CONTINENTAL ROUND Europe Selection for the Bocuse d'Or

March 15 > 16, 2026

Marseille, France

TICKETING

INTRODUCTION

RESULTS

CANDIDATES & JURY

TESTS

PARTNERS

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The Bocuse d’Or Europe selection lived up to all expectations

On March 15 and 16, 2026, the Bocuse d’Or Europe made its first-ever stop in France. Marseille, a Mediterranean city with a rich culinary heritage, hosted this major international event. The competition took place at Parc Chanot, at the heart of Sirha Méditerranée. Continuing its journey across the continent, Bocuse d’Or Europe had previously been held in Turin (2018), Tallinn (2020), Budapest (2022) and Trondheim (2024). In 2026, it was on the shores of the Mediterranean that twenty European teams, selected through national competitions, competed for one of the ten qualifying spots for the Grand Final, scheduled for January 2027. Hosting the Bocuse d’Or Europe represented a real opportunity for Marseille: the event provided the city with outstanding visibility on the international gastronomic stage. This edition strengthened the region’s reputation and highlighted local talent, attracting chefs, industry professionals, media and visitors from across Europe.

Sirha Méditerranée: a stage for culinary innovation

Holding the Bocuse d’Or Europe 2026 alongside Sirha Méditerranée creates a unique synergy between two major events. This professional trade show brings together leading chefs, artisans, and gastronomy experts from around the world, offering an ideal environment for exchanges, innovation, and the promotion of the culinary craftsmanship. In this dynamic setting, the twenty competing teams had the chance to showcase their vision of haute cuisine and share their passion with an international audience. For two days, Marseille transformed into the world capital of gastronomy, welcoming Europe’s most talented chefs in an atmosphere that is both festive, inspirational and resolutely focused on the future.

The 2026 podium

Christian Wellendorf

Christian André Pettersen

Matteo Terranova

Best Of 2026

The Candidates of the 2026 European Selection

The Jury Tasting Jury

Tommi Tuominen

Tasting Jury

Kitchen Jury

Philippe Girardon

Kitchen Jury

Best Commis Jury

JPK

Jens Peter Kolbeck

Best Commis Jury

Jury President

SHS

Sebastian Holberg Svendsgaard

Jury President

Gérald Passedat, Honorary President of the Europe selection

The jury was joined, for this Europe selection, by Gérald Passedat, Honorary President of this edition. Heir to a line of chefs based in Marseille since 1917, Gérald Passedat is the third generation to run Le Petit Nice***, an iconic restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Gerald honed his skills at some of the finest establishments and with some of the leading figures in French gastronomy — Le Coq Hardi in Bougival, the Bristol and the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, Troisgros*** in Roanne, then with Michel Guérard — before returning to Marseille to assert his own vision at the family restaurant. In 2008, he became the first chef in Marseille to be awarded three Michelin stars, recognising his exceptional work dedicated to seafood resources. The honours kept coming: Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur in 2010; Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole and Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2024.

“I am very happy and proud to be the Honorary President of the Bocuse d’Or Europe, in 2026 in Marseille. The Bocuse d’Or is a competition that celebrates creativity, professionalism, and team spirit. Its worldwide reputation and exceptional longevity make it a true pillar of the international culinary scene—an event eagerly awaited and widely respected by both professionals and lovers of fine cuisine. A true showcase for outstanding talent. Thank you to Paul Bocuse for having the vision of such modernity.”

Running Order

The tests

A Mediterranean-Inspired Platter Theme for the 2026 Edition

This year, twenty teams — each composed of a candidate, a commis, a coach, and a tasting jury — will have 5 hours and 30 minutes to showcase their talent through the competition’s various challenges. The 2026 platter theme pays tribute to the Mediterranean and the culinary heritage of Marseille, featuring four iconic ingredients: red gurnard, chickpea, small violet artichoke, and sea urchin.

Provided by the main partner METRO, the centerpiece of the platter, the red gurnard, must be served with two distinct garnishes: The first, based on chickpeas, must incorporate local products from the team’s country and be recognizable in taste, highlighting each nation’s culinary identity; The second must feature the small violet artichoke, also supplied by METRO. All elements will be enhanced by a mandatory sauce made with sea urchin, which must be clearly identifiable both visually and in flavor.

A surf & turf inspired theme

Continuing with the platter theme, candidates will work with iconic products of Phocaean gastronomy for this second theme: cuttlefish, representative of the rich marine life of the Mediterranean basin, and Camargue Bull AOP Tenderloin, emblematic of the Camargue region, both supplied by major partner METRO. In addition, there will be a mandatory sauce: an emulsion made from garlic and olive oil, directly inspired by Provençal aioli, a true pillar of Mediterranean cuisine, which each candidate will have to rework by incorporating an ingredient that pays tribute to their country of origin.

This unique surf and turf composition, served hot or cold and individually plated for 14 people, will be presented to the tasting jury after 4 hours and 55 minutes of competition. The harmony and balance between land and sea, the accuracy of the cooking and the highlighting of the ingredients will be decisive criteria in the scoring, inviting candidates to deliver a unique and contemporary interpretation of the Mediterranean basin.