Canada (Keith Pears, 2nd) and Mexico (Marcelo Hisaki, 3rd) also qualified for the Grand Final
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Friday, June 14, 2024 - For the third consecutive time, the United States won the Americas selection for the Bocuse d'Or, held for the first time in the United States. In New Orleans, Stefani De Palma and her commis Bradley Waddle take first place on the podium after two days of competition, organized by GL events.Canada (Keith Pears) and Mexico (Marcelo Hisaki) respectively 2nd and 3rd of this selection complete the podium. With Chile (Roberto Vallejos, 4th) and Colombia (Diego Felipe Torres Giraldo, 5th), they join the 10 European countries who already qualified to compete at the Grand Final on January 26-27, 2025, during Sirha Lyon.
The 9 teams from the American continent had 5 hours and 30 minutes to create the two emblematic themes of the competition, the platter and the plate, highlighting Louisiana's gastronomic heritage and culinary know-how.
While the theme on a plate focused on seafood products (whole shrimp, oysters and crabmeat supplied by Fortune Fish & Gourmet), the platter theme highlighted earth products: the chefs had to imagine a dish based around wild boar loin, grits and alligator sausage.
“All the teams did an excellent job of highlighting Louisiana’s imposed products, while maintaining their own culinary identity. The jury was unanimously impressed by the global level, and I am personally very proud to be President of Honour, and I hope to continue to have a role in this superb competition that is the Bocuse d'or” said Emeril Lagasse, Honorary President of the Bocuse d’Or Europe 2024.
Stefani De Palma (US candidate) and Bradley Waddle (USA commis), winners of the Americas selection of the Bocuse d'Or, worked with Louisiana shellfish, drawing inspiration from local California farms and gardens, for the plate theme. They created a white shrimp boudin with celery spices, wrapped in San Francisco sourdough, tempura-fried Murder Point oysters, marinated oyster flower with summer squash and oyster cream, Louisiana crab gelée with crispy squash flower, all served with a shellfish scampi sauce. For the platter theme, the American candidate presented marinated beets on an olive tartlet, saffron-poached potato with matured cheddar fondue, and applewood-smoked wild boar. A braised version of the wild boar was garnished with allium flower, and a gruel-crusted alligator boudin completed the dish, all on a creamy corn and celery confit stew.
DISCOVER THE 5 QUALIFIED COUNTRIES FOR THE GRAND FINAL
Under the eyes of Emeril Lagasse, President of Honor and Jeffrey Hayashi, President of the Jury and Bocuse d'Or Americas 2022, 5 teams have earned their ticket to the Grand Final on January 26th and 27th, 2025, and join the already qualified countries for the Grand Final: Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
1st: USA - Stefani De Palma (candidate) - Bradley Waddle (commis)
2nd: CANADA - Keith Pears (candidate) - Joseph Mongillo (commis)
3rd: MEXICO - Marcelo Hisaki (candidate) - Cecilia Palma (commis)
4th: CHILE - Roberto Vallejos (candidate) - Javier Sobarzo (commis)
5th: COLOMBIA - Diego Felipe Torres Giraldo (candidate) - Paula Alejandra Castillo Jiménez (commis)
Special prize for the theme on the plate: Argentina
Special prize for the theme on the platter: Chile and Colombia - ex æquo
Best commis award: Paula Alejandra Castillo Jiménez (Colombia)
Access to official photos of the Americas selection: click here
Username: PRESSEBOCAMERICAS24
Password: BOCAMERICAS24
Photo credits: THE FRENCH STUDIO
If you'd like to know more about the recipes created by the candidates during the Americas selection, please don't hesitate to contact us.
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