At the Grand Final of the Bocuse d’Or on 26th and 27th January 2025 during Sirha Lyon, 24 candidates from all over the world will compete for the golden statuette. For 5h30, they will have to work on the two legendary tests of the competitions: the platter theme and the theme on a plate. For its 20th edition, the Bocuse d’Or is going back to its roots, putting the spotlight on terroir products.
LOCAL GASTRONOMY IN THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE PLATTER THEME
At the Sirha Lyon 2025 launch press conference in early October, candidates were introduced to the platter theme of this new edition, which will focus on authentic products that honour the terroir and its traditions: roe deer, foie gras and tea.
With its wild and seasonal flavours, roe deer, supplied by METRO, is a refined meat prized for its depth of flavour, offering the candidates multiple ways of working it. It will have to be served in three pieces, accompanied by 2 garnishes and a third served on the side.
For the first garnish, in the form of a hot served pie, the candidates will have to work with foie gras, a true symbol of French gastronomy, supplied by Rougié. The second garnish, a vegetable one, must be made exclusively from fruit from each candidate’s country of origin, allowing them to pay tribute to their national terroir. For the last garnish, the 24 competing chefs will have to create two-tone closed ravioli accompanied by a clarified roe deer consommé infused with Dammann Frères tea, an original combination of products designed to offer a unique sensory experience during tasting.
This theme highlights the talent and know-how of chefs, who are invited to celebrate a cuisine that is ever more respectful of the product. It’s also an opportunity to pay tribute to Paul Bocuse, a leading figure in French gastronomy, renowned for his passion for venison and refined products.
CELERIS AND SEAFOOD AT THE HEART OF THE THEME ON THE PLATE
For the theme on a plate, the candidates will be asked to sublimate celeriac (root and stalks with leaves), meagre and lobster. Although the use of these ingredients is compulsory, the International Organising Committee would like the chefs to use their recipes to highlight their national culinary heritage.
Celery, a vegetable native to the Mediterranean region, will be prepared in two ways: celeriac, cooked in 2 whole pieces, and celery stalks, served as 16 individual garnishes. A new subtlety for this 20th edition: these two elements will be presented on a platter and then served on the plate after cutting. Meagre and lobster, meanwhile, will be served directly on the plate. Appreciated for its fine flesh, the meagre is a tasty, low-fat fish found mainly in the waters of the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea, and will be sublimated on the plate by the lobster, a refined crustacean renowned for its lean, delicate flesh. These different ingredients should be accompanied by a warm sabayon - without siphon - based on lobster juice presented in sauce boats, which will be added to the plate just before tasting.
DISCOVER THE RUNNING ORDER FOR THE BOCUSE D’OR 2025
We now know the running order of the Grand Final!
> To view all the candidates’ biographies and photos: click here
> To find out more about the Bocuse d’Or, download the identity sheet: here