A night of creativity can be expected at Bocuse d’Or Culinary Canvas, from curated cocktails at the whisky bar to a showcase of the finest local cuisine.
The event is in support of the Bocuse d’Or Team New Zealand’s trip to the Asia Pacific regional competition in China.
The New Zealand team has moved into its new training kitchen, which is sponsored by Compass Group NZ, and supported by Moffat New Zealand. With access to top-of-the-line commercial equipment, the New Zealand team has replicated as much of the competition kitchen as possible, which is a first for the team.
Recently, the Bocuse d’Or committee released details of the first half of the competition, where all teams must use and highlight New Zealand Lamb Saddle on the platter presentation. This is not only a win for the team, but also for the country.
Celebrating New Zealand Lamb
This has also provided the opportunity to celebrate New Zealand products on the world stage and highlighted why the New Zealand team deserve a spot on the global culinary stage. The team has been taking time off work to train three days a week to earn a top-five ranking in order to qualify for the finals.
Will Mordido, Chef Candidate of the Bocuse d’Or Team NZ, has over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry.
Mordido has claimed a range of prestigious titles throughout his career, including Restaurant Association Chef of the Year; made history as the first-ever Bocuse d’Or Finals candidate from New Zealand and secured a Silver Medal at the International Jeunes Chef des Rotissers Competition.
Ken O’Connell has over 30 years of experience as an accomplished chef in New Zealand. Originally from Cork, Ireland, he now resides in Auckland as the owner and chef of Copia. Throughout his career, O’Connell has excelled in both team and individual competitions, earning more than 90 awards. He also serves as the President and Team NZ Coach for APAC 2024 and the Bocuse d’Or 2025 world final.
At only 21 years of age, Sam Linstrom has become one of New Zealand’s finest emerging chefs. He represented New Zealand at the recent Australia Culinary Federation Restaurant Competition, where he won first prize, and is a graduate from the New Zealand School of Food and Wine Class of 2023. He has been inspired by European chefs, to keep up with finer dining trends.
Tasting Jury
Well-known to most New Zealanders as the winner of the first season of MasterChef New Zealand, Brett McGregor has a penchant for innovation and a deep understanding of flavours. He has since become a prominent figure on the local culinary scene, as he has continued to captivate audiences through cooking demonstrations, collaborations, and the publication of three cookbooks. McGregor joined the Bocuse d’Or team as its tasting jury and will join a panel of international judges when the team competes in China in September.
Dedicated to succession planning, Sam Gradowski will join the team as a stand-in Commis Chef. He has worked with the team in the lead-up to the competition to gain full insight into what the competition world is all about. He also won the gold medal at the New Zealand Chefs Emerging Chef Competition in 2023 and was part of the first-place team at the Australian Culinary Federation Restaurant Challenge.
Financial restraints have always been the biggest hurdle for Bocuse d’Or Team New Zealand, which is why all proceeds from the event will contribute to the costs associated with a global culinary competition of this magnitude. The fundraiser will also help to replace over NZD $20,000 worth of equipment that was lost at last year’s grand final.
Team New Zealand has continuously worked hard to regain its spot at the Bocuse d’Or International Final. Should it rank in the top five, the team will head to Lyon, France, to challenge the best the world has to offer.
Bocuse d’Or Culinary Canvas -A Night of Art, Music, and Gastronomy will be held on Saturday, the 17th of August, at JaceSpace in Eden Terrace, and run by Lacuna + Co.
Renowned chefs Greg Piner from Silver Fern Farms, Zennon Wijlens from Paris Butter, Glen File from Onslow and Bryan Bae of Choux have each created delectable dishes with fresh, local produce for the fundraiser.
Tickets at :
