The Bocuse d'Or 2013: Putting Britain on the culinary map

International chef competition The Bocuse d'Or took place in Lyon, France last week with the UK team taking fourth place and winning two of the five special prizes. 

It was Britain's best result yet in the 14th year of the bi-annual competition, and, as UK president Brian Turner told BigHospitality, had put Britain firmly on the culinary map.

He said: "This should certainly help us in the future. Now at least they'll all know what we're about and will be asking, what are the Brits doing, what are they going to be like? We need to be with the Brits." 

UK competitor Adam Bennett and his commis chef Kristian Curtis, both from Birmingham restaurant Simpsons, had spent months dedicated to the competition after being given time off by boss Andreas Antona to work in a replica kitchen at University College Birmingham.

Bennett was selected for the competition following a cook-off in September 2011 and then went on to compete in the European final in Brussels in March last year where the UK team took sixth place and earned its place in the final.

Along with the 23 other countries who made the final, the pair, who competed on the second and final day of the competition, had to prepare 14 fish dishes using a variety of fish that was only revealed in November and a meat platter in just five and a half hours before the 24 members of the Bocuse d'Or jury awarded their scores.

You can gain a greater insight into the exciting Bocuse d'Or final and watch interviews with Bennett, Curtis, coach Nick Vadis and Turner straight after the results, by watching this exclusive video.