François Adamski comes from the north of France and loves his region. He learned his trade at the hotel school at Touquet before conquering Paris, where he did his military service at the Hôtel Matignon as chef to the Prime Minister. He then went to the Plazza Athénée, the Ritz, Maison Prunier, the Intercontinental, etc. His consecration came in 2001, when he won the Bocuse d’Or! He had already brilliantly demonstrated his talents at different national and international competitions, though memories of winning the most prestigious of them still give him a thrill of pleasure. Besides the recognition earned by his victory, what he really appreciates is the opportunity it provides him to meet other cultures. His success has enabled him to travel and discover different culinary traditions, especially Chinese cuisine, which he finds particularly interesting. He now offers an inventive, original and traditional cuisine at the Abbaye St Ambroix at Bourges, with genuine savours and wholesome products, in which taste remains the keyword. He also takes to heart the need to transmit know-how and certain values to young people.

L’Abbaye St Ambroix 60 avenue Jean Jaurès 18000 BOURGES France

Tel : 00 33 (0)2 48 70 80 00 - Fax : 00 33 (0)2 48 70 21 22

E-mail : abbaye-saint-ambroix@wanadoo.fr

Web : www.abbayesaintambroix.fr

He was the executive chef at the Hyatt Hotel in Brussels when he competed for the first Bocuse d’Or in 1987. He had already been named best chef of Belgium in 1980 and won 1st prize of the Prosper Montagné competition in 1979. His itinerary, which had taken him to some of the best tables of Belgium (the Ecailler du Palais Royal, the Villa Lorraine, the Maison du Cygne, etc.) unquestionably contributed to his culinary expertise, allowing him to rise to the second step of the podium. Starting out at “Chez Marius en Provence”, he then focused on managing the restaurant teams of grand hotels (Ramada, Hyatt, Scandic Crown, etc.). He often carries out missions abroad (London, Dubai, Miami, Stockholm, etc.), especially for operations to promote Belgian cuisine. Since 1997, he has supervised as Head Chef for the official receptions given by the European Commission for which he also manages the catering for the President, the Commissioners and their guests.

Commission Européenne - DG:OIB.6. Berlaymont 13/09 - 200, rue de la loi - 1049 Bruxelles. Belgique

Tel : 00 32 (0)2/29 91629 - Fax : 00 32 (0) 2/29 55042

E-mail : michel.addons@ec.europa.eu

Having trained at the Royal Monceau and chez Drouant, Yannick Alléno’s skills are the result of the purest Parisian culinary tradition and he has a penchant for sophisticated cuisine with classical French roots to which he gives a zest of youth. After working at the Scribe, where he earned a second star from the Michelin Guide, he accepted to manage the kitchens of the famous Hôtel Meurice, one of the jewels of the Dorchester Group, where he runs a team of 70 people that work in two restaurants and serve a large number of banquets. He is also a keen competitor, since it allows him to surpass himself and set his limits even higher. Before climbing the podium of the Bocuse d’Or in 1999, he had already won 1st prize of the Paul Louis Messonnier competition, 1st prize of the Auguste Escoffier competition, etc. The experience of 1999 gave him the satisfaction of making new contacts and friends with chefs from other horizons. However, Yannick Alléno above all loves his profession and has always given free rein to his imagination to create dishes that make gourmets’ mouths water. He readily describes his cuisine as “lively and perhaps a little sensual”.

Hôtel Meurice 228, rue de Rivoli 75001 PARIS France

Tel : 00 33 (0)1 44 58 10 10 - Fax : 00 33 (0)1 44 58 10 15

E-mail : yannick.alleno@meuricehotel.com

No one could have foreseen Melker Andersson becoming a chef, since his mother disliked cooking!What is more, what he was really keen on was skiing, for the sport itself but above all for competition. From the outset, Melker has always liked being first and the best at everything, from being the best goalkeeper to the fastest milk drinker! Although an excellent skier, he realised that he would never beat his compatriot Gunde Svan (a future world champion). Consequently, he lost interest in skiing. Fortunately, his interest in cuisine took the upper hand and his love of flavours, creativity, the influences of all the cuisines of the world, combined with his determination, were to open up a fascinating career for him. After spending time in France at the Moulin de Mougins among other places, he returned to Sweden and trained at different restaurants. In 1994, he opened his first establishment, “Fredsgatan 12”, which contributed towards revolutionising Swedish cuisine. His modernism and very personal approach led him to being named Chef of Chefs in 1995 and a star in the Michelin Guide The 1995 Bocuse d’Or was to be a memorable competition worthy of this sportsman. With his broken leg in plaster, due to a fall in his kitchen, he nonetheless mounted the second highest step of the podium to be awarded his Bocuse d’Argent in Stockholm, where he lost no time in launching projects to set up new restaurants that have all achieved great success.

Restaurang Fredsgatan 12 Fredsgatan - 12 11152 Stockholm Suède

Tel : 00 46 8 24 80 52 - Fax : 00 46 8 23 76 05

E-mail : Info@fredsgatan12.com

Web : www.fredsgatan12.com

Mathias Dalhgren comes from a small village in the north of Sweden and grew up on the family farm. He has always loved the atmosphere of the kitchen as far back as he can remember, helping his mother and grandmother to do the simples chores. This was how he learned the taste bread should have and that of the butter to spread on it, a lesson he has never forgotten. He studied at the hotel school of Umeå before working in different well-known restaurants in his country. He then left to work in Spain, an event that sparked off his love for its people and food.He joined with friends to open his restaurant, called “Fredgaten 12” in 1994, after which he opened up his own establishment, the “Bon Lloc”, with his wife Anna, in 1996. While opening Bon Lloc, he spent no less than 600 hours training for the Bocuse d’Or, which was enough to allow him to win. He thinks that talent consists of 10% gift, 90% ambition and 0% luck! Consequently, he works.The culinary profession in his country has awarded him the title of Chef of Chefs four times.In 1998, the Michelin Guide awarded a star to his restaurant while the Swedish Culinary Academy gave him its Gold Medal.Then, in 1999, he published his first book, named the best cookery book of the year, and has since been awarded a succession of titles of Best Restaurant by Gourmet Magazine, written another book, appeared in TV programmes, written articles, given lectures, and so forth. Indeed, he uses every means at hand to share his passion with those that love gastronomy. He has sold Bon Lloc and will open a new restaurant at the Grand Hotel of Stockholm (spring 2007). The style of cooking that will be served there is still being kept a closely guarded secret.

Tel : +46 0704 95 60 69

E-mail : dahlgren.mathias@brevet.nu

Ferdy Debecker is a typical example of a “born” chef, who, after training at the Louvain hotel school, immediately went to work in reputed star ranking restaurants; first in Brittany at the Château de Locquenolé in Lorient, then at Eddie Van Maele’s in Brussels, among others. In 1987, he opened his own restaurant with his wife Ann where he welcomes all those who wish to enjoy good fare and relax. In a small traditional style farmhouse in the woods a few kilometres north of Brussels, he offers a very personal conception of what he considers as “bespoke” cuisine. His open mind takes him to other worlds, and he participated in 1992 in a meeting between Belgian artists and several chefs that gave rise to a very original work. He says that “one always returns to the roots of traditional cuisine, giving it a personal touch and adapting it to modern tastes”.

Eyckerhof 21 Spuistraat 2880 Bornem Belgique

Tel : 00 32 3 889 07 18 - Fax : 00 32 3 889 94 05

E-mail : info@eyckerhof.be

Web : www.eyckerhof.be

Everyone who frequents the Bocuse d’Or knows Roland Debuyst and his wife Ayse for their joyful and tireless commitment alongside the Belgian candidates. To meet them in their own country, you have to go to Nossegem, in the suburbs of Brussels, where he stands at the oven while she greets the customers. After training at Ceria and starting professional life in places such as the well-known Radisson SAS Brussels, in 1993 Roland Debuyst opened his own restaurant called the Orangeraie, an odour from the south in a place where the atmosphere of Provence pervades in homage to a region he loves dearly. Known as a tireless worker, he places great value on textures that he uses to surprise his visitors’ taste buds. He is a keen competitor and winning the first prize of the Prosper Montagné competition was also a big step towards winning the Bocuse d’Argent in 1997. A complete change took place in May 2005, when Roland decided to close his traditional gastronomic restaurant, call on an architect to completely change the establishment’s image and launch Orange Food Fashion, a trendy eating house where he serves modern food whose quality is far from forgotten. The restaurant has met with immediate success.

Restaurant Orange, Leuvensesteenveg 614 1930 Nossegem Belgique

Tel : 00 32 2 757 05 59 - Fax : 00 32 2 759 50 08

E-mail : go@orangerestaurant.be

Web : www.orangerestaurant.be

Fabrice Desvignes inherited his passion and his gift for cuisine from his family. It's actually his parents and his grand parents- owners of high-class restaurants- who transmitted to him the necessary know-how every chef had to have. His career really begins when, at the age of 16, he practiced as commis de cuisine during the summer period. After a short vocational training he did internships over internships in lots of famous restaurants... Impassioned by cuisine, he carries out his national duty in the kitchens of the state major in the French ministry of defense. He then multiplies his experiences in different prestigious companies, mainly in Switzerland, in the Hotel Beau Rivage in Geneva, or even at Bernard RAVET's. Today, second de cuisine, his principal motivation for the Bocuse d'Or contest was to face the critics and the general public. But, if you wish to taste the little dishes prepared by this young head of family, you will need to be from now on be elected senator, because he officiates ever since 1999 in the presidency of the senate's kitchens.

Cuisine de la présidence du Sénat 15 ter rue de Vaugirard 75006 Paris

Tel : +33 (0)1 42 34 34 62

E-mail : desvisgnesf@wanadoo.fr

He was the candidate chosen by the profession to represent France for the very first Bocuse d’Or in 1987 and proved to be the right man. He won the competition hands down thanks to his concentration and determination that allow him to control his emotiveness. But then he is a seasoned competitor! He won his first culinary competition, the Victor Michon Cup at Arpajon, as far back as 1963, when only an apprentice at the Trois Soleils at Orly Airport. He has since won a string of victories (a good dozen) in both individual and team events in a rich career as chef. He mostly works for Joël Robuchon as Head Chef in various Parisian establishments and lent a solid gastronomic name to the Hôtel Lutetia and then to the Grand Hôtel-Café de la Paix. Since 1998, he has placed all his energy in the service of the Mutuelle des Cuisiniers de France and the Fondation Léopold Mourier where he was Managing Director. It is his way of helping to gain recognition for the hard work done by hundreds of chefs, many of whom are indispensable in upholding the quality cuisine for which Jacky Fréon fights tooth and nail! Thanks to this spirit, we has been granted the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France H.C.

7 Impasse du Presbytère – 28800 BOUVILLE - France

Tel : 00 33 (0)2 37 96 39 05

E-mail : freon.cuisiniers@wanadoo.fr

It seems that he must have been dipped into the magic potion of competition at birth! He started out as an apprentice at the Statholdergaarden (the restaurant of Bent Stiansen, Bocuse d’Or 1993) then, several restaurants later … he came to Lyon as assistant chef to Odd Ivar Solvod, who won the Bocuse de Bronze in 1997. Tempered by the rigour of Norwegian sport from the outset, he started by becoming the Best Chef of the Year 2000 in his country and Chef of the Year in 2003… before reaching the lofty heights of the podium of the Bocuse d’Or 2005, only one point behind the winner. In Oslo, he invests his energy, creativity and team spirit (with 3 partners) in the company Flavours which offers, besides thoroughly modern and innovative catering, several consulting services: culinary design, cooking courses, etc.

Tom Victor Gausdal – Enebakkvn 25a– 0168 Oslo - Norvège

Tel : 00 47 91 16 62 35

E-mail : flavours@online.no

Web : www.flavours.no

Franck Giovanni is the first Swiss to get on the Bocuse d’Or stage. Passionnate, rigorous and meticulous,he keeps on prooving to all of us his abilities. Each day, at each competition, he does his best to keep it up . FRANCK Giovanni’s great career starts at the Auberge de la Couronne where he’s served his apprenticeship with Claude Joseph. Later on he perfects among great names in the cuisine world such as New york’s Grey Kunz, Fredy Girardet, Benoit Violier… Ever since 2000, he is the chef assistant of Philipe Rochat, at the restaurant of the Hotel de Ville de Crissier, which he represents at the Bocuse d’Or contest . Strengthened by all this enriching meetings, his dream is to open his own restaurant one day.

Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville 1 route d’Yverdon CH 1023 CRISSIER

Tel : 0041 21 634 05 05

E-mail : f.giovannini@bluewin.ch

Hans Haas’s career began in traditional manner as assistant-cook at the Kellerwirt restaurant in his native town of Wildschönau in the Tyrol. After a passage in well-known cuisines such as the Auberge de l’Ill at Illhausern, Eckart Witzigmann asked him to manage those of the Aubergine in Münich. However, under his chef’s hat slept a creative artist, sportsman and lover of nature and the open air. In 1991, with the creation of the Tantris restaurant, he decided to apply the basic principles of Tantric philosophy (stemming from Indian Buddhism) to cuisine with the aim of: “finding balance between the body and mind; not asceticism but pleasure without remorse”. He develops a light and natural cuisine in a pleasant ambiance where contemporary art also has a place, as many exhibitions are held at the restaurant. He also proposes cuisine courses that are open to everybody.

Restaurant TANTRIS Johann-Fichte Str.7 80805 München-Schwabing Allemagne

Tel : 00 49 89 36 19 590 - Fax : 00 49 89 36 18 469/95 922

E-mail : hans.haas@tantris.de

Web : www.tantris.de

He started his career as a chef like many others, working in a large number of restaurants, including the Aubergine, Munich’s star ranking eating place, where he was chef from 1993 to 1995. There is no doubting Patrik Jaros’s love of cuisine, but restaurants are not the only places where he likes to practise it! Competitions such as the 1995 Bocuse d’Or give him the opportunity to demonstrate his skills, although he finds working for publishing and industry particularly fulfilling. Via his company FOOD LOOK Studio, he participates in writing a large number of books on subjects as varied as the “Oktoberfest” (by Taschen) and the recently published Truffle Diamond Cuisine (which was awarded the prestigious Gourmet Cookbook Award for the best cookbook in the world in 2004 by Edouard Cointreau with a foreword by Paul Bocuse). He has also published books on pasta, fish and meat, with translations in twelve languages. His next work will be devoted to caviar for which he hopes the same success. He is also involved in the design and development of recipes, new products, franchising and he manages several restaurants in Germany and Spain. His brand “J’s Gourmet Food” has been launched in Hong Kong and he is about to develop a new range of products based on mushrooms, pasta and special Asian chutneys.

Patrik JAROS FOODLOOK Studio GmbH Benesisstrasse 61 50672 Cologne Allemagne

Tel : 00 49 221.925 3650 - Fax : 00 49 221.38.04.65

E-mail : patrik.jaros@foodlook.com

Web : www.foodlook.com

From Denmark, he is endowed with a rich blend of exigency and casual warmth. A profile that has allowed him to achieve professional excellence in renowned establishments: Scholteshof in Belgium and Kommandanten at Copenhagen to mention but two. He is the captain of the Danish culinary team and devotes his time to competing for it. Chef of the Year in 2003, he went from competition to competition, winning the Nordic Championship at Stockholm in 2004, then the Eurotoques 2004, which opened the door to the Bocuse d’Or where he reached the third step of the podium. Winner of the Nordic Trophy for the Best Fish Dish in 2005, Cordon Bleu in 2006, he again won the Eurotoques prize and the dessert championship in 2006. When not cooking, besides being a keen footballer, he likes art, travelling and eating in grand restaurants. In 2007 he opened a restaurant at Kings Garden in Copenhagen. Furthermore, he has decided to take another crack at the Bocuse d’Or 2007!

Tel : 00 45 22 81 42 74

E-mail : Rasmuskok@hotmail.com

Jens Peter Kolbeck is undoubtedly the most international of Danish chefs, as well as being the most famous. His career began as a world tour of the best kitchens. From Hamburg to the Savoy Hotel of London, Rome and Washington (where he worked for the Danish Embassy) and then New York, he collected a rich panoply of experiences. However, that was not the end of it. From 1970 to 1974 he toured the best tables of France: Haeberlin, Guérard, Vergé, Troisgros, Bocuse, Point, etc. When he returned to Denmark, he had become a remarkable chef thanks to all these influences and Queen Margaret made no mistake when she took him into her service. He stayed 5 years managing the ovens of the Royal household before returning to the world of restaurants in which he enjoys making dishes for all the Danes that flock to his table. He is now pleased to work as a consultant for hotels and other private concerns. Lastly, he has written a book that many await with great impatience.

Bryggen 17. 2 sal tv. 6300 Gråsten. Denmark

Tel : +45 74654409 - Fax : +45 74654490

E-mail : bryggen17@mail.dk

She was born and raised in a world composed of café-restaurant, hotel, service station and bowling! After the baccalaureate, she chose to study law in France, but returned to her village of Frisange after her father’s death to manage the family business. This “duty” turned into a passion so she decided to open the “Lea Linster” gastronomic restaurant and was awarded a star by the Michelin Guide in 1987. A warm and open person, she has met some of the greatest chefs, such as Paul Bocuse, Freddy Girardet, Joël Robuchon, the Troisgros family and many more, enriching her cuisine and her love of the profession. When given the opportunity in 1989 of representing Luxembourg for the Bocuse d’Or, it was an obvious chance for her to gain her reputation. Her simple and delicious cuisine allowed her to become the first woman Bocuse d’Or. The award propelled her into the culinary firmament.

Restaurant Léa LINSTER 17, Route de Luxembourg L-5752 Frisange Grand Duché du Luxembourg

Tel : 00 352 23 66 84 11 - Fax : 00 352 23 67 64 47

E-mail : lealin@pt.lu

Web : www.lealinster.lu

He is known everywhere as the chef of the mountains, and presides over the family inn transformed into a temple of gastronomic excellence. From his village of St Bonnet-le-Froid, his reputation won with the Bocuse d’Or and above all with the quality of his cuisine, attracts both local and international gourmets. They all come in search of savours that change simple foods such as the mushrooms and lentils of Le Puy into an unforgettable gastronomic experience and find a warm family welcome to which his wife Michele makes a big contribution. With the opening in October 2005 of the restaurant Régis et Jacques Marcon, he has achieved his dream of building a decidedly modern establishment at the crest of a hill where the view overlooks unspoilt nature, something from which he has always drawn inspiration. The restaurant is also an opportunity for Jacques, his son, to change the passion passed on by his father into a skill chosen for pleasure.

Côté restaurant gastronomique : Restaurant Régis et Jacques Marcon – Larsiallas- 43290 St-Bonnet-le-Froid Côté auberge La Coulemelle et l’hôtel : Le Clos des Cimes - Le Village - 43290 St-Bonnet le Froid

Tel : +33 (0)4 71 59 93 72 - Fax : +33 (0)4 71 59 93 40

E-mail : contact@regismarcon.fr

Web : www.regismarcon.fr

Terje Ness comes from the small town in west Norway called Førde. He was four when he decided he would be a chef. He did not know why at the time, since he never helped his mother in the kitchen … but that was what he wanted! A few years later, he was standing in front of the stoves of the Bagatelle d’Oslo, a famous retaurant. Furthermore, he was a chef in Norway’s culinary team from 1997 to 2000. The year leading up to the Bocuse d’Or involved intensive training with the enthusiastic support of Eyvind Hellstrøm. After his victory he continued to work at the Bagatelle, before opening ORO, his first restaurant in 2000. It was immediately successful and was awarded a Michelin star in 2002. Terje left ORO in March 2004 to open the Haga Restaurant in November 2005, on the superb Haga golf course, where he can satisfy his love of nature and sport in harmony with his profession. Terje likes to concoct his own cooking style, which makes great use of the fish that abound in Norwegian waters and profits from the diversity of their qualities. He combines the techniques of French cuisine with local products, winning him an international reputation and making him an ambassador for Norwegian sea products.

Haga Restaurant - Griniveien 315 - 1356 Bekkestua

Tel : 00 47 67165920 - Fax : 00 47 67165921

E-mail : post@hagarestaurant.no

Web : www.hagagolf.no

He initially received traditional training at a hotel college before going on to work for some of the best restaurants in his country, where he perfected his technique. He felt it to be great honour to be chosen to represent Sweden at the 2001 Bocuse d’Or and he put his heart and soul towards winning the Bocuse d’Argent, which he says “shone as warmly in my eyes as the Bocuse d’Or, as I was so happy to participate in this competition!” He particularly remembers the period leading up to it and pays homage to the father of the Swedish “Bocuse d’Or”, Sven-Gunnar Svensson, who helped to train the candidates by offering them a pedagogic tour of the best tables in other European countries. Henrik’s knowledge of the best French kitchens inspired him to achieve what he did at the competition. He also considers that winning the Bocuse d’Argent was a major factor of his success and what he is today. In his daily work in the kitchens of the LUX, his restaurant in Stockholm (awarded a Michelin star), he above all likes to create a harmonious atmosphere and considers that his dishes are good when he works in unison with his colleagues, and if he is a good enough teacher to pass on the very essence of his cuisine. He seeks to offer Swedish savours with twists of different European influences. Henrik’s restaurant is a “familly business” run by himself, his wife, and his best friend Peter Johansson, also aided by his wife. In 2005, Lux Stockholm opened a patisserie, Lux Dessert och Choklad, in partnership with one of the best confectioners in Sweden.

Restaurang Lux Stockholm - Primusgatan 116 - 112 67 STOCKHOLM - Suède

Tel : 00 46 (0)8 619 00 46 - Fax : 00 46 (0)8 619 04 47

E-mail : henrik@luxstockholm.com

Web : www.luxstockholm.com

His ascension to the third step of the podium of the Bocuse d’Or came as a surprise to some! How could this windswept island at the northern tip of Europe, in the middle of the Atlantic, produce such excellent chefs? That’s forgetting that Hákon Már Örvarsson, a chef fuelled by passion for his trade and trained at the Iceland Hotel School, comes from a country where people like to get the best out of simple raw materials of great quality. He began his career at the top at the Holt Hotel in Reykjavik, part of the Relais & Châteaux chain, before leaving to train for the Bocuse d’Or with Léa Linster; it is difficult to find a better place in which to train. He went back there after winning the Bocuse de Bronze to work as head chef until December 2002. He first returned to his roots working as the post of executive chef at the Nordica Hotel. He imposed a personal style on the cuisine served at the Vox restaurant, based on Icelandic products with a few European influences and a dash of Asia. His intuition reigns whatever the dish he concocts. And he alwyas listens to his intuition... even when, in 2006, it makes him take wife and children, along with Icelandic bakers to set up a Scandinavian Bakery-Cafe in Florida opening in the begining of year 2007.

Hakon Mar Orvarsson-1704 Turnstone way-34711 Clermont-Florida-USA

Tel : 001 321 206 3956

E-mail : hakonlux@hotmail.com

Franck Putelat comes from the Jura and started his career in traditional manner in his region by passing the CAP and BEP diplomas. He showed great determination to rise to the top from the outset. When only 17, he was hired in the kitchens of the Hôtel de France at Rousses. Since then, he has never left the firmament, going from the Auberge de Chavannes, Taillevent, under the direction of Philippe Legendre, to Georges Blanc’s restaurant at Vonnas, where he was Executive Chef, and the Bastide de St Tropez. This itinerary also allowed him to take part in different promotional activities around the world, from New-York to Singapore, Peru, Canada and elsewhere. He spent several years managing the kitchens of the Hôtel de la Cité at Carcassonne. He also likes competing and took to it keenly as early as 1986 with the Apprentice Chef competition. In 2003, after 12 participations in culinary competitions, he won the Bocuse d’Argent. The award has taken him to the very top but it has also permitted him to travel and encounter other culinary cultures. Recently, in 2006, his dream of opening his own restaurant has come true and he is delighted to work there with his companion Céline.

Restaurant Le PARC - Franck PUTELAT - 80, chemin des Anglais - 11000 CARCASSONNE

Tel : 00 33 (0)6 14 49 03 45 / 00 33 (0)4 68 71 80 80 - Fax : 00 33 (0)4 68 71 80 79

E-mail : fr.putelat@wanadoo.fr

Web : www.restaurantleparcfranckputelat.com

Gert Jan Raven is Dutch. After a difficult start to his career in his own country (and a stint in the army, where he was catering manager), he continued his career in Belgium in grand hotels such as the Hilton and Royal Windsor in Brussels.This experience allowed him to become the head chef of the Hilton Hotel in Antwerp, where he has worked since 1994. His participation in culinary festivals of Belgian cuisine has taken him several times to the United States, Korea and France. He still finds the time to participate brilliantly in various competitions, including the Prosper Montagné Prize, which designated him best Belgian chef in 1983. He was awarded the prize by Princess Paola in person. However, his participation in the 1991 Bocuse d’Or remains the great moment in his life, although he had to prepare for it alone under difficult conditions. Advice from friends with sure palates and an iron will helped him to mount the podium in third place. A genuine surprise and, as he sees it, “the proof that one can win despite having few resources!”

Hôtel HILTON Restaurant : Brasserie Terrace Café Groenplaats 2000 ANVERS Belgique

Tel : 00 32 3 204 12 12 - Fax : 00 32 3 204 86 01

E-mail : gertjan.raven@hilton.com

Michel Roth is now a symbol of the best French culinary tradition, embodying the obstination and perfectionism of a chef who chose his trade to “make others happy”. From the Moselle, he started his apprenticeship at the Auberge de la Charrue d’Or at Sarguemines before continuing his route to the best cuisines; the Crocodile, the Auberge de L’ill, Ledoyen, etc. He then joined the Ritz in 1981, under the management of Guy Legay, and stayed 19 years, going through the ranks to the top. After a spell at Ledoyen, the Ritz asked him to take over the management of its kitchens in 2001, an offer he couldn’t refuse. Michel Roth is able to travel the world in the company of other prestigious chefs. He then represents a refined, creative, tasty and colourful French cuisine. Lastly, one cannot but be impressed by his long list of competitions won over the years. Here, we shall mention only the 1991 Bocuse d’Or and the award of Meilleur Ouvrier de France won the same year!

Hôtel RITZ 15, Place Vendôme 75008 PARIS France

Tel : 00 33 (0)1 43 16 30 30 - Fax : 00 33 (0)1 43 16 31 44

E-mail : chef-cuisine@ritzparis.com

Web : www.ritzparis.com

When Odd Ivar Solvod climbed the podium in 1997 to receive the Bocuse de Bronze, it was far from being his first victory in a culinary competition. Since 1988, he has put in a string of award winning performances; the Silver Medal at the World Young Chef Championships, and the Best Chef of Norway competition, which he has won three times. An active member of the Norwegian culinary team, he is often presented by his peers as the “king of competitions” and enjoys helping others to prepare their own performances. His mind is wide open to other culinary cultures and he fights to win respect for and improve the quality of products. However, his most satisfying victory is undoubtedly that of having won the confidence and professional esteem of Edgar Ludl, a kind of godfather to Norwegian chefs who created a renowned gastronomic restaurant at his village at the edge of Sandefjord to which flock all the gourmets of Norway and beyond. After having seconded him since 1988, Odd Ivar is now the chef and owner of Ludls Gourmet. He still finds time to realise a few dreams by the wayside, such as writing a book devoted to Babette’s Feast. He still finds the time to achieve other dreams, such as writing three works: two on family cuisine and a book devoted to Babette’s Feast. In November 2006, he presented a culinary work on DVD.

Mathuset Solvold 3210 Sandefjord Norvège

Tel : 00 47 334 62741 - Fax : 00 47 334 62 017

E-mail : odd.ivar@solvod.no

Web : www.solvold.no

He is the first Norwegian chef to have won the Bocuse d’Or! Already renowned in his own country, where, at the age of 23 he became head chef of the Continental Hotel, this success will strengthen his reputation on the culinary scene. He appears in the culinary column of the newspaper Dagbladet and participates in many television programmes in different countries, etc. However, it is in his restaurant, Statholdergaarden, opened in 1994, that he has really developed his art. Along with his Danish wife, Annette, he warmly welcomes gourmets from Norway and elsewhere in a sumptuous 17th century property in the heart of Oslo. His gastronomic cuisine, based on Nordic traditions with a strong French influence, gives pride of place to Norwegian products, including several cheeses capable of surprising even the most blasé French palates! For those also looking for the roots of simple, high quality Nordic cuisine, Bent Stiansen has a Danish inn at the same address.

Statholdergaarden Radhusgate 11 0151 OSLO Norvège

Tel : 00 47 22 41 88 00 - Fax : 00 47 22 41 22 24

E-mail : post@statholdergaarden.no

Web : www.statholdergaarden.no

He is definitely the “sportiest” of the Norwegian chefs competing for the Bocuse d’Or. Reading his professional itinerary gives the impression of an inexhaustible practitioner of cuisine, and culinary competitions in particular. Trained at the Godalen Hotel School and the famous Culinary Institute of Norway at Stavanger, he began his career by working at a string of prestigious places in Sweden, the USA and Denmark, before returning to Norway, where he works at the inevitable Bagatelle, among other places. However, he is a born competitor and has participated in the national culinary team since 1997, becoming its captain from 2001 to 2004. He has been acclaimed at many international competitions, in both individual and team events. After having directed the Culinary Institute of Norway, Charles Tjessem, was able to practice the cuisine he likes for Statoil, an oil company, which entrusted the catering of its reception facilities to him. Nowadays, however, he is really happy with his own restaurant, tavern, café, bakery and delicatessen: Charles & De!

Charles & De Langgaten 41- 4306 Sandnes- Norway

Tel : 00 47 90586430/51683200

E-mail : post@charlesogde.no

Web : www.charlesogde.no

He was the first Norwegian to ascend the podium of the Bocuse d’Or, opening the way to a host of compatriots with obvious talents for culinary competitions. He shared his success with the Norwegian culinary team to which he belonged for two years. One must go to the Spisestedet Feinschmecker restaurant near Oslo to appreciate his Norwegian cuisine, much influenced by French tradition. He says that you can tell a good chef from a bad one by the sauces they cook, so it comes as no surprise that he pays great attention to such savoury details. Another of his stock arguments is the need to respect the seasons; he improvises his menu day by day and nothing pleases him more than a grilled salmon in the country in summer and the sweetness of strawberries picked fresh from the field. Feinschmecker, one of the best and most popular restaurants in Oslo, is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Spisestedet Feinschmecker Balchensgaye 5 0265 OSLO Norvège

Tel : 00 47 22 44 17 77 - Fax : 00 47 22 12 93 88

E-mail : kontakt@feinschmecker.no

Web : www.feinschmecker.no

Guy Van Cauteren is undoubtedly one of the best-known Belgian chefs. He came to cuisine via butchery after having been expelled from college for his subversive reading material (especially that of Louis-Paul Boon the “anarchist” writer), but he is now a happy and fulfilled chef. After attending the hotel school at Ostende, a passage at Paris at Lucas Carton, and holding the post of head chef at the French Embassy at Brussels, he installed himself in the imposing family home in east Flanders, a respectable inn called the “Lion d’Or known since the Napoleonic era. His restaurant, “‘t Laurierblad” (the laurel leaf) is reputed for its cuisine, which is “solid, fair and free from any attempt at risky improvisations”. However, far from remaining in his cocoon, he cooks on TV shows and also acts in the service of his profession, presiding the Eurotoques Flandres from 1995 to 2005 and the Master Chefs of Belgium from 2000 to 2003.

Restaurant ’t Laurierblad Dorp 4 – 9290 Berlare Belgique

Tel : 00 32 52 42 48 01 - Fax : 00 32 52 42 59 97

E-mail : info@laurierblad.com

Web : www.laurierblad.com

Serge Viera above all likes his profession because he practices it daily. He previously only participated in one competition, when he won the Jean Botio “Auvergne-Québec” award in 1997. It was Régis Marcon, for whom he is second in command, who suggested that he should attempt the National Artistic Cuisine Comptition, simply to experience a trial that would force him to progress in his trade and perfect his technique. But he won with the awareness that he then had to represent France at the Bocuse d’Or 2005. This triggered a marathon of several months of intense training during which he formulated his recipes with help from his boss, off course, but also from several young chefs, including Jacques Décoret, Eric Pras, Davy Tissot ( ?) and Eugène Hobraiche, who demanded absolute rigour. And it worked, taking him to the summit of the podium. Serge is now travelling extensively gaining from different culinary experiences in Australia, Spain and elsewhere. He is also collaborating with Weby Design, which is developing his Website, offering culinary training for private individuals and professionals. He has above all been working with his companion, Marie-Aude to open a restaurant, though we shall have to wait until Bocuse d’Or 2007 to know where!

Chemin de Rochette – 43290 Raucoules

Tel : 00 33 (0)6 08 63 00 39

E-mail : contact@sergevieira.com

Web : www.sergevieira.com

One can only sit back in admiration when reading William Wai’s professional itinerary. He chose to become a chef when 22 and trained at different large tourist complexes as well as at Beijing Air Catering where, as assistant executive chef, he managed the catering for 24 airline companies (ranging from 4 to 5,000 meals a day). His ability to manage large teams for mass catering earned him several prizes and, in 1994, he became Executive Chef of the Suntec International Conference Centre where he has to ensure the quality of the cocktails, banquets, etc. for thousands of people every day, providing both Asian and Western fare. However, in spite of his obviously heavy workload, he still finds the time to prepare for different culinary competitions and display his remarkable talents! After competitions on such themes as seafood and Australian meat, he competed in the 1989 Bocuse d’Or to become the first Asian (and the only one to date) to climb the podium!

William WAI (Br 89) Blk 669, Hougang Avenue 8 # 08-731 Singapore 530669 SINGAPORE

Tel : 00 65 94 57 70 50

E-mail : waikhgw1959@hotmail.com

Reading the Curriculum Vitae of this 34 year old chef gives the impression of a man that, born in a family of restaurateurs, has never doubted his vocation, alternating training and challenges with the sole goal of becoming ever better. Between stays in reputed cuisines, such as those of the Haeberlin family, Dieter Müller, Helmut Thieltges and Harald Wohlfahrt, he trained at the Cordon Bleu school of Paris, won the International Contest for Young Commis Rôtisseurs in 1996 at Budapest, won the Taittinger prize at Hambourg in 1997, became the first German to win the European Gastronomy Challenge of Bordeaux, and so forth. Finally, he returned to his parents’ restaurant, the Talblick inn at Wildberg in October 2001, but has not slept on his laurels, joining the German Bocuse d’Or team in January 2002 to climb the podium in 2003!

Claus Weitbrecht Hotel Restaurant Talblick Bahnhofsträßle 6 72218 Wildberg 1 Allemagne

Tel : 00 49 (0)7054-5247 - Fax : 00 49 (0) 7054-5299

E-mail : claus.weitbrecht@talblick-wildberg.de

Web : www.talblick-wildberg.de