The Bocuse d’Or USA Semi-Finals were held this weekend with French Laundry chef Timothy Hollingsworth trimming out a victory against seven contenders that included former Top Chef winner Hung Hyun and Rogers Powell of the French Culinary Institute.
Selected by a committee chefs and restaurateurs including, Thomas Keller – Hollingsworth’s boss – and Daniel Boulud, Hollingsworth, along with his assistant, Adina Guest, will spend the next four months preparing for the finals in Lyon on Jan. 28 and 29.
The American team is optimistic this year, despite never finishing higher than 6th place in the 21-year history of the Bocuse ‘Or.
Thomas Keller took over as president of the team earlier this year to boost the American team’s chances. Hollingsworth will practice his dishes of beef and cod in Yountville at a home owned by Keller.
More than $400,000 has been raised and donated to support the American team, a feat only overshadowed when compared to the foreign competition that usually run budgets of over a $1 million.