Team UK qualifies for Bocuse d’Or Grand Final 2027

Team UK made it into the top 10 of the Bocuse d’Or 2026 European selection competition and qualified for next year’s Grand Final.

 

The two-day European continental round of the prestigious culinary competition took place during Sirha Méditerranée on 15-16 March in Marseille.

 

The UK team, comprising candidate Oliver McGeorge and commis chef Stella Harris, placed seventh. The Grand Final will be held on 24-25 January 2027 during Sirha Lyon.

 

McGeorge told The Caterer: “I’ve followed the Bocuse d’Or for years, so to step onto that stage for the first time and come away with qualification for Lyon is incredibly special. It hasn’t been a straightforward journey, but that makes it all the more meaningful. Now the focus shifts – we know what’s required, and I’m fully committed to pushing for a place on the podium.”

 

Harris added: “Representing the UK in Marseille was an unforgettable experience – intense, exciting, and a real privilege. It’s only made me more motivated. I feel energised, ready to get back into training, and focused on what we can achieve together in Lyon. We’re going for gold!”

 

Denmark, represented by chef Christian Wellendorf, retained its European title, and Norway and Italy, represented by Christian André Pettersen and Matteo Terranova respectively, finished second and third.

 

All 20 European teams had five and half hours to showcase Mediterranean products through three tests under the eye of chef and honorary president Gérald Passedat and the jury, which included Team UK president chef Clare Smyth.

 

The platter theme showcased the flavours of Marseille with red gurnard, chickpeas, small purple artichokes and sea urchin. The surf and turf theme challenged the candidates to work with cuttlefish and Camargue bull tenderloin. Finally, a new test revealed one month before the competition, the ‘On Stage!’ test, challenged the candidates to make a garlic and olive oil emulsion, inspired by Provençal aïoli, in 10 minutes, live in front of the public and equipped with just a single induction hob, whilst incorporating a culinary signature from their own country.

 

Team UK’s Mediterranean-themed dish was entitled ‘Tides and garrigue of the Mediterranean’. It comprised pan-roasted Camargue bull fillet stuffed with a cuttlefish and bull ‘black pudding’-inspired farce, alongside a grilled and glazed cuttlefish tentacle. Wye Valley green asparagus was grilled then dressed with a marigold and calamansi vinaigrette. A tartare of bull and cuttlefish accompanied the plate, as well as a small tartlet featuring a pissaladière-inspired filling, topped with confit tomatoes.

 

The sauce was a wild garlic and confit garlic emulsion, enriched with olive oil and English verjus for acidity, lifted with some of the potato cooking liquid in a ‘bourride sétoise’ style.

 

McGeorge and Harris’s platter was of red gurnard with Scottish lobster and saffron mousse, with a chickpea and smokie garnish, violet artichokes and a shrimp and sea urchin sauce.

 

Team UK chair Adam Wing said: “It has been a long road to this point, not without its challenges, which makes this achievement even more significant. Oliver and Stella have demonstrated exceptional dedication and skill throughout, and I’m incredibly proud of what they have achieved under the guidance of Ian Musgrave.

 

“With Lyon now in sight, our focus is on building momentum through continued training and development. We are hugely grateful to our existing sponsors, and as we look ahead, we are seeking further support to ensure the team has the strongest possible platform for success.”

 

Team coach Ian Musgrave, executive sous chef at the Ritz London, added: “This result is a huge credit to the team and the work they’ve put in over a long period, often navigating challenges along the way. What they delivered in Marseille was outstanding, but this is just the starting point. Now we analyse, refine, and build – because there’s a great deal more to come from this group.”

 

Prior to the competition, McGeorge told The Caterer: “I think risks need to be taken. We’re going to do it a different way and just see what happens. As much as we want to create really nice, personality-driven food, Bocuse demands food that is clean, perfect and pretty, so it’s about getting the balance right.”

 

Passedat said after the results were announced: “Bocuse d’Or is not a competition like any other. It embodies the very best of gastronomy: creativity, professionalism and, above all, team spirit.

 

“The candidates have successfully captured and conveyed the intensity of the Mediterranean’s aromas, the delicacy of the flavours, as well as the elegance and precision of the dishes. I would like to congratulate them on their commitment and the exceptional quality of their work.”

 

The 2026 European qualifiers for the 2027 Bocuse d’Or Grand Final

• Winner: Denmark – Christian Wellendorf (candidate)/Gustav Spurré (commis)
• 2nd: Norway – Christian André Pettersen (candidate)/Hanna Korvald (commis)
• 3rd: Italy – Matteo Terranova (candidate)/Edoardo Magni (commis)
• 4th: Sweden – Ludwig Tjörnemo (candidate)/Emilia Björklund (commis)
• 5th: France – Maxence Baruffaldi (candidate)/Arthur Fauriel (commis)
• 6th: Finland – Johan Kurkela (candidate)/Niilo Suominen (commis)
• 7th: UK – Oliver McGeorge (candidate)/Stella Harris (commis)
• 8th: Belgium – Piet Vande Casteele (candidate)/Willemijn Veldeman (commis)
• 9th: Hungary – Roland Kelemen (candidate)/Zoltán Vincze (commis)
• 10th: Iceland – Snædís Xyza Mae Jónsdóttir (candidate)/Marlís Jóna Karlsdóttir (commis)
• Special prize for the theme on a plate: Sweden
• Special prize for the Surf and Turf theme: Finland
• Best commis award: Hanna Korvald (Norway)

Teams from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland comprised the rest of the competitors.

 

The next European selection will take place in June 2028 in Lausanne, Switzerland, ahead of the 2029 Grand Final.