Archives

Ment’or Announces Team USA for 2025 Bocuse d’Or

Ment’or is proud to announce that Chef  Stefani De Palma and Commis Bradley Waddle, will go on to represent the United States at the 2024 Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection. This selection event will determine the finalists for the 2025 Bocuse d’Or, the prestigious biennial international culinary competition in Lyon, France. 

 The selection event was held on September 5th at The Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus in Napa, California where three teams convened to cook for 5 hours and 30 minutes. The competition followed the Bocuse d’Or format, with the chef candidates creating two presentations, a “theme on a platter” with Snake River Farms American Kurobuta Bone-In Pork Rack, accompanied by a “starter” dish and two garnishes, as well as a “theme on a plate,” incorporating a choice of summer squash from The Chef’s Garden and zucchini or sweet corn from Cooks Company Produce. They plated ten portions on serving ware courtesy of Steelite. The chefs were evaluated on the overall harmony of flavors in the dish, the presentation of the platter and plate, the techniques employed and overall kitchen skills.

 The team to place second was Chef Vincenzo Loseto and Commis Gavin Kennedy, coached by Chef Philip Tessier and Chef Angus McIntosh and Commis Alex Armer, coached by Chef Corey Siegel placed third. Ment’or partnered with Martin Kastner of Crucial Detail for the design of the platter, with Tiffany & Co. sponsoring the awards given to the chef teams.  

Jury members included Chefs Paul Bartolotta, Junior Borges, Josiah Citrin, Olivier Dubreuil, Timothy Hollingsworth, Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Matthew Kirkley, Alexander Lee, Roland Passot and Richard Rosendale. In addition to the chef jury panel, a leadership team is made up of Chefs Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, co-founders of Ment’or, Gavin Kaysen, Team USA President,  Mathew Peters, 2017 Gold medal Bocuse d’Or Head Chef,  Robert Sulatycky, Team USA Head Coach, Jeffery Hayashi, Team USA 2023 Head Chef and Sebastian Gibrand, Culinary Director of Team USA 2025. Platter Presenter Chefs include Claude Le Tohic, Yvan Mucharraz and Harrison Turone, 2017 Gold medal Bocuse d’Or Commis. 

Chef De Palma and Commis Waddle will now begin training for the Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection qualifying round, which is set to take place in 2024.  Ment’or and their Culinary Council of chefs will continue to support Team USA during the next stage in their Road to Lyon. Chef De Palma says, “It is an honor to represent Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or in 2025. An incredible amount of planning and practice took place over the last two months in preparation for today’s competition and I am so proud of what Commis Waddle and I have accomplished. We are especially grateful to Ment’or, our coach, Chef Devin Knell, and Chef David Breeden for their support throughout our training and look forward to what we will achieve over the next year and a half!” 

“All the competing chefs showed a hyper-focused drive this year, and they displayed incredible skill. Chef De Palma and Commis Waddle emerged with a unique approach, remarkable plating, and a taste profile that impressed the judges,” said Team USA President, Chef Gavin Kaysen. “This newly named Team USA is honored to represent the United States at the world’s most challenging and prestigious cooking competition, the Bocuse d’Or. Their journey begins with a strong support system from Ment’or to help them gain the expertise, insight, and momentum to once again stand on the podium.”

Ment’or Chairman, Chef Daniel Boulud says, “Our biennial culinary competition has come to a close and I congratulate all the candidates that have shown their talent, energy, passion and dedication towards culinary excellence. I am thrilled that Chef De Palma and Commis Waddle will be representing the Bocuse d’Or Team USA. Everyone at Ment’or looks forward to supporting them on their journey as they dedicate their time to working hard preparing for the Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection and hopefully continue on to a podium goal in Lyon, January 2025.”

 “We witnessed the extraordinary talent of American young chefs during this competition. The winners of the National Selection begin Team USA’s road to Lyon, where they will compete at one of the most esteemed international culinary gatherings,” said Chef Thomas Keller, Ment’or co-founder and President. “We promised Chef Paul Bocuse to realize his dream of the United States placing on the podium at the Bocuse d’Or and continue that promise with Mentor’s commitment to mentoring new generations. Special thanks to all who have supported this cause, including the judges and sponsors.”

The Team USA 2025 National Selection was made possible by the help of generous sponsors: Areas, Cangshan, CIA At Copia, Convotherm, Cooks Company Produce, Ecolab, Equator CoffeeEveryday Uniforms, Hestan, JB Prince, Paris Gourmet, Snake River Farms, Steelite, The Chef’s Garden and Tiffany & Co., Trimark USA





 

Team USA Will Not Participate at Bocuse d’Or 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Team USA will not attend the upcoming international cooking competition.

“With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating impact it has had on the culinary profession, Team USA regretfully announces that we will not be able to participate at the 2021 Bocuse d’Or Finale in Lyon, France. At a time when our profession has been crippled, it is important we stand up and set an example for our team, sponsors, supporters and communities regarding their safety, health, and overall well-being. As mentors in the culinary world, we also have a responsibility to both lead and support our colleagues and the broader culinary community at large. We are dedicating our efforts towards helping restore and ensure the long-term viability of our profession through our Giving Fund, as it is our duty to help those who contribute every day to our collective success.” — Young Yun, Executive Director of Ment’or, Chef Daniel Boulud, Chairman of Ment’or, Chef Thomas Keller, President of Ment’or, Chef Gavin Kaysen, Team USA President, Chef Robert Sulatycky, Team USA Head Coach

ANNOUNCING THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2020 GRANT PROGRAM

 

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2020 grant program! Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the Ment’or Grant Program is designed to provide young, aspiring chefs who may not have the resources with unique opportunities to expand their training and skills.  Through the Grant Program, established mentors from around the country and the world’s top restaurants open their doors and provide invaluable access and training for young chefs.

Two dozen chefs from across the country are recipients of this year’s grant program, including: Evelyn Aloupas (Dallas, TX), Juliet Auld (New York, NY), Eric Chow (San Francisco, CA), Brianna Cruz Rabago (New York, NY), Ashley Drum (New York, NY), Anthony Duranti (New York, NY), Drew Fisher (Austin, TX), Andres Giraldo (San Francisco, CA), Justin Hillman (New York, NY), Reed Kikuta (Honolulu, HI), Mary Clay Kline (New Orleans, LA), Daniel Le (Washington, D.C.), Clayton Leasure (Easton, MD), Lucas Liljenberg (Wayzata, MN), Patrick Lobbes (Wallanda, TN), Jorge Lopez (San Francisco, CA), Arun Moghe Astraelis (Boulder, CO), Duy Nguyen (Washington, D.C.), Cabernet Nguyen (New York, NY), Alejandro Oropeza (Dallas, TX), Raymond Rodriguez (Orlando, FL), Zachariah Schmitz (New York, NY), Jack Stewart (Bozeman, MT) and Allison Tschida (Park Rapids, MN).

As a result of generous support from Sysco, a longtime partner of Ment’or’s, seven additional individuals are recipients of the Sysco funded grants, including: Katalina Diaz (New York, NY), Ashten Garrett (Cleveland, OH), Jon Lime (Austin, TX), Mason McDaniel (Minneapolis, MN), Keannie Rodriguez (New York, NY), Zachary Swenson (New York, NY) and Cristina Torres (Culver City, CA).

Picture: 2020 Sysco funded Grant Recipients

“The grant program remains to be one of Ment’or’s most important initiatives and at the core of our mission,” explains Young Yun, Executive Director of Ment’or. “We aim to provide grant recipients life changing opportunities which not only help their career growth, but also provide a network of positive support, encouragement and guidance that continues beyond the program.”

Available to all young cooks in the United States, the program awards one to two month grants both stateside and abroad, covering housing, transportation, salary and basic living expenses. Through this extraordinary initiative, grantees are able to learn new techniques, work with different products, as well as understand different styles of kitchen cultures and approaches to food and hospitality.

Duy Nguyen, one of this year’s grant recipients from Washington, D.C.’s Rose’s Luxury, explains why this program is so meaningful, sharing, “I fell in love with cooking after taking a gourmet class in high school after moving to the U.S. when I was 17, and it completely changed my professional outlook.  This program will allow me to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone, hone in on the craft, experience an entirely new culture and provides an opportunity I would have never had otherwise.”

Fellow recipient, Juliet Auld of NYC, NY’s Bar Boulud, adds, “I am so grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Ment’or Grant Program really invests in our growth as young chefs; I’ve never traveled outside of the United States before and am thrilled to not only be able to learn from the best in our industry, but also have the chance to do so in another country.”

Additional details about Ment’or and their Grant Program can be found on the Ment’or website.

 

About Ment’or:

Ment’or is a nonprofit foundation that aims to educate and inspire excellence in young culinary professionals and also preserve the traditions and quality of cuisine in America. Ment’or is led by founders Chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse, as well as an esteemed Culinary Council of over forty renowned chefs. Educational grants and internships are offered to culinary professionals through the Continuing Education Grant Program. The Young Chef and Commis Competition series offer yet another opportunity for them to further their careers. Ment’or has awarded over $1.7 million in grants since 2014 to young chefs all across the U.S. Ment’or is also responsible for recruiting, training, and financially supporting the promising young American chefs who represent Team USA in the prestigious biennial Bocuse d’Or competition, held in Lyon, France. For the first time in history, Team USA 2017 won the coveted Gold Medal at the Bocuse d’Or.

For more information about Ment’or or the Grant Program, visit: https://www.mentorbkb.org or follow @Mentorbkb on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. #MentorBKB.

***Please link Facebook, twitter and Instagram accounts

# # #

 

For all media inquiries, please contact:

PR CONSULTING

Mentor@prconsulting.net / (212) 228-8181

The Ment’or BKB Foundation Call for Applicants to Represent Team USA at 2021 Bocuse d’Or Competition

Photo Caption: Chef Matthew Kirkley competes at the Bocuse d’Or Team USA 2019 National Selection held at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas in November, 2017. Photo Credit: Bryan Steffy

 

Chef and Commis teams encouraged to apply to earn the coveted title of Team USA for the prestigious 2021 Bocuse d’Or culinary competition

 

March14, 2019 (New York, NY) – The Ment’or BKB Foundation has officially commenced the search for the next culinary team to represent America at the prestigious 2021 Bocuse d’Or. Since 1987, Team USA has participated in this international culinary competition, and has placed on the podium twice, being awarded Silver in 2015 and winning Gold for the first time in 2017. The Foundation is now looking for the next Team USA comprised of American chefs who, building on the support structure, expertise and experience of the Ment’or Board, coaches, and past teams, will show the talent, tenacity and determination to represent the United States at the Bocuse d’Or in 2021.

 

Head Chef applicants must be American citizens, at least 23 years or older by the date of competition in January 2021 and have at least five years of fine dining experience to apply. Similarly, Commis applicants must be under the age of 22 by the date of the 2021 competition.

 

Team USA 2019 Head Chef Matthew Kirkley shares, “I was first introduced to the Bocuse d’Or while working under our Head Coach Robert Sulatycky at the Four Seasons Chicago fifteen years ago. A seed was planted there that continued to grow, and became a pursuit that I needed to fulfill. It felt fateful to be able to compete. It is unique to any other culinary experience I have had—truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

 

“The Bocuse d’Or brings together the very best talent in our profession, in an environment that celebrates and honors culinary traditions. Being a part of this global culinary community is an honor,” adds Team USA Vice President and 2007 Team USA Head Chef Gavin Kaysen.

 

The selected chef and commis team will begin training shortly after the National Selection and will continue through the January 2021 competition. During this intensive training period, Team USA will be compensated for their time and approved relocation costs to move closer to the training facility in Napa, California.

                       

For more details and to download an application please visit:

https://www.mentorbkb.org/team-usa-2021-national-selection/

 

About the Ment’or BKB Foundation

The Ment’or BKB Foundation is a nonprofit organization that aims to inspire excellence in young culinary professionals and preserve the traditions and quality of classic cuisine in America. Ment’or is led by a Board of Directors including Chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse, as well as an esteemed Culinary Council of over 40 renowned chefs nationwide who act as mentors for young chefs, serve in an advisory capacity to the organization and participate in fundraising events. Educational grants are offered to young professionals through the Mentor Grant Program for Continuing Education which has awarded more than $1.2 Million since 2014. Our Young Chef and Commis Competitions for young cooks provide further opportunity to advance their careers in the culinary world. Ment’or is also responsible for recruiting, training and financially supporting the promising young American chefs who compete on behalf of the United States in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or competition, held in Lyon France, every two years. For the first time in history, Team USA 2017 won the coveted Gold Medal at the Bocuse d’Or.

 

For more information please visit www.mentorbkb.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Bocuse d’Or Makes Fine Dining an Arena Sport – Vice Munchies

Competing chefs spend a year training to perfect wildly ornate dishes under pressure.

As a first-time visitor to the Bocuse d’Or, Natalie Compton was amazed at the sports-like fandom of the competition, complete with marching bands and confetti canons. Her detailed account of Chef Matthew Kirkley and Commis Mimi Chen’s exhilarating performance at this year’s competition is a fantastic read. 

 https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article/9kpgpz/the-bocuse-dor-makes-fine-dining-an-arena-sport

What It’s Like to Be a Commis at the Bocuse d’Or – Mimi Chen

In this final blog post for Plate Magazine, Team USA 2019 Commis, Mimi Chen, reflects on her time in Lyon competing at the Bocuse d’Or. Mimi learned that consistency, focus and execution were some of the key learnings she took away from her experience training for the competition.

To learn more about what Mimi has planned next, visit http://plateonline.com/guest-blogs/mimi-chen/what-it%E2%80%99s-be-commis-bocuse-d%E2%80%99or?allowguest=true

 MENT’OR ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF PRESTIGIOUS 2019 GRANT PROGRAM

 

 

Local young chefs announced as grantees in organization’s annual program, allowing for the expansion of further culinary training and skills

 

(New York, NY; February 27, 2019) – The Ment’or BKB Foundation has announced the recipients of their 2018-2019 grant program: Miguel Baez (San Diego, CA), Ken Chan (Los Angeles, CA), Jeremy David (Honolulu, HI), Alexander Fuentes (Healdsburg, CA), Brady Harian (Charleston, SC), Robert Hartman (Rancho Cordova, CA), Winnie Huang (Brooklyn, NY), Grace Kim (Yountville, CA), Ki Ran Kim (New York, NY), TJ Lewis (Washington, DC), Alexandra Motz (Minneapolis, MN), Casey Palermino (Township, MI), Guido Parodi (Austin, TX), Stuart Sandquist (Wayzata, MN), Joatta Siebert (Robbinsdale, MN), Kelsey Takara (Pearl City, HI), John Taube (Astoria, NY), Kevin Torres (Brighton, MA), Briana Witt (New Orleans, LA), David Yoshimura (San Francisco, CA), and Anthony Young (Forest Hills, NY).

Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, the Ment’or Grant Program is designed to provide young, aspiring chefs who may not have the resources with unique opportunities to expand their training and skills. Through this initiative, established mentors from around the country and the world’s top restaurants open their doors and provide invaluable access and training for young chefs.

Available to all young cooks in the U.S., the program awards one to two month grants both stateside and abroad, covering housing, transportation, salary and basic living expenses. Through this incredible initiative, grantees are able to learn new techniques, work with different products, as well as understand different styles of kitchen cultures and approaches to food and hospitality.

Former grant recipient, Henry Molina, who staged at Noma in Denmark, shared, “I received an education that has forever changed not just how I relate to food, but how I relate to the world as both a chef and a person.”

 

Ment’or Executive Director, Young Yun describes the program, sharing, “This important initiative fosters and encourages the growth of young cooks in America, and is the core of our mission here at Ment’or. With the grant program, we strive to set up the next generation of chefs for success, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only grow in their profession, but continue to feel inspired and encouraged to be their absolute best.”

Additional details about the Ment’or BKB Foundation can be found on the Ment’or website and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

 

About the Ment’or BKB Foundation

 

The Ment’or BKB Foundation is a nonprofit organization that aims to inspire excellence in young culinary professionals and preserve the traditions and quality of classic cuisine in America. Ment’or is led by a Board of Directors including Chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse, as well as an esteemed Culinary Council of over 40 renowned chefs nationwide who act as mentors for young chefs, serve in an advisory capacity to the organization and participate in fundraising events. Educational grants are offered to young professionals through the Ment’or Grant Program for Continuing Education which has awarded more than $1.2 Million since 2014.  Our Young Chef and Commis Competitions for young cooks provide further opportunity to advance their careers in the culinary world. Ment’or is also responsible for recruiting, training and financially supporting the promising young American chefs who compete on behalf of the United States in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or competition, held in Lyon France, every two years. For the first time in history, Team USA 2017 won the coveted Gold Medal at the Bocuse d’Or.

For all media inquiries, please contact:

mentor@prconsulting.net