Please wait
Menu
Logo
france bocuse d'or

Meet the 6 candidates
With pictures

bocuse d'or

The excellence of world gastronomy

Created in 1987 by Paul Bocuse, the Bocuse d’Or is now considered one of the most prestigious culinary competitions in the world. A true benchmark in the world of haute cuisine, it showcases the talent of the most promising chefs internationally.

Held every two years during the Sirha trade show in Lyon, this exceptional competition brings together the best candidates from national and continental selections. Each chef, accompanied by their commis chef, must create dishes of extreme precision within a limited time, combining technique, creativity, and respect for the ingredients.

Beyond the competition, the Bocuse d’Or embodies strong values: the transmission of know-how, high standards, innovation, and a passion for gastronomy. It also serves as a true springboard for chefs, whose careers can be propelled onto the international stage after the competition.

Video

Represent France

France selection 2025

Candidates overview

Six French chefs have been selected for the Bocuse d’Or 2027, to try to succeed Paul Marcon, winner of the 2025 edition.

Independent consulting chef.
An atypical figure, she navigates between conceptual creations, international collaborations, and training. A culinary development consultant, she approaches competitions as a space for sensory expression, blending plate architecture with Franco-Mediterranean culture.

Chantal TABET

Independant chef

Follow her

Executive chief of the Groisy campus in Haute-Savoie (74): Reference for culinary transmission in Haute-Savoie.

Maxence BARUFFALDI

Groisy campus

Follow him

Head chef of the Garenne restaurant in Livron-sur-Drôme (26). Today, he champions a refined regional cuisine rooted in the products of the Drôme region. At La Garenne, he combines instinct, technique, and a radical approach to vegetables with a keen sense of rhythm.

Teddy BIDAUX

La Garenne restaurant (Drôme)

Follow him

Head chef of the Prairial restaurant (3 toques) in Lyon (69). Awarded a red star and a green star by Michelin, Gaëtan Gentil embodies a new generation of Lyon chefs focused on vegetables, seasonality and naturalness.

Gaëtan GENTIL

Le Prairial restaurant (Lyon)

Follow him

Executive Chief of the Automobile Club of France (75). Executive chief at one of the capital’s most exclusive institutions, he honed his skills in Parisian luxury hotels. His classic, stylish cuisine, consistently excellent, has earned him a solid reputation.

Julien GUENEE

Automobile Club of France (Paris)

Follow him

Head chef of the restaurant La Table du Grapiot in Pupillin (39). A passionate advocate for Jura products, Vivien Sonzogni is establishing himself as one of the new faces of demanding rural bistronomy. In Pupillin, he combines technique, sensitivity, and the fermenting terroir.

Vivien SONZOGNI

La Table du Grapiot (Jura)

Follow him

The winner has been announced

The candidates competed during a day of trials on October 21, 2025, at the Maison de la Mutualité in Paris’s 5th arrondissement, presided over by Paul Marcon. Marcon was accompanied, as Honorary President, by the three-Michelin-starred chef Christopher Coutanceau.

At the end of the day, Maxence Baruffaldi was named the winner of the French selection, allowing him to advance to the European selection, the final stage before the world competition bringing together the 24 finalist countries.

europe selection 2026

Live again the highlights

On March 15 and 16, 2026, French chef Maxence Baruffaldi represented France at the Bocuse d’Or Europe, a major stage of this international culinary competition. The event was held for the first time in Marseille, as part of the Sirha Méditerranée trade fair.

For five and a half hours, candidates from 20 countries had to demonstrate exceptional technical skill, creativity, and composure. The challenges showcased iconic Mediterranean products, such as red mullet, cuttlefish, bull meat, artichokes, chickpeas, and aioli.

At the end of this particularly demanding competition, Maxence Baruffaldi distinguished himself by securing 5th place, thus qualifying for the Bocuse d’Or world final, which will take place in Lyon in January 2027.

This result underscores the quality of the French team’s work and confirms the chef’s potential on the international stage. He has established himself as a serious contender, embodying the values ​​of excellence, precision, and modernity inherent in French gastronomy.

Take part of france selection

Do you want to be the next candidate?

Send us a messqge