By CINDA CHAVICH

(Lyon, France) – They practiced for two solid years. They had the $20,000 silver platters crafted by an artisan in Paris and a killer lobster sauce concocted with 25 Atlantic lobsters and three bottles of fine cognac.

They came with a cheering section decked out in red hockey jerseys, with Canadian flags and Canada goose calls.

But David Wong, Canada’s hope for the biennial Bocuse d’Or competition, didn’t make it to the podium position the team’s organizers had predicted. While Wong’s commis, Grace Pineda, the 22-year-old cook who assisted him through the grueling five-hour, live cooking event, was named the top apprentice among the 24 countries competing, Wong finished in a disappointing ninth place.

“It’s not the place we wanted to be but we felt good in our effort,” said the 37-year-old chef instructor at the Art Institute of Vancouver, after the awards ceremony that saw Norway, Sweden and France take the top three spots in the prestigious professional cooking contest, presided over by France’s famed chef, Paul Bocuse.

Wong and Pineda made a cohesive team, and Pineda’s award as top commis in the world attests to Wong’s skill as both a chef and a mentor.

“This is the world’s most demanding competition and we felt good about what we did,” a visibly exhausted Wong said as he left the building with his wife Danielle.

Wong’s main dishes – a roll of wild cod and king scallops served with a lobster veloute and rare beef tenderloin with foie gras custard and braised ox cheeks - looked stunning as they were paraded before the 24 star chef judges, including American chefs Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. Wong’s food was complex and tasted “very, very nice” according to Canada’s judge, chef Simon Smotkowicz.

But Canada faced some technical difficulties during the cooking marathon and, like France, lost 12 points when their platters were sent out several minutes late for judging.

Wong’s coach, chef Robert Sulatycky, who placed fourth in the Bocuse competition in 1999 (Canada’s best showing in the 22-year history of the event), was confident before the contest that Canada would finally reach the podium this year. Calgary chef Vincent Parkinson, the team’s Chef de Mission, said Canada’s entry looked strong.

“They’ve stood up very well against the best here, if indeed there are any better looking platters,” said Parkinson as the last plates were delivered to judges before a din of screaming fans.

Sulatycky pushed the chefs hard but said he was proud of Wong’s hard work and devotion, especially when the team faced technical problems in the kitchen.

“I was really hoping for top five, but we had to call for an electrician four times today,” he said. “That really slowed them down.”

Transformers failed, blowing fuses during the competition, and the chefs faced several hurdles leading up to the event. Their $200,000 budget was small compared with other countries – the U.S. team raised more than $500,000 while some reportedly spend up to $1 million to finance their Bocuse bids.

Canada has a distinct disadvantage compared with the many European teams who routinely place in the top three spots at the Bocuse d’Or. The logistics and cost of hauling 500 pounds of equipment and a dozen huge boxes of food across the ocean proved one of many challenges. Flight delays caused the Canadian team to arrive in Lyon at 1 a.m., nearly nine hours behind schedule, and forced them to store their carefully selected perishable ingredients on hotel balconies overnight. Wong scoured local markets to replace items but some – like butternut squash – proved difficult to find. The high school where the team was scheduled to practice was closed over the weekend, compressing schedules, and forcing chefs to prep food in their hotel rooms while the support team struggled to replace Canadian sous vide thermal circulators, heat lamps, blenders and other electrical equipment with European models compatible with local power sources.

Even the optics of the event did not favour Canada. Much media attention was focused on the U.S. team leading up to this year’s contest. Paul Bocuse himself asked top American chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and his son, Jerome Bocuse, to recruit a candidate to represent the U.S. at the 2009 event. Timothy Hollingsworth, sous chef at The French Laundry and a Keller protege, was chosen as the U.S. candidate and practiced at a special replica kitchen set up near the famous Napa Valley restaurant. Hollingsworth and his team arrived in Lyon Jan. 16 to practice and worked in the kitchens at Paul Bocuse’s eponymous Lyon restaurant and culinary college to prepare for the event. At the competition itself, much attention was paid to Keller and Boulud, named honorary president of the 2009 Bocuse d’Or event, and the most recognizable international chefs among the judging panel.

An American win would have put the French competition in the spotlight across the U.S., and boosted investment in the show. But, despite the big budget and hype, Hollingsworth finished sixth.

Canada’s Bocuse d’Or team says their organization is strong, and they will endeavor to raise more money and make even better plans for the next contest in 2011, when Vancouver chef Ryan Stone will represent Canada.

But both Parkinson and Sulatycky said Pineda, who now travels to Paris for a stage at Joël Robuchon’s two Michelin star restaurant, L’Atelier, is a young chef to watch.

“To have achieved such an exceptional result is testament to David’s and Grace’s skill and determination, as well as to that of a large group of dedicated professionals who have provided their invaluable support over the past two years,” said Parkinson.

“In the culinary world, there is no greater accomplishment than to be recognized at the Bocuse d’Or.”

Bocuse d’Or 2009 Winners:

GOLD and €20,000 - Geir Skeie, Norway

SILVER and €15,000 – Jonas Lundgren, Sweden

BRONZE and €10,000 – Philippe Mille, France

BEST COMMIS: Grace Pineda, Canada

BEST FISH DISH: Jasper Kure, Denmark

BEST MEAT DISH: Jasper Kure, Denmark

(This story appeared in the Globe and Mail newspaper)

copyright Cinda Chavich

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