The documentary reality The Bocuse d’Or effect offers a unique foray into the world of haute cuisine by following the Canadian team – all from Quebec – that competed in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or competition in Lyon, France, last January.
The equivalent of the Gastronomy Olympics, the Bocuse d’Or requires months of preparation, trial and error, leaving no element to chance to tantalize the taste buds of experienced and discerning judges.
It is necessary to do on-site research to find the best ingredients and local products, experiment with the best taste and flavor combinations, and then repeat the preparation of the dishes many times according to the given themes. There is even an industrial designer involved in the presentation.
The Canadian team at the Bocuse d’Or 2023 in Lyon, France, in January 2023: Commissioner Léandre Legault-Vigneau, Team Canada coach Gilles Herzog and chef Samuel Sirois. PHOTO BY AUGUSTIN HOULE, PROVIDED BY VRAI
“That was my main focus throughout the entire process. I wanted to highlight local producers and artisans,” said chef Samuel Sirois, who led Team Canada to Montreal in addition to being a chef and professor at the Institut de Tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ).
To support him in this adventure, he was able to count on Gilles Herzog, the coach of Team Canada, and the clerk Léandre Legault-Vigneau.
“It is anything but a long, calm river. Even when you think you’ve done it, you have to start again and go back to the drawing board,” said Mr. Sirois, not hiding his pride in taking on this challenge.
The Bocuse d’Or, a competition created in 1987, brings together 24 countries every two years. The French, who had dominated for a long time, now had to contend with the strength of the Scandinavians.
All teams have enormous budgets – millions of euros – but not Team Canada, which only has a few tens of thousands of dollars. However, gastronomy is a decisive factor when choosing your next travel destination.
An excess
Samuel Sirois, who initially chose law and then turned to cooking, describes himself as excessive in the documentary reality directed by Pascal Brouard and written by Catherine Lefebvre.
“Cooking, with its many hours, saved my life. “It stopped me from thinking about consumption,” he told QMI Agency, saying he has a personality that doesn’t do things by halves.
Monkfish on the menu
All countries had to cook monkfish, a difficult fish to prepare, especially because the variety we work with is more fibrous in Canada than in Europe. “It was a slap in the face, nobody expected it. We thought it was meat. »
Employee Léandre Legault-Vigneau and chef Samuel Sirois in action during the competition. PHOTO BY AUGUSTIN HOULE, PROVIDED BY VRAI
With second place in the Americas selection in Chile, Team Canada secured its ticket to the grand finale in Lyon, as can be seen in the documentary reality produced by Fair-Play. Once there, the chefs and their teammates were faced with a loud crowd like a football match. The noise was so great that we could barely hear each other on the work surface.
“There were a few things that didn’t go well, but everyone did their best,” Mr. Sirois said. Canada placed 11th out of 24.
Samuel Sirois is in line for the 2025 selection (Toronto chef Keith Pears will represent Canada). However, he is still considering whether he will try his luck in 2027. He believes that the Canadian team would be better supported with sponsors, i.e. more money.