativity and innovation in cooking.

The final winners are regarded as some of the best chefs in the world, and their contributions often help shape future trends in gastronomy.