Republic of Mauritius- Bocuse d’Or Mauritius Academy to enable Mauritian Chefs to participate in prestigious culinary competition

Registered participants of the academy will be able to take part and represent Mauritius in the finals of the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition in January 2021 in Lyon, France.  However, they will have to undergo an initial national selection exercise in March 2020 followed by a Regional African Selection in June 2020.

In his address on the occasion, Minister Lesjongard underlined that it is a privilege for Mauritius to participate in the selection process of the prestigious Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition. He observed that the Bocuse d’Or is undoubtedly the greatest culinary competition and is an exceptional event for the world of gastronomy.

The Minister pointed out that the country has, for a long time, been focusing on its major assets including its multicultural aspect, its exceptional geographical assets and hospitality. He laid emphasis on the need to further diversify the appeal of Mauritius as a tourist destination.

Hence, said Mr Lesjongard, to enhance the image of the country as a multi-destination tourism, the Ministry of Tourism is focusing on developing cultural tourism as well as tapping in the potentials of the unique local gastronomy of Mauritius, which is a rich culinary heritage having roots in a diversity of cultures.

According to the Minister, by being able to participate in such a key culinary event, local chefs will be offered an international platform to demonstrate their skills as well as showcase the rich cuisine of Mauritius. He urged the local chefs to make full use of local agricultural products and to promote our local gastronomy, so that the world is able to discover yet another facet of the rich culture of the country.

The Bocuse d’Or competition

The Bocuse d’Or competition is the most rigorous culinary competition in the world, held every two years in Lyon, France. Twenty-four countries are selected to compete, and each country’s team is comprised of one chef and one commis assistant.