Belgium's Bocuse d'Or adventure continues

Belgium's road to the Bocuse d'Or begins with the national competition"First Chef of Belgium", organized by the Prosper Montagné Club Belgium.

A podium finish in this competition is required for chefs wishing to progress to the Bocuse d'Or selection process. Aspiring commis chefs follow a similar pathway through the"Junior Chef of Belgium" competition, organized by Les Disciples d'Auguste Escoffier Belgium.

After securing top results, candidates are evaluated by the National Culinary Team Belgium, which selects the chef and commis who will represent the country at the next stage of the Bocuse d'Or cycle. For the 2025 selection, finalists were challenged to prepare two dishes: a starter featuring baby squid, seaweed, flan and a lobster vinaigrette, followed by Belgian pork loin with stuffed cabbage.

Results of the National Selection

Following the selection process, Piet Vande Casteele was chosen to represent Belgium at the European Bocuse d'Or Continental selections, which took place in Marseille on the 15th and 16th of March, 2026.

Manager and Head Chef of Duchateau Catering in Deinze, he has built his career through a combination of competition experience, professional development and a passion for sharing his expertise. After competing in the Prosper Montagné competition and serving as a commis at the Bocuse d'Or Europe, Piet achieved his ambition of earning a place on the Belgian Bocuse d'Or team.

Alongside his competition career, he has held leadership roles in several restaurants and catering businesses. Known for his dedication and commitment to the profession, he continues to promote Belgian gastronomy while balancing technical excellence, changing customer expectations and the day-to-day realities of running a successful culinary operation.

Following an outstanding performance during the European selections in March, Piet earned team Belgium the 8th place in the ranking out of 20.

This warrants Team Belgium a qualifying place for the Grande Finale in Jaunary 2027, taking place during the Sirha Lyon.