ENCOUNTER WITH… CHRISTOPHE BACQUIÉ

Christophe Bacquié is the chef of Restaurant Hotel Le Castellet *** and also was the Honorary President of Bocuse d’Or 2019.

Bocuse d’Or, is this a first for you?
As the President of Honour, yes it’s a first. This is both an honour and a dream come true… It’s really exceptional. I do know the event well, as I sat on the Jury for the french selection rounds in 2012 and 2014, when Thibault Ruggeri and Nicolas Davouze respectively were finalists in the contest. Thibault Ruggeri achieved first place and won the prestigious Bocuse d’Or.

How will you approach your role?
I can’t fully measure everything the mission entails at this time. However, I am aware of the responsibility that falls to the President of Honour and will endeavour to be worthy of the task. Of course, I will be thinking of Monsieur Paul while paying attention to every detail, the aesthetics, technical skills and taste of the dishes.

What advice could you give the candidates in this year’s edition?
I would really encourage them to follow their dream: work tirelessly to express who they truly are. The Bocuse d’Or is a wonderful observatory of world cuisine.
Participants all have their own culture and must honour their country and the cuisine they stand for. The Bocuse d’Or is the contest where cuisine styles from all over the world can express themselves.