On January 31st, the final of the ‘Taittinger’, International Prize for Cuisine d’auteur took place, during which 8 international chefs competed by presenting a starter and then a main course around pork, the imposed theme of this year.

It was the representative of the Netherlands, Jan Smink (find his portrait here) who won this 55th edition, held at the ‘London Le Cordon Bleu’ culinary school.

Discover some behind-the-scenes images of the final.

 
From left to right: Miguel Valerio (Switzerland), Hirofumi Kanbe (Japan), Claudette Zepeda (USA)
Pork dish by Alexandre Vuillin (France), who came 3rd in the competition.
Désirée Jaks (Sweden)
Starter and main course of the winner Jan Smink (Netherlands)
Soup by Désirée Jaks (Sweden)
On the center: Paul Burgalières (UK); On the right: the winner Jan Smink (Netherlands)
During the event… Jean-Pierre Redont, General Manager of the Prize; Chef Emmanuel Renaut, President of the Jury and Vitalie Taittinger, President of the Maison Taittinger.
On the left, the dish of Hirofumi Kanbe (Japan), who came 2nd in the competition; On the right, the dish of Paul Burgalières (UK).
From left to right: Alexandre Vuillin (France), Paul Burgalières (UK), Nicolas Tournay (Belgium)
From left to right: Starter by Claudette Zepeda (USA), dish by Miguel Valerio (Switzerland), dish by Nicolas Tournay (Belgium).
Jan Smink, winner of the 55th edition of the ‘Taittinger’, received the cup from Vitalie Taittinger © Thomas Alexander
From left to right: Alexandre Vuillin (France), 3rd place; the winner Jan Smink (Netherlands); Hirofumi Kanbe (Japan), 2nd place © Gildas Boclé
>> Find more information on the Taittinger – International Prize for cuisine d’auteur here

Photos in the kitchen : Gildas Boclé
Photos of the dishes : Jean-Blaise Hall