"james kent" news and stories

Every two years the prestigious Bocuse d'Or World Cuisine contest is held in Lyon. (The next one is in 2011). James Kent, the sous chef at award-winning Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York City, has been selected to represent the U.S. and bring back the gold. His wingman will be Tom Allan, another sous chef at Eleven Madison.

Slashfood spent a few minutes talking with Kent about his recent nomination to the team.

How do you formulate a strategy?
JK: For the finals competition, Chef Humm of Eleven Madison Park was a great mentor in helping to steer us in the right direction. We focused on both taste and presentation and refined a bunch of dishes until we came up with a salmon and lamb platter that we felt great about. We are going to do the same thing for the international competition, but this time, with the support of the Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation, its Culinary Council and of course, Eleven Madison Park behind us. Once we determine the dishes, it'll be all about perfecting them and getting the preparation down to a science in 5 1/2 hours.

James Kent, sous chef at New York City's Eleven Madison Park restaurant, will represent the U.S. at the 2011 Bocuse d'Or cooking competition in Lyon, France, Nation's Restaurant News reported.

He will be assisted by fellow Eleven Madison Park sous chef Tom Allan. Kent beat out 11 other semifinalists from around the country at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. on Saturday.

(Click here for more on the American semifinalists from Slashfood.)

The Bocuse d'Or competition was started in 1987 by French chef Paul Bocuse to "o broaden the public understanding of the rigors involved in culinary excellence," NRN reported. The biannual competition pits teams from 24 countries against one another in a haute-cuisine cook-off.