Bocuse d’Or 2025 unveils honorary president

British chef Daniel Calvert has been named honorary president of the Bocuse d’Or 2025 grand final.

Calvert worked at the Ivy and the Michelin-starred Pied à Terre in London before moving to the US to join Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-starred Per Se in New York.

From there he joined three-starred Epicure at Le Bristol in Paris before cooking at one-starred Belon in Hong Kong.

In 2021, the chef opened his own French restaurant, Sézanne in Tokyo, which was awarded three Michelin stars in October 2024, making him the first British chef to lead a restaurant that has won three Michelin stars outside the UK.

As honorary president of Bocuse d’Or 2025, Calvert will be responsible for guiding and advising the 24 candidates in the two-day competition on 26-27 January.

Chefs have been tasked with showcasing roe deer, foie gras and tea for the platter, while the theme requires them to cook with celeriac, meagre and lobster.

Tom Phillips, executive chef at the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Story in London, is representing Team UK, who came fourth at the European selections of the Bocuse d’Or.

The candidates will be judged by the testing jury, which is being chaired by Brian Mark Hansen, winner of Bocuse d’Or 2023.