Team USA from left to right: Head Coach Robert Sulatycky, Commis Mimi Chen, President Chef Thomas Keller, and Head Chef Matthew Kirkley

Photo Credit: Julien Bouvier Studio

After over a year of training, Team USA, comprised of Chef Matthew Kirkley, Commis Mimi Chen and Head Coach Robert Sulatycky, represent their country at world’s most prestigious culinary competition

 (Lyon, France; January 30, 2019) – Over the course of the last two days, teams of some of the most brilliant culinary minds from 24 countries across the world met in Lyon, France, where they competed on the world stage at the esteemed Bocuse d’Or culinary competition. On January 29^th, Team USA Head Chef Matthew Kirkley and Commis Mimi Chen, led by Head Coach Robert Sulatycky, presented to an esteemed panel of judges with their version of Suckling Veal Rack with 5 Prime Chops, featuring Roast Rack of Veal with Veal Kidney Farce & Apicius Spice Glaze / Salad Pastorale, and Vegetable Chartreuse with Shellfish, featuring Vegetable, Herb & Shellfish Chartreuse, Cockle Butter. The platter presentations were designed by Martin Kastner of Crucial Detail, LLC. Ment’or BKB Foundation, the non-profit organization that is responsible for recruiting, training and supporting Team USA, is incredibly proud of their extraordinary effort, dedication and commitment over the last year, and congratulates Team Denmark on their outstanding achievement. Team USA made history with their first place finish at the Bocuse d’Or in 2017, marking their first gold medal win and second time on the podium.

            “It has been a tremendous honor to represent Team USA at the most prestigious culinary competition in the world,” said Head Chef Matthew Kirkley. “To be able to compete alongside the talent here in Lyon over the last few days has been a highlight of my career and a memory I will treasure forever. Training for the Bocuse d’Or requires an incredible amount of discipline, focus and dedication; I would not be here without the support of my Commis Mimi Chen and our Head Coach Robert Sulatycky, who are both my teammates and above all, friends. We feel both privileged and humbled by all we have learned from our Coaches and Board. I’m so proud of all that we accomplished as a team.”

            “We are honored and grateful to be part of this year’s Bocuse d’Or,” said Chef Thomas Keller, president of Ment’or. “Chef Kirkley, Mimi Chen and Chef Sulatycky are wonderful examples of the culinary talent we have here in the United States, and a testament to their tremendous dedication. It is our responsibility to promote excellence in young culinary professionals and prepare the next generation. I know I speak on behalf of my colleague and friend, Daniel Boulud, when I say how incredibly proud I am of the commitment and dedication Team USA invested in preparing for this moment. I want to take a moment to congratulate Team Denmark on their gold medal win, and all teams, for their exceptional hard work and creativity, as well as thank Young Yun, Executive Director of Ment’or and her team, all of the chefs, coaches, supporters, mentors, and partners who have been integral to Team USA’s achievements. We learned a lot this year and look forward to competing in Lyon again in 2021.” This year also marks the first competition since the Bocuse d’Or Founder Chef Paul Bocuse’s passing last year. “Monsieur Paul inspired countless chefs worldwide and his influence continues to impact an entire culinary community; I’m proud to have called him a dear friend,” added Chef Keller.  

            The Bocuse d’Or is among the most demanding cooking challenges, and every two years, over 60 countries select one of their best chefs to represent their nation. The 24 countries that continued on to the finals cooked for five hours and 35 minutes in front of thousands of cheering fans. Team USA is recruited, trained and funded by the Ment’or BKB Foundation, a leading nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals and preserving the traditions and quality of cuisine in America. Ment’or was founded by Chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Jérôme Bocuse. Board members Chefs Boulud and Keller train Team USA, along with Head Coach Robert Sulatycky, Vice President Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis, MN, Assistant Coaches Claude Le Tohic of ONE65 and Erik Anderson of Coi, and team advisors Timothy Hollingsworth, Mathew Peters and Richard Rosendale. 

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Skye Morgan
PR Consulting
212.288.8181
mentor@prconsulting.net   

Team USA 2019 is looking their best in their Michael Kors three-in-one jacket! 

Ment’or and Team USA have partnered with Michael Kors as the official outerwear sponsor for Team USA at the 2019 Bocuse d’Or. Chefs Robert Sulatycky, Matthew Kirkley and Mimi Chen and Team USA assistants, chef advisors along with Chefs Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller will be outfitted in the Michael Kors three-in-one jacket.

To read more, please visit: https://www.foodandwine.com/news/michael-kors-will-dress-team-usa-bocuse-dor-2019

In January 2017, the American team at the Bocuse d’Or competition in Lyon, France, made history when head chef Matt Peters and commis Harrison Turone took the coveted gold for the first time in history. Plate was there for the grueling five-hour competition—a culmination of more than two years of intense training and rule-restricted recipe development. This year, Team USA head chef Matthew Kirkley and commis Mimi Chen will endure what’s been called the Olympics of the culinary world to try and bring home another gold statue. As a follow-up to our award-winning long-form feature on the Bocuse d’Or, we are proud to host this blog series, “Behind Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or,” which will explore before-and-after insights pre- and post-competition. We’ll capture the personal, behind-the-scenes perspectives of past and present chefs, captains, coaches, program directors, and others as the team prepares to head back to Lyon in January.

This year, Robert Sulatycky serves as the head coach of Team USA. We hear from him as he keeps the team motivated and prepared to go for another gold win.

After our 2017 win, the eyes of the culinary world are keenly focused on us. We’re no longer the underdog; we’re the country to beat. I’ve been involved with the Bocuse d’Or for 25 years and as head coach of Team USA this year, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.

To prepare, we’re spending 14 to 16 hours a day, six to seven days a week in the kitchen. We’re perfecting our recipes and working on the timing of our run. At this point it’s important for me to keep the team motivated and in good spirits. With the competition just weeks away, I need to make sure we’re meeting all of our training deadlines. I need to keep Matt and Mimi focused on the task at hand – which is cooking the best food of their life. Over the course of the past year, all of the team members have stepped up and know the goal is to win. Our mantras are “Here we go!” and, “it’s going to be great!” Every now and then, I treat them to In-N-Out Burger or some good, local tacos after a long day in the kitchen. We’ve become a tight-knit family.

As the team works toward competing on January 29, it’s my role to ensure they have access to the essential tools. This includes counsel from a distinguished culinary advisory board comprised of Michelin-star chefs, past Bocuse d’Or USA winners and an arsenal of support from industry partners.

The puzzle here is how and when these tools are deployed. It’s a build-up to competition day and like an athletic contest, the team needs to peak that day. It’s a mental and physical game. The long, grueling days and weeks take a toll on the body. The creative development and exploration that Matthew Kirkley is pursuing, pushes him to seek out perfection. It’s elusive but attainable. It pushes him and the team mentally. It’s simultaneously all-encompassing, exhilarating, and exhausting.

The most powerful tool we have is the tastings we do with the Ment’or BKB board, including chefs Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Gavin Kaysen, Mathew Peters, Phil Tessier, Tim Hollingsworth, Claude Le Tohic, Erik Anderson, and Rich Rosendale. They give the team constructive and poignant feedback that can be hard to hear at times. We’re going into one of those tastings tomorrow. The pressure and tension in the kitchen are palpable as we approach the competition. But we relish this feedback. We want to be the best team in the world… again.

Robert Sulatycky is the managing director of Mithra Winery in Napa County and the President/Co-Founder of iQKitchen, Inc. He served as assistant coach of Team USA in 2017, and is head coach of Team USA 2019.

Plate Online

Chef Robert Sulatycky rejoins Andy Harris on the SoCal Restaurant Show for Team USA update. 

Click the link below to stay up to date with Team USA as Chef Robert Sulatycky and Andy Harris reconvene on the SoCal Restaurant Show.

Show 305, January 5, 2019: Chef Robert Sulatycky, Head Coach, Team USA, 2019 Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition Continues…

The 2018 Young Chef and Commis competitors with Ment’or BKB founders and notable guest judges.

Photo credit: David Becker

Young chefs from around the country given unparalleled opportunity to showcase their skills in front of the nation’s most esteemed chefs

(New York; NY: December 14, 2018)— The Ment’or BKB Foundation made its return to Las Vegas this week to host their annual Young Chef and Commis Competition and are proud to announce the winners of the 2018 competition: Ian P. Cairns, Young Chef, and Amber Baden, Commis.

Held at the newly opened Hospitality Hall at University of Nevada, Las Vegas on December 12^th in front of a live audience, candidates were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants earlier this fall. Young chefs and their assistants were tasked with developing an original recipe based on the featured protein, lamb loin saddle, provided by Pure Bred Lamb with plates by Steelite, and given the platform to compete in front of some of the world’s most renowned chefs and the founders of the Ment’or BKB Foundation, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse. The guest chef jury consisted of: Paul Bartolotta, Justin Cogley, Gerard Craft, Chris Hastings, Tim Hollingsworth, Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Gavin Kaysen, Mathew Peters, Francis Reynard, Rich Rosendale, Curtis Stone, and Philip Tessier.

The Young Chef first place winner, Ian P. Cairns, is the first to compete in the Young Chef and Commis competition with a Culinary Science degree from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). He most recently worked at The French Laundry in Yountville, CA and Mélisse in Los Angeles, CA. His assistant chef was Bryn Rene Timmis. The second place team was Jordan Sanchez of the Garrison at the Fairmont in Austin, TX and his assistant chef, Lauren Poag. The third place team was Jakub Czyszczon of Senia in O’ahu Hawaii and his assistant chef, Blaize Velasquez.

The Young Commis first place winner, Amber Baden, is currently working at Bar Boulud in Boston, MA. Sean Koenig, who currently works at The French Laundry, won second place, and Christian Wieczorek won third place. Both Young Chef and Commis second and third place winners receive cash prizes.    

Young Yun, Ment’or BKB’s Executive Director shares, “This year is particularly significant, as it marks the tenth anniversary of the Foundation. It is our mission to support young chefs across America through our programs, from helping train Team USA for the Bocuse d’Or to educating and promoting the next generation of great American Chefs. The Young Chef and Commis competition showcases our efforts by bringing together mentors and mentees and is at the core of what we do. We are incredibly humbled by the hard work given by each of the participants, and are proud to have witnessed the unparalleled talent and dedication that each competitor put forth.”

Establishing a platform for young American chefs to succeed is at the heart of The Ment’or BKB’s mission. Offering exposure to some of the world’s most prestigious chefs, The Young Chef and Commis competitions recognize and promote talented young cooks in a competitive environment, ultimately preparing them to enter the next phase of their careers.

Winners are given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Lyon, France in January and support Team USA at the 2019 Bocuse d’Or Finale, where they will be defending their gold medal title.

The Young Chef and Commis Competition is made possible by proud sponsors including: All-Clad, Barclays, Bridor, Grey Goose, Nordaq Fresh, Patrón, Pure Bred Lamb, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Steelite and The Venetian Resort. For additional details, visit www.mentorbkb.org/youngchefs2018/

For more information about the Ment’or BKB Foundation, visit https://www.mentorbkb.org/ or follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

For all media inquiries, please contact:

PR Consulting

Mentor@prconsulting.net

(212) 228-8181

Chef Philip Tessier was the Head Chef for the Silver-winning, Team USA 2015 and the Head Coach for the Gold-winning Team USA 2017. In this blog post, Chef Tessier talks about witnessing Chefs Matthew Kirkley and Robert Sulatycky transition into these roles.

“It has been deeply gratifying to watch Matt [Kirkley] and Robert [Sulatycky] grab those reins and run with them, knowing that we wouldn’t just be maintaining status quo but continuing to reach new levels at the Bocuse d’Or. Matt is a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen, not just because of his sheer talent and creativity—he has an unrivaled level of organization, attention to detail and ability to lead a team that few chefs possess.”

Read more from Chef Philip Tessier, http://plateonline.com/chefs/how-2019-bocuse-team-will-overcome-latest-hurdles?allowguest=true

If you would like to know more about Chef Tessier’s journey with the Bocuse d’Or, purchase your copy of Chasing Bocuse today!

Chef Mathew Peters joined Andy Harris of the SoCal Restaurant Show to discuss his experience at the 2017 Bocuse d’Or, Ment’or’s 2018 Young Chef and Commis Competition and Team USA 2019! To listen please visit the link below!

Show 300, December 1, 2018: Chef Matthew Peters, Gold Medalist, Team USA, Bocuse d’Or 2017

Fox 7 News speaks with Chef Mathew Peters about his upcoming events in Austin.

Come to Austin to meet Chef Mathew Peters, the first ever Gold Winner from Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or for not one, but two nights of exclusive culinary events! In the video linked below, Mathew Peters talks about his past at the Bocuse d’Or, as well as other culinary experiences.

 https://www.fox7austin.com/good-day/375120721-video

“Like every cycle year for the Bocuse d’Or cooking competition, you have your ups and your downs during the training. I have many friends who play professional sports and the ethos lived during this cycle is one they live by on a daily basis, which is, “Never get too high when you win or too low when you lose; stay as even as you can, it will help you with the most stressful times.” This is something we keep in mind throughout the year and the training sessions; there is always the grind to get it done, meet the deadlines, create what you think will stand out on the main stage.”

To read more about how Chef Gavin Kaysen is helping Team USA prepare for the 2019 Bocuse d’Or, please visit http://plateonline.com/chefs/how-i-trained-athlete-bocuse-d%E2%80%99or?allowguest=true