UK bids to host 2018 European Bocuse d'Or

The UK's Bocuse d'Or team, led by Brian Turner CBE, has until December 4 to submit its official application to hold the European cooking contest, which will be used to select the European teams for the international Bocuse d'Or 2019. 

Hosting the Bocuse d'Or is seen as an ideal opportunity to not only promote a country's culinary heritage, but also its cultural and touristic assets say its organisers. 

Turner said: “The Bocuse d’Or is the world’s biggest, most challenging and prestigious cooking event bar none yet awareness of the competition in this country is still disappointingly low. The culinary scene in London is among the most exciting in the world right now. What better way to showcase British hospitality than by hosting the largest and most hotly contested heat of the Bocuse d’Or here in the capital?” 

The UK is up against Germany, Denmark, Estonia, The Netherlands and Poland in its bid to host the bi-annual European heat of the competition. 

Once official applications are received, they are reviewed by the International Organising Committee who draw up a shortlist of four. The shortlisted countries will then receive a visit from the IOC before a final decision is made and announced at the Bocuse d'Or prize presentation ceremony in Budapest on 11 May 2016. 

Last year the European Bocuse d'Or was held in Sweden and next year it will be held in Hungary.