FSR magazine April 2018

COMPETITIONS
‘‘
Chef Mathew Peters, the
first u.s. Chef to win BoCuse
d’or, PrePares a Meat Platter
at the 2017 CoMPetition.
Competing in this competition has been lifechanging
and eye-opening in so many ways,”
Chef Philip Tessier
Chef PhiliP tessier, teaM usa CoaCh and BoCuse d’or 2015 silver winner,
with Chef Mathew Peters, BoCuse d’or 2017 winner.
experience being in hospitality for 20
years, I think this is probably my third
or fourth upswing in the number of competitions,”
Smith says. And, while he
doesn’t think competitions are necessary
for the success of the industry—“I think
that the hospitality industry is competitive
enough on its own,” Smith says—
he does consider competitions helpful
in supporting chefs and bartenders on
an individual basis, acting as a tool for
professional development.
The industry, it seems, shares Smith’s
sentiment. Beyond the drive to win, participants
are flocking to food and beverage
competitions as a way to build their
networks, skill sets, and profiles. Many
view their experience inside the ring as
so integral to their development as professionals
that they are now shepherding
younger chefs and mixologists into
arena. Organizers and sponsors, too, are
benefiting from the action in the opportunity
it provides to buddy up with these
driven professionals.
The rise of competitions is certainly
shining a spotlight on the hospitality
industry, and, in doing so, hopefully propelling
the industry forward.
Competitors’ perks
Since the vast majority of hospitality
employers aren’t able to focus on professional
development in the day-to-day,
USBG’s competitions hope to fill the participants’
need by offering competitors
thorough feedback from the judges. Each
bartender receives a detailed breakdown
of where they fell at different stages of
the competition, as well as written feedback
on their strengths and where to
consider improvement.
“I hear from competitors year after
year, since we started that process, that
that is one of the most valuable experiences
that they gain from participating
in competitions. The hospitality industry
managers don’t always have time to give
thoughtful, comprehensive evaluations
to their employees,” Smith says. “We see
people returning to programs year after
year to demonstrate their improvement
and learn more about what they can do
to get better.”
Bocuse d’or / david escalante (top)
40 april 2018 FOODNEWSFEED.cOm