Montreal, November 15, 2021 – Bocuse d’Or Team Canada is on the hunt for a passionate and dedicated commis to join contender Chef Samuel Sirois and his coaches Chef Gilles Herzog and Chef Alvin Leung on their quest to bring home the gold at the 2023 Bocuse d’Or in Lyon, France.
Despite qualifying for the championships, earlier this year, our national culinary team alongside many other countries including the USA, made the difficult decision to forego participating in the 2021 Bocuse d’Or finale. After careful consideration, the team and the Board of Directors felt that placing the health and safety of the team, of our country and of our global community was a top priority while we collectively navigated the global health crisis. Now the team, which is now supported by Chefs Canada, is working full force, elated to be preparing to compete at the world’s most prestigious and demanding cooking competition. However, due to this interruption in the usual course of events, the team’s commis no longer meets the age restrictions put in place by the organization as they require the candidate’s assistant to be under the age of 23 at the time of the competition.
Equivalent to the Olympics in the world of food, the Bocuse d’Or finale brings together 24 of the best chefs from around the globe to compete and put on display their presentation, creativity, innovation, composition and service practicality. “To be selected to compete, alongside la crème de la crème of global culinary talent, at the Bocuse d’Or is an honour in and of itself,” reflects Chef Sirois. “I’m ecstatic to be given the opportunity to make Canada proud on the global stage, and for this we need a diligent and passionate commis. Working with a dedicated and spirited sous-chef is not only inspiring but necessary to navigate the competition. I look forward to mentoring an aspiring young chef ahead of the 2023 competition.”
Equally as important as the candidate, the commis is an essential part of the team. In addition to having academy and practical experience in the culinary arts as well as an insatiable hunger for growth, the commis needs to be an agile multitasker and have the ability to thrive under pressure. An insatiable hunger for growth in the culinary world is also an asset as he or she will have the invaluable opportunity to learn alongside some of the most talented chefs in the country and on the planet while kickstarting a meaningful and dynamic culinary career.
BECOME TEAM CANADA’S NEXT COMMIS
In addition to having related academic or work experience in a kitchen and being under 23 years of age at the time of the competition (i.e. born after January 31, 2000), the applicant must provide:
- An up-to-date résumé
- A headshot in a chef’s jacket
- Two letters of recommendation from professors or previous employers
The aforementioned materials must be provided and uploaded on www.chefscanada.com/commis2023 by December 31st, 2021.
In addition, the title hopeful needs to post on Instagram a brief video application describing their career aspirations and detailing why he/she/they want to be the next commis for the Bocuse d’Or Team. The post needs to feature the hashtag #BocusedOrCommis2023 and should be published between now and December 31st, 2021.
Successful candidates will be contacted to coordinate an interview with the Bocuse d’Or Canada board of directors and the team.
ABOUT LE BOCUSE D’OR
Founded in 1987 by legendary French chefs, Paul Bocuse and Albert Romain, Bocuse d’Or’s mission was to create a competition that would bring the greatest chefs out from behind closed doors and onto the limelight.
In Canada, we believe that competing at the famous Bocuse d’Or is a team effort. As the World Cup of cookery talents, the biennial event is the most prestigious culinary competition in the world. Only the most exquisite chefs get a coveted “golden ticket” to represent their countries in a battle against 23 other contenders. It is not only a unique chance to showcase techniques and food mastery, but an opportunity to also shine the spotlight on local flavours by incorporating them into the competition’s dishes that will be seen and tasted by the cream-of-the-crop on the world stage.
ABOUT CHEFS CANADA
Devoted to inspiring culinary excellence, CHEFS CANADA has a mission to promote Canadian cuisine, terroir, producers, ingredients and products here at home as well as abroad, doing our part to create a sustainable and profitable culinary scene. Grown from the network built under the Bocuse d’Or Canada brand, our new entity has a bigger vision in sight. Strong of a network that counts some of the country’s best chefs and top industry professionals, CHEFS CANADA works to shine the spotlight on our industry in order to further define and promote our cuisine through global competitions and partnerships. Our passion remains strongly rooted in our desire to unite, share and transmit our mutual expertise, techniques and savoir-faire amongst Canadian chefs but also with the next generation, creating a demand and standard for Canadian gastronomy on the world stage.
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For more information, high-res images or to schedule an interview with Chef Samuel Sirois or President Thomas Delannoy, please contact The PR Department Inc. at 416-535-3939 or at [email protected]
