Tonight’s episode is based on Bocuse d’Or.

What is Bocuse d’Or you may ask yourself?

It is ths Olympics of culinary and tonight it is based upon the Beaucop d’Or.

And the final five tonight get a challenge based on the famous comp.

The Bocuse d’Or was created by Chef Paul Bocuse in 1987. He created it to broaden the public’s understanding  of the extraordinary dedication, hard work, practice and precision required to execute the very finest cuisine. It is the most difficult and rigorous International culinary competition in the world held every two years in Lyon France. There are twenty four countries selected to enter.

The teams are allowed five and a half hours to create two intricate platter pieces. One that is seafood based the other meat, each much also have an accompaniment of three original garnishe’s. Each team is provided five and a half hours to create two elaborate platter presentations, one centered around seafood and one on meat, each accompanied by three original garnishes. They are then presented in front of twenty four judges each who have the own esteemed reputations as chefs in their own countries. The competition comes down to the harmony of flavours, the presentation and the techniques used, and also around the team word involved.

Thousands of spectators attend and the atmosphere is intense and unique. It is also covered by journalists from all over the world.

The following day the competitors are treated to a Michelin 3-star restaurant  in Collonges where a ceremony to honor the top three teams is done. The names of these teams are then engraved with their names and countries on the front walkway into the restaurant on a plaque..

This year the Bocuse d’Or Foundation will select 16 chef/commis teams from amongst all the applicants to enter the domestic Semi-final and Final competitions at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park on February 4-6, 2010. Notification will be provided on December 7th, 2009.