After 5 hours and 30 minutes of intense competition in Trondheim, it became clear that Gustav Leonhardt and Team Sweden would secure second place in the competition, thereby advancing to the world final of Bocuse d’Or – the world's most prestigious gastronomic competition.
”I am incredibly proud of the whole team! This is proof that our hard work has paid off, and that Sweden still ranks as one of the world’s best gastronomic nations. Now we are regrouping for the final in Lyon, where we are aiming for gold!” says Gustav Leonhardt, Sweden's candidate in the Bocuse d’Or.
In the European final of the Bocuse d’Or, all 20 participating European countries had 5 hours and 30 minutes to prepare two different dishes using different ingredients in the two categories, platter and plate.
Platter service involves presenting a dish that is not only of the highest quality in terms of taste but is also served in a creative, elegant, and preferably extravagant manner. In this category, the service is done on a large serving platter, and the ingredients that could be used were Norwegian Skrei, scallops, and salt cod.
Here, Gustav chose to explore elements from his upbringing in Sörmland in combination with Sweden's diverse food culture. The dish consisted of, among other things, skrei with oven-roasted scallops ’lacqué', scallop beurre blanc, and a consommé of dried salted cod, potato, and ginger.
The plate category is about presenting a dish with a traditional serving, on a simple plate, like in a restaurant. Here, the contestants were allowed to use reindeer meat from the Norwegian village of Røros and Norwegian LINIE Akvavit. Here, Gustav mixed elements from northern Sweden with the familiar feeling of Sunday dinners with the family.
The dish consisted of pan-fried bavette steak, lightly smoked reindeer shank, ’Jus pâte d’épices’, and browned butter, foie gras ’brulé’, and pears and mushrooms poached in aquavit.
At the end of January 2025, 24 participating countries will compete against each other in the Bocuse d’Or world final, including Team Sweden, led by Gustav Leonhardt.
According to the press release.
