Bocuse d’Or 2011

Monday 18 April 2011

A Japanese woman takes the prize for Meilleur Commis

With Rasmus Kofoed, Tommy Myllymaki, Gunnard Hvarnes, the Scandinvians completely took over the podium at this 13th edition of the Bocuse d'Or! Among all the national teams involved, Japan had high hopes. The Japanese team even had its fair share of supporters. The crowd found that these were by far the friendliest, most vocal and the best organized, sporting fl ags and banners. Short of marching onto the podium, they enthusiastically expressed their joy when the prize of Meilleur Commis went to a young member of Tatsuro's team, Maiko Imazawa. At fi rst in tears upon hearing of her win, she embraced her triumph and let her joy burst through as she thanked the jury and audience. Like Chef Tatsuro Nakasu, young Maiko works in the restaurant of the Bleston Court Hotel in Karuizawa. The coach of the Japanese team, Romuald Fassenet, had reason to be proud, as Maiko had trained under him for 5 months in his restaurant at the Château Mont Joly, near Dôle in the Jura region. Thanks to her award as Meilleur Commis, sponsored by the Bocuse d'Or Winners’Academy, Maiko Imazawa won a trip to France that will include two internships and introductions to various top chefs, themselves former winners of the Bocuse d'Or. One of her internships will be at the Rougié School of Foie Gras in Pau, the other in a training school called “A la carte formation.”

The video of Maiko receiving her prize:

http://www.lhotellerie-restauration.fr

http://www.bocusedor.com